After a long year of waiting to be back, the Pioneers of Gabriel Richard Riverview made it back to the semifinals, but instead of losing at the buzzer this year, they won that game and made it to the State Finals. Senior Nick Sobush and Luke Westerdale told us that they dreamt of playing in the school’s first basketball finals earlier this year since they were freshmen. However, playing as a freshman wasn’t a given, as before Westerdale and Sobush, no freshman ever started on varsity under Coach Kris Daiek. “Nick and I saw that as more of a challenge to make it,” according to Westerdale. So that was the first trend-setting thing this class at Gabriel Richard would do. But the following year, as Westerdale would say, “He never ever started multiple sophomores, and he started four sophomores and a freshman our sophomore year.” according to Westerdale.
A key factor in the Finals win for the Pioneers was the team’s unselfish play. They played six guys in the game, with their five main seniors getting the majority of the minutes, and it was one of the best instances of team ball we saw all season. Sobush, Westerdale, Charles Kage, Drew Everingham, and Bryce White scored in the double digits, with Kage and White having 18 and then Kage and Everingham having a double-double. “It was the most fun basketball we’ve ever played,” Westerdale said. “No one cared who shot the ball. Whoever was open shot the ball, got the rebound, and put it back up, Westerdale said. “You don’t see all five in double digits very often,” Sobush said. “Everyone touching the ball, sharing the ball and scoring and playing defense is something coach pushes on us,” Sobush continued. “We really don’t care who shoots the ball, we all trust each other out there,” Sobush would say.
That unselfishness carries over to the bigs as you saw a lot more lobs and dunks being thrown down by their bigs, and that is something that Everingham touched on, saying he wasn’t getting those down last year and that he felt like that was a game changer and spark for his crew this year. While there is a lot of talk about the five guys who scored in double digits, another player whose unselfish play helped his team was Derek Lesko. Lesko started the game for the Pioneers but would only play for two minutes. “He’s all about winning,” Sobush said. “It’s huge having him out there; he’s one of the best defenders in the state in our division,” Westerdale would add. Westerdale would add, “He defended every team’s top guy, and that’s what he took pride in.” “Derek was very unselfish and was a key part of our team,” White would add. “He could also get rebounds and shoot the three ball if needed,” according to Everingham.
The newest edition to the already-loaded team was Bryce White. White, a transfer from Westland John Glenn, had been a key factor all season for the Pioneers, especially in the state finals, as he dropped 18 points in the victory. For White, he transferred to a team that was already loaded, and coming off of a semifinal loss last season could be tough. He said as much: “Honestly, it was tough coming in knowing they were already a great team and realizing that I needed to find a way to fit in,” he did just that. Everything worked out for White, and he would say, “They welcomed me in with open arms,” he would go on to say, “Throughout the season, we could see the chemistry build to where it needed to be.” that is good and all but
On the team, they did have one person who had won a state championship already, and that was Drew Everingham. Everingham won a baseball state title with the Pioneers as a freshman. In that game, Everingham had to come in and close out the game, but this time, as a senior, he was the driving force as he had 12 points and eight rebounds in the first half to pick up his team. “I knew Nick and Luke were probably gonna be covered a little more,” Everingham said when asked about his outstanding start to the game. He would say, “I knew whenever I had the opportunity to score, I was going to take it.” coming in and closing out a state title game is awesome. Still, Everingham said that this one is more special just because it’s his senior year, and after what happened last year losing at the buzzer, this one felt well deserved,” according to Everingham.
When you look at the two teams who played in the Division Three Championship game, the noticeable difference was the size factor. The Pioneers had four players that were 6’4 or taller compared to Arts & Tech Academy of Pontiac, which only had two. According to Westerdale, that advantage was going to play a factor, and it did as the three bigs that played in Kage, Everingham, and White were the three leading scorers on the team. One person who knew that he was going to have to dominate the game was Kage. “He was telling us all day the day before the game that he was going to step up,” according to Westerdale. “Luke and I always do the scoring,” according to Sobush. “But we needed Charles to score in this one, and he put us on his back,” Sobush added. Everingham has been playing next to him for so long that he has great insight into Kage’s play. “Our team is one of those teams that work off the post, “added Everingham. “I’m one of the guys that’s in the corner to always give him the ball, and that’s why we work together so much,” Everingham would say. White would add that it’s special to be able to play with both Kage and Everingham because a lot of the focus goes towards the bigger players so it just opens more up for the team. “Playing with bigs like Charles and Drew is also nice because when us guards get beat, they are there to send it off the glass,” according to Westerdale.
It’s a family culture and feel on the basketball team, and that is what each of the players contributed to their success. “We were together for so long,” Westerdale said. “It’s the best bond,” according to Kage. “We have a great bond outside of school. We are all family.” Kage would add. The family you make with your team is one thing, and you’ll never forget those battles you have with them on the court, but the family at home is another. “My dad and uncle went to Gabriel Richard,” according to Everingham. “The family and the culture is why I chose to come to Gabriel Richard,” Everingham would say. “This family feeling starts when we do our summer camp for the kids and we become family doing that,” Everingham would say. “My uncle was on the 1991 team that made it to the final four, but they didn’t get to that final game, so for us to make it and win is very special to me,” according to Everingham.
With their basketball careers at Gabriel Richard now done, they all want to be remembered as the best team to come out of the school. “I want our team to go down as a real legendary team,” according to Westerdale. “I want people to look up at the state championship banner and say yeah that was a dang good team,” Westerdale would also add. “I’ll say we’re the best team to come out of GR, and hopefully that stays for a while,” Sobush added.
Each of the five seniors is getting ready to head off to college and go their different routes: Everingham to Western Michigan for baseball, Westerdale to Wayne State for basketball, Kage to Saginaw Valley State for basketball, Sobush to Siena Heights for basketball, and White is still undecided. They all said that they are going to stay in touch and down the road this is the big thing that they will all remember. Gabriel Richard will remember them as State Champions.
