We had three games to kick off our high school basketball coverage. Here are our takeaways from the Horatio Williams Foundation Tip-Off Classic.
Game 1: Detroit Renaissance vs Romulus Summit Academy
Waking Up the Dragons.
After a first half that saw Summit only make ten baskets and trail Renaissance 32-26 at the break. The second half started, and it was like a light switch went off, and they went on a 21-10 run. James Wright came alive in the third, scoring eight of his 20 points. After a game that could have easily gotten away from them, Summit flexed their muscle and woke up in the second half outscoring Renaissance 46-22. They played a good brand of basketball, and in the team’s first game of the season, they looked well-rounded, with Wright scoring 20 and grabbing ten rebounds. Guard Dontez Scott Jr also added 20 points and handed out six assists on the night. Add in great team defense; they have a team that can make some noise this season.
Stone Cold Lance
Renaissance Sophomore Point Guard Lance Stone bounced back after a rough first game of the season as he played amazing versus Summit. Stone looked to be picking apart the Dragon’s defense and then playing a lockdown defense. Scoring 26 on the night, he could do whatever he wanted early on. He showed flashes of a player that you would hear a lot from over the rest of this season and the next three years.
Game 2: De La Salle vs Michigan Collegiate
The Play of Nino
De La Salle Point Guard Nino Smith is leading this team now. With De La Salle Opening De La Salle opening their title defense Smith shined bright. Although Michigan Collegiate was keying in on Western Michigan commit Mike Sulaka, they let Smith do what he wanted. He finished the night with 19 points, five rebounds, five assists, and three steals. His calmness on the court and dominance driving the lane will make De La Salle a front-runner to repeat as champions.
Needs some Sanding Along the Edges.
Michigan Collegiates is a good team. They have chemistry, shooters, and the height that you’d like for a team to win a title. But they need a guy they can count on to score late in a game. Junior Dylan Grant could be that guy. The 6’7″ Forward might be the man for them, as he has picked up multiple offers and can do everything on both sides of the ball. Grant scored a team-high 15 points, showed off his speed as a slasher, and showed off his shooting ability to knock down a few threes.
Game 3: Brother Rice vs Warren Lincoln
Play of the Big Three
The Play of the Brother Rice Big Three left some to be desired. While Senior Xavier Thomas had a decent game, and Senior Johnathon Blackwell is your leader on the court, the third member of this trio, Senior Curtis Williams, left with something to be desired. Blackwell had 20 points, nine rebounds, and four assists. Thomas added a double-double with 18 points and ten rebounds, knocking down 11 of his 14 shots from the free-throw line. When Blackwell is playing his game and drawing the attention of the other team is when you play your best ball. Williams will find his shot as he’s a great player, but play through Blackwell, and you will glide through the season smoothly.
Pulling Your Own Weight
The Warren Lincoln Abes played good team-oriented basketball and had one of the best teams in the state on the ropes for most of the game. They took a 42-39 lead into the fourth quarter and led the game until the final two minutes. This team has one of the key factors down pat already with the great team ball play. No one looked down on the bench; they had the same energy all night on the court and the bench. If they can carry that to each game, watch out.