Joomla Sport Template

Everything started to move faster. The stands seemed to unfold and more inhabitants emerge, louder and closer as that court wilted from under the Academy of Oak Park players' feet. Any sliver of light through the defense held nothing but false promises, soon eaten away by the wingspans and quick hands of Muskegon Heights defense, full-court press to half-court traps. The already flimsy handles of AOP's guards lost all bearings in the Tigers' fourth quarter comeback, and Oak Park's upset bid was destined to fail. Hope was blown away with the help of all those Tigers banners. There may come a time when some upstarts from Detroit, a charter school no less, come in and win with a whole town rooting against them, and history certainly not on their side. May do what even the defending Illinois state champion couldn't. Possibly end an undefeated season at its half-life.

But not this day.  Muskegon Heights beat the Academy of Oak Park, 62-57. Only Chicago Whitney Young and Grand Haven have played the Tigers closer.

But if in future games against the likes of Saginaw Arthur Hill, or Romulus and Kalamazoo Central on the road, the Heights has a first half like it did Friday, 20-0 looks unlikely. The Academy of Oak Park led 32-25 at halftime then started the third quarter with an 8-0 run. Last season was the Rams' first time playing at Muskegon Heights. Like a lot of Eastside teams, the players probably underestimated what was in store for them and got run by some kids from someplace they'd never heard of in front of the largest crowd they'd ever played. This time, they knew the score and were dialed in for one of the marquee games on their schedule. For AOP, 6-3 senior Kendrick Ward was hot from three-point range, 6-4 senior Dmitri Abner was working the glass, 6-5 senior Cimorone Porter was blocking shots. The Rams were quicker to the ball. The Heights' offensive woes were two-fold -- missing easy shots and taking even harder ones.  

In the fouth quarter, the pressure got the best of AOP, literally and figuratively. The Rams passed through Heights' full-court defense in its earliest forms. But anytime they put the ball on the floor, either pushing it or against the half-court zone trap, they were through. Ward's a shooter, not a ball-handler, and junior point guard Devante Miller has some chutzpah but not yet the poise to see through a game like this.

Muskegon Heights' MVP was Keith Taylor, a 6-4 senior reserve. He was a willing passer with the helpful knack of being able to get the ball to the most talented Tiger, 6-4 junior Deontae Hudson. Taylor guarded the post, blocked shots (one time successively), ran the court and got to loose balls. His partner out there, Hudson, has become just a terrific player. He's so much stronger and more focused than as a 10th-grader. The form makes you wince, but he was the Heights' best percentage three-point shooter, and reallly got after it on the glass in the second half. Hudson finished with 22 points and 10 reounds. He looks like he could be Muskegon Heights' first D1 player since Eddie Spencer (CMU), now the hometown JV coach.

Taylor wasn't the Tigers' only strong bench player. 6-1 senior William Briggs got the start likely due to some defensive advantages, but there's no denying 6-1 senior Jamil Thornton. He has the volatile combination of NBA range, little regard for time and place, and a compulsive trigger finger, which combusted for some shots leaving coaches in shock, and fans in awe. Thornton scored 10. At point guard and center, Heights seniors Van Parker and Julian Plummer may not see eye-to-eye, at 5-10 and 6-6, But they share other traits, as players not necessarily gifted but tough, efficient, competitive and smart.  Parker is a pass-first, unselfish true point guard, who can lock down defensively. Heights' guards really should have looked for Plummer more. On his rare (like, two) post touches, he scored on clean and basic moves; finished with 10 points When the Tigers desperately needed a hoop, coming out of the timeout trailing 40-25, they went right to Plummer and were rewarded with a layup. But left to their own devices, their ball-handlers usually wouldn't wait in the halfcourt for sets to develop and Plummer shake free with a cross-screen. But Plummer can helps his own cause, by matching his smaller teammates effort and motor on the offensive boards and the running game.