Wednesday’s roundup: U-D Jesuit gets past Cass Tech
Dearborn — Julian Dozier was pushed, shoved and knocked down during U-D Jesuit’s Class A regional final game against Detroit Cass Tech Wednesday night at Fordson, but stepped up and made the plays down the stretch to lead the defending state champions to a 74-64 victory.
U-D Jesuit (21-3), the Catholic League champions, will play Romulus in a state quarterfinal Tuesday (5 p.m.) at Calihan Hall for the right to make a return trip to Breslin Center.
Dozier, a 5-foot-8 sophomore, had the unenviable task of replacing Mr. Basketball award winner Cassius Winston at point guard after Winston led U-D Jesuit to the state title last year before moving on to Michigan State.
Well, Cass Tech’s strategy was to play physical against Dozier in an attempt to get in his head and get him off his game. It didn’t work.
Dozier was held scoreless in the first half when PSL champion Cass Tech (19-5) held a 35-34 lead thanks to 3-point shooting by junior Matthew Richmond. But U-D Jesuit opened the third quarter with a 10-1 run, sparked by 3-pointers from Zach Winston, Cassius’ younger brother, and Dozier to open up a 44-35 lead.
Cass Tech came rallying back behind consecutive three-pointers from Marcus Gibbs and another by Richmond to pull even at 49 late in the third.
Then, Dozier took over in the fourth. He made a 3-pointer from the top of the key for a 58-55 lead with 5:40 left to start a 12-3 run, also making a pair of free throws and a short jumper in the lane.
“I hadn’t made a lot of shots, I was pretty cold, knocked down a three, got the confidence going, got a little energy going and we took it over,” said Dozier, who scored 10.
And of Cass Tech’s physical play on him?
“Honestly, I’ve been getting this for the past three or four games where teams try to physically impose me, but I just have to keep my head and play through it, just let the refs handle whatever they need to handle.”
Donnelly was pleased with Dozier’s play.
“He made some great plays and that’s been a pattern the last few games, guys are trying to be real physical with him, I don’t know if they think because he’s young they can bully him a little bit, but he handled it pretty well,” Donnelly said of Dozier.
Sure, there were other stars for U-D Jesuit like 6-9 senior Greg Eboigbodin who had 18 points and 14 rebounds.
Winston made buzzer-beating 3-pointers at the end of the first and second quarters, finishing with 10 points, making three 3s.
And senior guard Scotty Nelson who rallied U-D Jesuit back from a 10-point first-quarter deficit, scoring nine off the bench to pull his team even at 16, after Cass Tech took a 12-2 lead.
“Scott hit three threes in the last game and I think that gave him some confidence,” Donnelly said of Nelson, who scored 18 and will play football at Wisconsin.
Class B
Detroit Edison Academy 66, Detroit Cornerstone Prep 60: Gary Solomon scored 18 and Jamal Keese 16 for Edison Academy (11-11). Jamal Cain had 25 points and 15 rebounds for Cornerstone (15-5).
Detroit Osborn 67, Detroit Collegiate Prep 64: Armonee Felder and Kenneth Holloway had 21 each for Osborn (16-7). Steve Pearson scored 22 and Kylan Shipp 20 for Collegiate Prep (18-4).
New Haven 71, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep 44: Eric Williams Jr. had 26 points and 10 rebounds for New Haven (24-1). Tariq Derrickson scored 22 for Notre Dame Prep (15-10).
River Rouge 51, Dearborn Divine Child 29: DreQuan Bell had 18 for River Rouge (23-1). Liam Soragham scored 10 for Divine Child (16-8).
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News staff contributed
Boys basketball regional finals
Class A
Regional 1 (at Richland Gull Lake)
Kalamazoo Central 75, East Lansing 60
Regional 2 (at Grand Haven)
GR Christian 59, Holland West Ottawa 56
Regional 3 (at Wayne Memorial)
Romulus 66, AA Pioneer 53
Regional 4 (at Dearborn Fordson)
U-D Jesuit 74, Detroit Cass Tech 64
Regional 5 (at Walled Lake Northern)
West Bloomfield 67, Novi 66
Regional 6 (at Troy Athens)
Troy 48, Warren De La Salle 40
Regional 7 (at Grand Blanc)
Clarkston 56, RH Stoney Creek 36
Regional 8 (at Mount Pleasant)
Saginaw 75, Traverse City West 65
Class B
Regional 9 (at Allegan)
Benton Harbor 60, Wayland Union 57
Regional 10 (at Sparta)
Spring Lake 57, GR Catholic Central 48
Regional 11 (at Ionia)
Williamston 51, Portland 40
Regional 12 (at Milan)
River Rouge 51, Dearborn Divine Child 29
Regional 13 (at Livonia Clarenceville)
Detroit Osborn 67, Detroit Collegiate Prep 64
Regional 14 (at North Branch)
New Haven 71, Pontiac ND Prep 44
Regional 15 (at Corunna)
Lake Fenton 68, Frankenmuth 52
Regional 16 (at Grayling)
Ludington 63, Gladstone 48
Class C
Regional 17 (at Bangor)
Kalamazoo Christian 51, Quincy 33
Regional 18 (at Belding)
GR Covenant Christian 51, Muskegon Heights Academy 50
Regional 19 (at Hudson)
Monroe S.M.C.C. 57, Adrian Madison 54
Regional 20 (at Madison Heights Bishop Foley)
Detroit Edison Academy 66, Detroit Cornerstone Prep 60
Regional 21 (at Montrose)
Flint Beecher 79, Brown City 34
Regional 22 (at Morley Stanwood)
Beaverton 44, Saginaw Nouvel 31
Regional 23 (at Houghton Lake)
Manton 47, Boyne City 46
Regional 24 (at Escanaba)
Negaunee 53, Iron Mountain 43
Class D
Regional 25 (at Bellevue)
Benton Harbor Dream Academy 61, Bellevue 49
Regional 26 (at Lansing Christian)
Lansing Christian 68, Plymouth Christian 58
Regional 27 (at Sterling Heights Parkway Christian)
Southfield Christian 76, Detroit Public Safety Academy 57
Regional 28 (at Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary)
Fowler 63, Flint International Academy 46
Regional 29 (at Big Rapids Crossroads Academy)
Wyoming Tri-unity Christian 38, Baldwin 36
Regional 30 (at Traverse City Central)
Buckley 56, Suttons Bay 37
Regional 31 (at St. Ignace)
Hillman 72, Pellston 32
Regional 32 (at Negaunee)
Powers North Central 95, Rapid River 51