Hamtramck — James Clay came out from the opening tip and played aggressive, attacking the basket at every opportunity to help Hamtramck to a runaway 79-28 Metro Athletic Conference victory over Harper Woods Friday night.
The outcome sets up the conference showdown Tuesday night when Hamtramck (9-2, 3-1) plays at No. 2 River Rouge (11-1, 4-0). River Rouge defeated Hamtramck 54-49 on Jan. 10
Clay scored eight of his 16 points in the opening five minutes to set the tempo and help Hamtramck take a 13-8 lead after one quarter.
Hamtramck forced six turnovers in the opening quarter with its fullcourt press and tough man defense, swarming around the ball at every chance.
And, Hamtramck continued to use its quickness to get in the passing lanes in the halfcourt set while forcing multiple turnovers from its press to take control in the second quarter, forcing a half dozen more turnovers and using a 17-0 run to open up a 26-8 lead.
Hamtramck led 40-17 at halftime, also making four 3-pointers in the second quarter, two coming from freshman quarter Amari Allen.
“I just brought out the intensity, but it’s not about me, my teammates helped me get those points,” said Clay of his eight points in the first five minutes of the game. “When you look at our team all of our offense comes from transition, we don’t really run no sets on offense, it’s defense first.”
Allen finished with 14 points, making four of Hamtramck’s 11 3-pointers. Senior guard Jadon Tillman and sophomore guard Hershel Marion each scored 10.
Clay scored 14 first-half points, making his first six shots from the field with the majority coming in transition.
Hamtramck 6-foot-7 senior Noah Burns also caused problems in the first half, rejecting three shots, including one where he sprinted to the other end of the court and took a pass from Allen and scored a layup.
If Hamtramck didn’t run Harper Woods (5-5, 1-3) out of the gym in the first half, it certainly did in the third quarter, extending the lead to 63-24 with 6-5 Mike Lewis scoring his first eight points of the game after seven Hamtramck players scored in the first half.
Detroit Cass Tech 72, Detroit Communication and Media Arts 47: Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh and a few other members of his staff, including defensive coordinator Don Brown made the trip to Detroit Cass Tech and were treated to an impressive performance by Mr. PSL front-runner Tyson Acuff and Company.
Acuff, a senior point guard, scored 27 to lead No. 9 Cass Tech (12-1, 9-0 PSL West) to its eighth straight win over Detroit CMA, which entered the game with an 8-2 record. Harbaugh and Brown were there to take a look at three-star junior cornerback Kalen King, who received an offer from Michigan last year, along with his twin brother Kobe, a linebacker/running back.
King showed he can play some basketball as well, scoring 10 in the opening quarter, including two 3-pointers to set the tempo, his final one of the quarter coming from the right corner to open up a 27-13 lead with a minute left.
Acuff, who signed with Duquesne, scored 11 in the opening quarter, knocking down three 3-pointers. He finished with the 27 points, making five 3-pointers.
Cass Tech held a 43-19 halftime lead and extended it to 62-34 after three quarters with Acuff making another 3-pointer as time expired.
“We pride ourselves in defense, limit teams to 41 points a game,” said Cass Tech coach Steve Hall who has guided his team to two PSL championships in the last three years, including one last season. “We play well at the defensive end and that enables us to play to our strength and turn the turnovers into transition baskets.”
The PSL playoffs get underway Feb. 4.
More boys basketball
Belleville 75, Dearborn 59: Lorenzo Wright scored 16 (9-1, 6-0 KLAA East) for Belleville. Jack Melton scored 28 for Dearborn (5-5, 4-2).
Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood 63, Royal Oak Shrine Catholic 57: Cam Garner scored 19 and Jordan Roebuck had 12 for Cranbrook (7-2, 3-1 CHSL). Ben Plunky scored 16 for Shrine (2-7, 1-3).
Dearborn Divine Child 62, Detroit Loyola 52: Jack Kenney and Troy Cicotte each scored 18 for Divine Child (8-1, 1-0 Catholic League AA). Mark Mayberry scored 22 for Loyola (8-1, 1-1).
Dearborn Heights Annapolis 84, Dearborn Heights Robichaud 44: Rod Campbell scored 22 and Gabe Lessnau 20 for Annapolis (7-2, 4-1 WWAC). DeAndre Patrick scored 15 for Robichaud (1-7, 1-4).
Detroit Douglass 74, Detroit Osborn 62: Javantae Randle scored 19 with five rebounds and Zavion McClendon scored 19 for Douglass (11-2, 6-1 Detroit PSL East). Kenan Carter scored 19 and Julius Draughn scored 16 for Osborn (3-6, 3-4).
Detroit Henry Ford 75, Detroit Cody 50: Wryan Williams scored 29 and Mario Hill had 16 for Henry Ford (7-5, 5-2 DPSL West). Raekwan Seabrooks scored 18 for Cody (5-6, 1-6).
Detroit King 55, Detroit Southeastern 27: Gelil Ward scored 15, Chansey Willis scored 13 and Omar Zeigler scored 11 for King (11-4, 8-0 Detroit PSL East). Southeastern is 6-7, 3-4.
Detroit Voyageur Prep 60, Detroit Old Redford 51: Darryl Taylor scored 16 and Jeffrey Pullen had 10 points and 10 rebounds for Voyageur (7-2, 3-1 CSC West). Old Redford is 0-7, 0-2.
Ecorse 70, Detroit University Prep Art & Design 42: Deandre James scored 20 with 10 rebounds, Malik Olafioye scored 19 with four steals and Derrick Kemp scored 15 with six assists for Ecorse (7-4, 2-3 Michigan Metro Blue). Joshua Wilson scored 18 for Art & Design (1-5, 0-1).
Harper Woods Chandler Park 60, Warren Collegiate 54: Jayland Randall scored 24 with six rebounds, Tamario Adley scored 14 with five steals and Chaz Jones scored 10 for Chandler Park (8-2, 4-0 Charter East). Nick Johnson scored 17 for Warren (6-4, 2-2).
Howell 50, Canton 48: Bobby Samples scored 19 and Will Hann 17 for Howell (8-2, 5-1 KLAA West). Jake Vickers scored 20 for Canton (6-4, 4-2).
Okemos 43 DeWitt 42: Noah Pruitt scored 16 and Austin Gibson 10 for Okemos (8-2, 6-0 CAAC Blue). Caileb Brown scored 12 for DeWitt (4-5, 2-4).
Plymouth 64, Novi 54: Matt MacLellan scored 16 and Jacob Smith had 11 for Plymouth (5-5, 2-4 KLAA West). Alando Williams scored 12 for Novi (3-7, 1-5).
River Rouge 74, Detroit University Prep 59: Keyshawn Devlin scored 26, Ahmani Weston scored 16 and Brent Darby scored 13 for Rouge (11-1, 4-0 Michigan Metro Blue). Malcolm Cain scored 15 for University Prep (2-9, 0-2).
Romulus 60, Dearborn Heights Crestwood 44: Terrance Broughton scored 14 and Keyshawn Kyle added 13 for Romulus (6-2, 4-0 Western Wayne). Mustafa Almuna scored 17 for Crestwood.
Romulus Summit Academy 74, Detroit Cornerstone 40: James Wright had 26 points and 10 rebounds while Orlando Lovejoy added 24 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for Summit (9-2, 4-0 Charter).
Salem 56, Northville 52: Ryan Len scored 24 and Charlie Argust had 15 for Salem (5-5, 2-4 KLAA West). Grant Mathiesen scored 13 for Northville (9-1, 5-1).
Southfield Bradford Academy 42, Dearborn Henry Ford Academy 39: Jonathan Greshan scored 14 and Ahamri Vincent had 12 for Bradford (3-4, 1-2 CSC West). Henry Ford is 2-10, 0-4.
Taylor Prep 67, Detroit Community 60: Cade Pichan scored 19 and John Sabuda scored 16 for Taylor (3-9, 2-2 Michigan Metro Black). Community is 5-4, 2-2.
Troy 62, Oxford 43: Brody Parker scored 27 and Ethan Emerzian had 12 for Troy (8-2, 3-1 OAA White). Trey Townsend scored 16 for Oxford (5-5, 2-3).
Walled Lake Central 30, Walled Lake Northern 29: Donivan Dickerson scored 10 and made the winning shot for Central (4-7, 3-4 Lakes Valley). Kevyn Robertson scored 20 for Northern (4-6, 2-4).
Wayne Memorial 52, Livonia Franklin 32: Ty Fortney had 14 points and seven rebounds, Dante Foreman had 12 points and five rebounds for Memorial (5-5, 4-2 KLAA East). Franklin is 3-7, 1-5.
West Bloomfield 57, Lake Orion 51: Ryan Hurst scored 13 and Mitchell Seay had 12 for West Bloomfield (6-4, 3-1 OAA Red). Dylan Boeblghelmer scored 14 for Lake Orion (4-5, 1-3).
Ypsilanti Arbor Prep 76, Marshall Academy 45: Maurice Anderson scored 24 with 10 rebounds and Jaden Williams scored 10 for Arbor Prep (7-3). Marshall Academy is 5-6.
Girls basketball
Brighton 41, Hartland 33: Sydney Hetherton scored 10 for Brighton (9-1, 5-1 KLAA West). Amanda Roach scored 12 for Hartland (9-1, 5-1 KLAA West).
Dearborn 66, Belleville 53: Erin Moran scored 15, Justina Szlakowski scored 14, Nour Saab scored 14 and Malak Alahjj scored 13 for Dearborn (9-1, 5-1). Hunter Conway scored 15 for Belleville (3-7, 2-4).
Dearborn Heights Annapolis 67, Dearborn Heights Robichaud 47: Makayla Birchett scored 22, Haley Terry had 16 and Myesha Reese had 14 for Annapolis (6-5, 3-4 WWAC). Robichaud is 2-8, 1-6.
Ecorse 60, Detroit Community 12: Aqierra Hinton had 21 points and 12 rebounds and Carlesa Taylor had 14 points and six steals for Ecorse (9-0, 4-0 MMAC). Community is 2-4, 1-3.
Garden City 53, Melvindale 22: Ellie Bowman scored 15 for Garden City (6-5, 5-2 WWAC). Taniyah Morris scored 14 for Melvindale (1-11, 0-7).
Grosse Pointe North 54, Utica Eisenhower 52: Annabel Ayrault and Maddie Kohler each scored 16 for North (7-4, 3-3 MAC Red). Olivia Stack scored 17 for Eisenhower (7-5, 4-3).
Grosse Pointe South 63, Warren Cousino 26: Alexa Downey scored 19, Sarah Rodgers 11 and Cameron Richards 10 for South (10-1, 6-0 MAC Red). Rachel Adewski scored 14 for Cousino (3-9, 0-7).
Plymouth 56, Novi 41: Sophie Zelek scored 19, Ella Riley scored 13 and Kyra Brandon scored 10 for Plymouth (5-5, 2-4 KLAA West). Jenna Daschke scored 14 for Novi (5-5, 2-4).
Trenton 70 Taylor 35: Kayla Everinghan scored 15 and Alayna Mulford had 13 for Trenton (8-3, 6-2 Downriver). Amiah Thomas scored 14 for Taylor (5-6, 3-5).
Walled Lake Central 40, Walled Lake Northern 29: Angelina Haisha scored 14 for Central (4-7, 4-4 LVC). Andie Wolfe scored 15 for Northern (3-9, 3-5).
Boys basketball scores
Blue Water Area
Almont 52, Richmond 17
Croswell-Lexington 60, Algonac 26
Catholic League
Dearborn Divine Child 62, Detroit Loyola 57
Grosse Pointe Woods Liggett 51, Detroit Cristo Rey 50
Charter
Southfield Bradford 42, Dearborn Henry Ford 39
Detroit PSL
Detroit CMA at Detroit Cass Tech, 4
Detroit Pershing 82, Detroit Davis 26
Detroit Renaissance 77, Detroit West Side 35
Downriver
Lincoln Park 53, Gibraltar Carlson 29
Trenton 58, Taylor 43
Wyandotte 52, Allen Park 36
Flint Metro
Ortonville Brandon 57, Lake Fenton 48
Huron
Flat Rock 55, New Boston Huron 51
Grosse Ile 76, Monroe Jefferson 58
Riverview 66, Milan 55
KLAA
Dearborn Fordson 52, Livonia Churchill 27
Hartland 45, Brighton 43
Westland John Glenn 55, Livonia Stevenson 54
Lakes Valley
South Lyon 47, Milford 44
MAC
Center Line 54, Marine City 53
OAA
Birmingham Groves 66, Southfield A&T 55
Southeastern
Ann Arbor Pioneer 59, Temperance Bedford 44
Western Wayne
Dearborn Heights Annapolis 84, Dearborn Heights Robichaud 44
Romulus 60, Dearborn Heights Crestwood 44
Others
Adrian Lenawee 66, Ann Arbor Greenhills 49
U-D Jesuit 68, Saginaw Arthur Hill 57
Girls basketball scores
Blue Water Area
Almont 52, Richmond 17
Croswell-Lexington 37, Algonac 33
Catholic League
Ypsilanti Arbor 57, Royal Oak Shrine 33
Downriver
Lincoln Park 53, Gibraltar Carlson 29
Wyandotte 47, Allen Park 30
Flint Metro
Lake Fenton 65, Ortonville Brandon 24
Huron
Flat Rock 63, New Boston Huron 34
Lakes Valley
South Lyon East 33, Waterford Mott 29
Walled Lake Western 61, White Lake Lakeland 25
MAC
Hazel Park 58, Madison Heights Madison 14
Warren Lincoln 52, Eastpointe 41
Michigan Metro
Taylor Prep 44, Detroit University Prep Art & Design 25
Southeastern
Ann Arbor Huron 54, Ann Arbor Skyline 13
Dexter 45, Ypsilanti 36
Others
Detroit Edison 54, Birmingham Marian 32
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