Observations and Top Performers From Quarterfinals

<p>Last night, I was able to get out to Muskegon Orchard View high school to watch a Division 1 quarterfinal between two of the best teams from the Grand Rapids and Lansing areas. Check out my notes from that game as well as the top performers from around the state during Tuesday’s quarterfinals.</p> <h5>Forest Hills Northern 66, East Lansing 56</h5> <p>Last night, the Forest Hills Northern boys basketball team defeated East Lansing in a game where the Huskies nearly led from start to finish. Despite several comeback attempts by East Lansing, including an instance where the Trojans got within five points in the fourth quarter, Forest Hills Northern prevailed and is heading back to the final four for the first time since 2008.</p> <p><em><strong>Forest Hills Northern’s Backcourt Will Be Remembered For Years To Come</strong></em></p> <p>What else is there left to say about the dynamic backcourt of Forest Hills Northern? [player_tooltip player_id="814560" first="Trinidad" last="Chambliss"] and [player_tooltip player_id="811128" first="Ethan" last="Erickson"] went up against arguably the best backcourt they’ve faced all season in East Lansing’s [player_tooltip player_id="811105" first="Marcus" last="Wourman"] and [player_tooltip player_id="814656" first="David" last="Wilkerson"] and were able to combine for 45 points to lead the Huskies to a berth in the final four. </p> <p>Trinidad knifed his way through the East Lansing defense time and time again, scoring timely buckets, as he has all season. [player_tooltip player_id="811128" first="Ethan" last="Erickson"] started hot, scoring 7 of his game-high 24 points in the first quarter. Ethan’s shot wasn’t as dialed in during the Huskies’ previous two games, but as shooters do, he kept shooting and found his groove early and often Tuesday night.</p> <p><em><strong>Transition Game Proved To Be A Difference-Maker</strong></em></p> <p>Several times last night, East Lansing applied full-court pressure against Forest Hills Northern, with little to no avail. The poise and patience that Erickson and Chambliss showed during those stretches kept Northern from giving up its lead. The chemistry between the two and the touch they put on their passes to teammates such as [player_tooltip player_id="980052" first="Gavin" last="Fisher"] for easy looks at the rim in transition helped the Huskies secure the win.</p> <p><em><strong>Huskies’ Front Court Steps Up</strong></em></p> <p>Forest Hills Northern was short a man in their frontcourt rotation and needed big games from [player_tooltip player_id="980052" first="Gavin" last="Fisher"] and Cole Rynbrandt against East Lansing’s bigs, who had a sizeable height advantage against Northern. Fisher and Rynbrandt stepped up, defending the Trojans bigs without fouling throughout the game. This, coming off a similar showing when the Huskies were able to limit Zeeland East’s lanky frontcourt in the regional championship, was possibly the difference maker in Tuesday’s win.</p> <h5>Top Performers From Quarterfinals</h5> <h6>[player_tooltip player_id="611403" first="Foster" last="Wonders"], Iron Mountain</h6> <p>Foster scored 38 points in Iron Mountain’s 53-50 win over McBain. Iron Mountain will face Schoolcraft in a Division 3 semifinal at Michigan State’s Breslin Center at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday.</p> <h6>[player_tooltip player_id="811091" first="Pierre" last="Brooks"], Detroit Douglass</h6> <p>Pierre led the Hurricanes with 35 points in Detroit Douglass’s 68-56 win over Southfield Christian. Detroit Douglass will face Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart in a Division 4 semifinal at the Van Andel Arena at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday.</p> <h6>[player_tooltip player_id="863920" first="Jason" last="Drake"], Ferndale</h6> <p>Jason scored 30 points in Ferndale’s 73-68 win over Croswell-Lexington. Ferndale will face Grand Rapids Catholic Central in a Division 2 semifinal at the Van Andel Arena at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday.</p> <h6>[player_tooltip player_id="863936" first="Carmelo" last="Harris"], Flint Beecher</h6> <p>Carmelo paced the Buccaneer’s with 29 points in Flint Beecher’s 71-46 win over Detroit Loyola. Flint Beecher will face Hanover-Horton in a Division 3 semifinal at Michigan State’s Breslin Center at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday.</p> <h6>[player_tooltip player_id="863986" first="Tyler" last="DeGroote"], Schoolcraft</h6> <p>Tyler led the Eagles with 26 points in Schoolcraft’s 59-47 win over Covenant Christian.</p> <h6>[player_tooltip player_id="814589" first="Kentrell" last="Pullian"], Benton Harbor</h6> <p>Kentrell led Benton Harbor with 26 points in the Tiger’s 83-72 loss to Grand Rapids Catholic Central.</p> <h6>[player_tooltip player_id="987270" first="Kaden" last="Brown"], Catholic Central</h6> <p>Kaden led the Cougars with 25 points in Catholic Central’s win over Benton Harbor.</p> <h6>[player_tooltip player_id="863922" first="Brady" last="Titus"], Tri-Unity Christian</h6> <p>Brady paced the Defenders with 25 points in Tri-Unity’s 56-44 win over Webberville. Tri-Unity will face Rudyard in a Division 4 semifinal at the Van Andel Arena at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday.</p> <h6>[player_tooltip player_id="811128" first="Ethan" last="Erickson"], Forest Hills Northern</h6> <p>Ethan led the Huskies with 24 points in Forest Hills Northern’s 66-56 win over East Lansing. Forest Hills Northern will face Grand Blanc in a Division 1 semifinal at Michigan State’s Breslin Center at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.</p> <h6>[player_tooltip player_id="814656" first="David" last="Wilkerson"], East Lansing</h6> <p>David led East Lansing with 24 points in the Trojans loss to Forest Hills Northern.</p> <h6>[player_tooltip player_id="814560" first="Trinidad" last="Chambliss"], Forest Hills Northern</h6> <p>Trinidad scored 21 points in the Huskies’ win.</p> <h6>Evan Engelsma, Covenant Christian</h6> <p>Evan scored 20 points in Covenant Christian’s loss to Schoolcraft.</p> <h6>[player_tooltip player_id="811105" first="Marcus" last="Wourman"], East Lansing</h6> <p>Marcus scored 19 points in the Trojan’s loss to Forest Hills Northern.</p> <h6>[player_tooltip player_id="814674" first="Jaylen" last="Hodges"], Bridgeport</h6> <p>Jaylen scored 19 points in Bridgeport’s 52-41 win over Escanaba. Bridgeport will face Battle Creek Pennfield in a Division 2 semifinal at the Van Andel Arena at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.</p> <h6>[player_tooltip player_id="863928" first="Orlando" last="Lovejoy"], Romulus Summit Academy</h6> <p>Orlando scored 19 points in the loss to Battle Creek Pennfield.</p> <h6>[player_tooltip player_id="863918" first="Kareem" last="Rozier"], Orchard Lake Saint Mary’s</h6> <p>Kareem scored 18 points in the Eaglets’ 58-53 loss to Grand Blanc.</p> <h6>[player_tooltip player_id="611420" first="Julian" last="Lewis"], Ann Arbor Huron</h6> <p>Julian paced the River Rats with 18 points in Ann Arbor Huron’s 44-34 win over River Rouge. Ann Arbor Huron will face Warren De La Salle in a Division 1 semifinal at Michigan State’s Breslin Center at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday.</p> <h6>[player_tooltip player_id="787618" first="Ty" last="Rodgers"], Grand Blanc</h6> <p>Ty led the Bobcats with 17 points in Grand Blanc’s win.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>