It was a honor for our team to play & dedicate this game to Baby Elliot.May God continue to protect & watch over you Joshua 1:9 #ElliotsArmy
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Weems has 18, Sherrell 16 for Rockets By George Pohly @GPohly on Twitter The Rockets rose against the Phoenix. Sophomore Romeo Weems scored 18 points and junior Ashton Sherrell had 16 to lead New Haven to its 14th consecutive victory, a 78-48 boys non-league basketball triumph over visiting Detroit Renaissance on Friday night. Eric Williams Jr. added 14 points and Tavares Oliver Jr. 12 as the MAC Blue Division-champion Rockets, who are ranked No. 3 in The Associated Press state Class B poll, overwhelmed the Phoenix and raised their record to 15-1. “This was kind of a personal game for me,” Weems said. “They have some kids in my grade who are highly ranked, among the best in the state. I just had to go at ‘em. “We did the little things and went on a run.” Weems said the Rockets are in several ways better now than they were in December. “We’re a lot more disciplined,” the 6-foot-6 swingman said. “We’re in better shape. We’ve got better team chemistry. Everybody is getting better.” Sophomore Carrington McCaskill scored 12 points to lead Renaissance (6-10). Senior Cinque Harris added 11. Weems also had 16 rebounds, 10 assists and four steals. Sherrell took 10 rebounds. Williams had seven rebounds and five blocked shots. Renaissance was a good opponent for the Rockets to measure their progress, New Haven coach Tedaro France said. “They’re athletic, they’re tall and they are long,” France said. “It was a great test for us defensively, to see if we could defend a team that is quicker and longer. We did a great job of dictating tempo.” New Haven outscored Renaissance 26-8 in the third quarter to take a 61-32 lead into the final stanza. A.J. Crawford’s layup gave New Haven 45-27 lead midway through the third quarter, and the Rockets were up by 20, 49-29, after Sherrell dunked with two and a half minutes left in the period. Weems, who has received scholarship offers from Michigan State and Ohio State, turned Williams’ lob into a dunk for a 51-29 lead with 2:10 to go. New Haven led 14-10 after one quarter and then started to pull away from the Phoenix in the second. Oliver’s triple put New Haven ahead 23-12, and one of Weems’ several crowd-pleasing plays, a dunk off an offensive rebound, gave the Rockets a 33-23 lead with less than two minutes left in the first half. Renaissance was an 11th-hour replacement for Detroit Cornerstone on the New Haven schedule. The Rockets and Cornerstone could not agree on a playing date, New Haven athletic director Jammie Kincaid said. New Haven begins play in the MAC Blue-Gold tournament next Friday. The Rockets have not lost since a December defeat at Dakota, the eventual MAC Red champion. Wyoming Godwin Heights and River Rouge are ranked ahead of New Haven in the AP poll. Joseph Hayes
The Times Herald NEW HAVEN - Maybe the Rockets really do know how to fly. The New Haven boys basketball team thrilled onlookers Friday with an array of highlight-reel plays. The Rockets displayed impressive defensive ability while locking down the Detroit Renaissance offense. But the Rockets were also effective on offense, especially in the open court while playing to the crowd and giving everyone in attendance what they wanted -- high flying dunks. Highly-ranked recruit Romeo Weems and forward Ashton Sherrell brought the crowd to its feet several times with dunks, and after thrilling everyone in attendance, New Haven cruised to a 78-48 non-league victory over Detroit Renaissance. Weems led New Haven (15-1) with 18 points, 16 rebounds, 10 assists and four steals. Sherrell added 16 points and 10 rebounds, Eric Williams had 14 points, seven rebounds and five blocks and Tavares Oliver had 12 points. "It was a great test for us," New Haven coach Tedaro France II said. "We wanted to play a good team that was fast and quick and long to see where we are at. Our kids stepped up. We know it all starts on the defensive end. We set the tempo there and created points off our defense tonight." Both teams got off to a slow start and late in the quarter, the game was still tied at 9-9, before Weems added a three-point play to help New Haven take a 14-10 lead into the second quarter. As the second quarter began, New Haven turned up its defensive intensity. The Rockets began to apply greater ball pressure and force Renaissance into mistakes. That opened up the Rockets offense and led to several easy fast-break points, including a follow-up dunk from Weems that thrust the momentum the Rockets way. "After the dunk, everyone in the gym lit up and my team got a shock of energy," Weems said. "Everyone started playing tough with more energy and everyone had fun. The crowd was like a sixth man. They were rowdy and loud." By the end of the first half, New Haven's small lead had morphed into a double-figure advantage which would ultimately result in a 35-24 lead at the break. As the third quarter began, New Haven continued to extend its defense and force turnovers. That led out to several leak-outs, including a dunk from Sherrell that electrified the crowd late in the third quarter. Just over a minute later, it was Weems' turn as he brought fans to their feet once more with a two-handed slam that gave New Haven a 51-29 lead with two minutes remaining in the third quarter. By the time the quarter ended, the game was already at hand, with New Haven clinging to a 61-32 lead. "We play as a team," Williams said. "That's what helps us win each game. Dunking is a big thing around here because maybe they aren't used to so much height around here. Our dunks were the breaking point for (Renaissance) tonight." Contact Joseph Hayes at (810) 989-6268 or at jahayes@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @Joseph_Hayes11. The Ohio Buckeyes have offered 5* 2019 prospect 6-6 Sophomore Romeo Weems, New story posted:2/9/2017 By Adam Jardy The Columbus Dispatch One day before the Ohio State men's basketball team played at Michigan, coach Thad Matta said he wouldn't be traveling with the team to Ann Arbor because he would be doing some recruiting. Later Friday night, Matta and assistant coach Chris Jent were in New Haven, Michigan, watching sophomore forward Romeo Weems. After the game, they told Weems' parents that their son had a scholarship offer from the Buckeyes. It came four days after Michigan State had also offered Weems and capped a somewhat surreal week for the sophomore. "It was a big week," Weems, who said he didn't know either offer was coming, told The Dispatch. "It was different. It was exciting, but I just stayed calm and played my game and just played regular." New Haven coach Tedaro France listed Weems at 6-7, 215 pounds and capable of playing all five positions for the Rockets. With Matta and Jent in attendance, Weems had 25 points, 12 rebounds and seven steals in a 77-38 home win. Most schools view Weems as a small forward. "I tell people, he plays like a fifth-year senior because his IQ for the game is so high," France said. "You tell him something once and he knows it. He's like a coach out there on the floor at 15 years old. It's scary to know he's this good at 15. Just think when he's a senior, how much better he's going to get." A starter as a freshman, Weems is a team captain as a sophomore. ESPN lists him as a five-star recruit, the No. 19 prospect in the country and the state's top prospect for the class of 2019, while 247Sports lists him as a four-star prospect and No. 2 within the state. Weems said he also holds scholarship offers from Dayton, Creighton and Oakland and is receiving letters from Kansas, Michigan, Arkansas and Xavier, among others. Ohio State has been recruiting him for at least the last six months, according to France. Weems visited campus in early November, watched the basketball team practice and also took in a football game against Nebraska. He will be back this month to see the Buckeyes play the Cornhuskers at Value City Arena on Feb. 18. "They're very high on him and they want him because he fits their style and what they do," France said. "We've seen them practice, too, and seen some of the stuff they've been doing. He loves the school and he loves the staff and he loves the campus. He just loves it, but he's still young and he just wants to focus on getting better each day." Weems said he primarily talks with Jent and that the two hit it off during his last trip to Columbus. "He's a great guy," Weems said. "He's a cool coach, like a friend. When I went there, he helped me get my shot better. Just from a couple seconds, he improved my shot so I think he's a good coach and he'll help me get better." With two more years of high school still ahead, Weems said he's not rushing through his recruitment. "I just want to keep looking and pick the right school," he said. "I'm going to keep working and go on visits, see how the coaching staffs are, see how programs work and see where I can fit in and keep looking to make sure I make the right decision." ajardy@dispatch.com @AdamJardy Joseph Hayes The Times Herald What makes a season special? School tradition? The fans? The players? On many occasions, it can come down to the ones calling the shots, especially in high school boys basketball. The Blue Water Area has been trending in the right direction for several years and this season it has taken another step toward competing with the best programs in the state. New Haven has already clinched the Macomb Area Conference Blue Division. St. Clair got off to an 11-1 start and programs like Armada and Brown City have taken another step forward in their progress. On Sunday we will focus on the best players, as the Times Herald Top 25 Boys Basketball Player List will be unveiled. But before we get to that, let's take a look at how local coaches would rank this season. 1. Tedaro France II, New Haven The Rockets leader has built a transcending program that is quickly becoming one of the state's best. It's clear that players develop under France. The Rockets moved up from the MAC Gold Division last year and have thoroughly dominated the MAC Blue. New Haven (13-1, 9-0) has a chance to win a state championship this season and that isn't by accident. It's because of France, who turned a consistent winner into a state powerhouse. 2. Shawn Sharrow, St. Clair If not for last week, St. Clair would be a one-loss team with a chance to win its own division. The Saints dropped a pair of games last week but continue to be one of the top programs in the area. Sharrow always has the Saints ready to play and their competitiveness and energy is a direct result of his coaching. The Saints have earned respect this season and have yet to fall below No. 3 in the Times Herald Boys Basketball Poll. 3. Josh Presnell, Richmond In only a couple of years, Presnell has his name into the conversation for best coach in the area. Richmond used to be a program that would play possession basketball, milk the clock and out-execute teams down the stretch for wins. Now Richmond is a run-and-gun, high-flying program that has seamlessly fit the talent of the players. Presnell has continued to build the program and his players have stepped forward and bought into his vision. 4. Ryan Biewer, Marysville The Vikings are a great reflection of Biewer. They are tough, gritty and always seem to rise to the occasion. After serving as an assistant in the program for several years, Biewer has stepped forward into the limelight and become a steady influence for the Vikings. When the Vikings struggle, they look to their coach for his direction and behind his strategy, they normally find their way out of jams. Despite losing the rematch to Sterling Heights, they remain in contention for a league title. Contact Joseph Hayes at (810) 989-6268 or at jahayes@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @Joseph_Hayes11. Class A Player of the Week
Amauri Hardy 6-3 Sr North Farmington: For the second time in as many weeks, Hardy, who signed with Oklahoma State, scored 35 pointss, this time in a win over Bloomfield Hills. Class A Underclassman of the Week Maliq Carr 6-6 Fr Oak Park: He went for 16 points and 16 rebounds, and Oak Park needed them all against Avodale in a 68-66 victory. That came after another double-double, 12 points and 10 rebounds, earlier in the week in a loss to Hazel Park. Class B Player of the Week Avery Hudson 5-10 Sr Wayland: Hudson, who signed early with Davenport, scored 36 points in a double overtime win against Grand Rapids South Christian, then less then 24 hours later scored 25 in an OT defeat of Detroit Cornerstone. Class B Underclassman of the Week Romeo Weems 6-5 So New Haven: With Ohio State coach Thad Matta in the house Friday, Weems scored 25 with 12 rebounds and 7 steals and earned a Buckeyes, less than a week after being offered by MSU. Not too bad, an more than enough for Weems to win this honor for the fourth time in a season-and-a-half. Class C Player of the Week Parker Randall 6-0 Sr Sand Creek: The Aggies beat Britton Deerfield to improved to 13-0 behind 29 points from Randall. That unbeaten mark was threatened last Tuesday but Sand Creek prevailed at Petersburg Summerfield as Randall finished with 13 points, 7 rebounds, 7 rebounds and 9 steals. Class C Underclassman of the Week Zach Trent 6-2 So Burton Bentley: Against one of the top teams on Bentley’s schedule, Class B Lake Fenton, Trent had his second-straight 22-point game. Class D Player of the Week Jaden Wood Sr Jeffers: He scored 23 points in a defeat of Ewen-Trout Creek, after netting 24 in a win over Republic-Michigamme. Class D Underclassman of the Week Kory Henigan 6-3 So Hillman: He had the best game of his young career to help keep Hillman undefeated, with 13 points and 12 rebounds in a win against Whittemore-Prescott. Joseph Hayes www.thetimesherald It took a moment for it to settle in. New Haven High School sophomore Romeo Weems recently received news he was offered a basketball scholarship to play for Tom Izzo at Michigan State University. The sophomore said he was caught off guard when his coach, Tedaro France II, told him the news at practice. "I was happy, real happy," said Weems, who stands 6-foot-5 and just turned 15 years old. "I asked him, 'Was he for real?' I didn't think they would offer me yet. It was shocking. "I put in the work every day and it's showing. We had coaches from Ohio State University come out to watch. It gets me recognition and it gets my teammates recognition." Weems has done more than enough to be recognized. He is averaging 19.2 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3.4 steals for the Rockets. New Haven (13-1, 9-0) moved up to the Macomb Area Conference Blue Division this year, and are the lone MAC team that has already won its division. Behind Weems and senior Eric Williams, the Rockets have a chance to compete for a state title. "Just like Eric (Williams) works hard, Romeo works hard and is very humble," France said. "When you come and watch him you would never think he was a ranked player. Being ranked and getting attention means nothing to him. He wants to get better every day." Weems also has scholarship offers from Creighton, Oakland University and Detroit Mercy. He said his choice will come down to the best fit. "When I was younger I started sports playing football," Weems said. "I didn't start basketball until fifth grade. At first, I thought I was good because I was bigger than everyone else. But now I feel like I have put in the work. "I want to have a good coach that will help me get better as a player. I want to go to a good program that will help me get a lot better so I can go play college and then go to the league (NBA)." For now, he is content in working toward a state championship. "We were in the same position last year," Weems said. "We just have to work hard and we can do something special." Contact Joseph Hayes at (810) 989-6268 or at jahayes@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @Joseph_Hayes11. Joseph Hayes www.thetimesherald.com Eric Williams has come a long way in the past two years. The New Haven High School senior has grown several inches taller, has become the leader of his team and now can say he is a college basketball player. Williams recently announced his decision to sign with Division II Davis and Elkins College in Elkins, West Virginia, after considering several schools. "Seeing his growth over the last two years has been amazing," New Haven coach Tedaro France said. "I take my hat off to him. He's a great kid and a hard worker. He's a very coachable kid. He listens. He wants to learn and get better. "He has been coming in before school for the last two years. I never get complaints about him in the classroom. I feel so happy and proud for kids like that that worked so hard for a chance to do what they love at the next level for free. A lot of people dream of the chance. Only so many get it." Williams is averaging 17.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 3.6 steals for the Rockets this season. "It feels good that all the hard work paid off," Williams said. "What the program had for me academically is what intrigued me. I like their campus and when I visited I was comfortable. I considered a few other schools but they were the best for me." Williams said he remains motivated to improve and to help the Rockets accomplish their goals. "I need to continue to work on my defense," said Williams, who stands 6-foot-5. "Coach prepares us to play in college with the practices and film sessions that not many teams have." New Haven (12-1, 8-0) has already clinched the Macomb Area Conference Blue Division. The Rockets hope to continue their improvement behind Williams' leadership when they return to host East Detroit on Friday. "It's a testimony to God and all of their hard work," France said. "Eric has always been skilled but he has worked and his shot has improved. He had guard skills but now he's 6-foot-5 with size 15 shoes and big hands and he's still growing." Contact Joseph Hayes at (810) 989-6268 or at jahayes@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @Joseph_Hayes11. |
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