Joseph Hayes, The Times Herald
IMLAY CITY They are right where they belong. For the fifth consecutive year, the New Haven High School boys basketball team has played its way into the regional finals. And for five consecutive years, the Rockets have left with a regional championship to celebrate. New Haven defeated Pontiac High School, 55-38, Thursday at Imlay City High School to capture its latest Division 2 regional title. "Everybody got locked in and started turning up," New Haven senior Romeo Weems said after scoring 13 points. "The crowd got into it. My bench got into it. Everyone got into it and we went on a run. We have one of the best defenses in the the state. "We can never have a bad defensive night. Our offensive shot might not be falling, but defensively we know we can always come out and play. I hate losing, so I'm going to do everything I can for my team and my coach." The Rockets (24-1) advance to face Harper Woods Chandler Park (20-0) at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Ortonville-Brandon High School in the state quarterfinals. Ronald Jeffrey III banked in a buzzer beater as the first half concluded en route to a game-high 19 points for New Haven. Trenell Payne added seven points for the Rockets. D'Quarion Cole led Pontiac with 16 points and DeShawn Owens added 12 points. "All of the credit goes to them," Pontiac coach Joel Schroeder said. "New Haven, they are a storied program for a few years. We saw it the other day, their half-court defense, they play at a high level. "We handled their full-court pressure great. It was just the half-court. Their secondary guys play at a high level, too, and Romeo can clean up all of the mistakes." New Haven won its 23rd straight game behind another strong defensive effort. Pontiac took a 9-8 lead less than a minute into the second quarter. But it was short-lived as the Rockets turned up their defensive intensity. They would hold Pontiac scoreless the next six minutes, while engineering a 15-0 run to take complete control. By the time Jeffrey III banked in a 3-pointer from half-court as the second quarter ended, New Haven had a 27-15 lead and was in command. The Rockets extended the lead in the third quarter, and led 42-23 entering the fourth quarter. They were never really challenged there and had plenty of time to celebrate. Jeffrey III threw a pass off the backboard, which was slammed home by Weems, and nearly everyone in the Imlay City gym was back on their feet cheering for the Rockets once more. "They had players that could dribble the ball," Jeffrey III said. "We went into halftime and Romeo got us together and said we had to sit down and play defense. That's how we play." Now the Rockets will face their biggest test of the season against a Harper Woods team that has also rarely been challenged. "I'm just so happy for the kids," New Haven coach Tedaro France II said. "I work them so hard. The joy on their faces now shows the hard work that they put in daily to be here. It's great to see them smile from all of the hard work. "I'm so proud of them and how they learn. It's great because they know we will win games from playing defense." Contact Joseph Hayes at (810) 989-6268 or at jahayes@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @Joseph_Hayes11. George Pohly, The Macomb Daily
IMLAY CITY — Next stop: Ortonville. Ronald Jeffery III scored 19 points and Romeo Weems 13 to lead New Haven to a 55-38 victory over Pontiac in a Division 2 regional championship basketball game at Imlay City on Thursday night. The Rockets' 23rd consecutive victory gave them a fifth consecutive regional championship and moved the Macomb Area Conference team moved into a state quarterfinal game against Chandler Park next Tuesday at Ortonville Brandon. "It's a blessing," said Weems, whose teams did not lose a district or regional game in his four seasons. Trenell Payne scored seven points and had seven rebounds; Weems took 11 rebounds and blocked seven shots, and Jeffery grabbed seven rebounds for the Rockets (24-1). "It was a statement game," Jeffery said. Weems assisted on consecutive baskets, one by Brent Wiles and the other by Jamir Farrior, that gave New Haven a 44-23 lead in the fourth quarter. Later, a drive to the hoop and signature sidestep move by Jeffery led to a basket that put the Rockets ahead 49-30 with 4:37 to play. The Rockets, who shuffled guards in and out of the lineup throughout the game, went into a delay offense with little more than three minutes left. Jeffery stole the ball in the backcourt, drove and then left a lob pass off the backboard that Weems slammed for a 51-32 lead with 2:35 left. Pontiac didn't score its 20th point until there was less than two minutes left in the third quarter. "They're a load," Pontiac coach Joel Schroeder said of the Rockets. "I thought we handled their fullcourt pressure well, but their halfcourt defense was very good." Da'Veaun Cole scored 16 points to lead Pontiac (22-3). The mood in the crowded and hot gymnasium turned testy late in the first half. Jeffery was given a technical foul for unsportsmanlike conduct with 12.2 seconds left and New Haven leading 24-13. Weems protested to officials, and he had words with Pontiac's Dominique Stovall. Meanwhile, an official went to the Phoenix bench and said, "Both teams are on notice," just before Pontiac's D'Quarion Cole sank two technical foul shots. Weems blocked Pontiac's shot on the ensuing possession, sending the ball past the top of the key. Jeffery gathered it in and, a stride or two past midcourt, lofted a shot that banked in at the buzzer for a 3-pointer that gave New Haven its 27-15 halftime lead. The New Haven bench emptied onto the floor and mobbed Jeffery, and then the Rockets retired to their locker room for halftime. "That was a big momentum boost," Jeffery said. "Rome got the block and the ball came to me. Soon as I let it go, I knew it was in." Weems said he could feel the Phoenix and the crowd getting more intense after the technical on Jeffery. "We just stayed calm and played our game," the Mr. Basketball finalist said. New Haven was one of three county teams playing in regional finals. Roseville defeated Anchor Bay in Division 1 on the Tars' court. New Haven started its 10-game regional winning streak in 2014-15, the season before Weems joined the team. Four of the Rockets' triumphs came at Imlay City. New Haven lost its second game of the regular season to Roseville and then went on the winning streak it carried into the regional final. The Rockets finished 10-0 in the MAC White Division and swept three games, including the final against Roseville, to win the MAC Red/White tournament championship. In district play, New Haven defeated Lutheran North, Algonac and Blue Water Area Conference champion Richmond on the Rockets' floor. Weems helped New Haven win the 2017 state Class B championship. Weems is the unofficial career scoring leader in county history with more than 2,000 points. He’s the only county player who has topped that milestone, according to a list compiled by the Michigan High School Athletic Association. New Haven went undefeated in Macomb Area Conference division games (42-0), unbeaten in district tournament contests (11-0) and lost only two home games in Weems’ four seasons. Their cumulative record in Weems’ four seasons -- he missed a handful of games -- is 99-6. Weems helped the Rockets win a county-record 56 consecutive games during a streak that bridged his sophomore and junior seasons. They made a second appearance in the state semifinals last year, becoming only the second county team to reach a final four in back-to-back years. Lake Shore was the first, in 1993 and 1994. George Pohly, The Macomb Daily
IMLAY CITY — New Haven was too good for Goodrich. Putting their depth, athleticism and skill on display, the Rockets rolled into their fifth consecutive regional championship basketball game with a workmanlike, 78-45 Division 2 victory over the Martians at Imlay City on Tuesday night. Senior Ronald Jeffery III scored 24 points and Romeo Weems had 15 while posting a triple-double as eight different New Haven players scored while the Rockets pushed their Macomb County-record regional winning streak to nine games with the victory over the second-place team from the Genesee Area Conference - Red. Goodrich carried a seven-game winning streak into the game and was trying to reach a regional final for the second time in four years, but the Rockets were having none of it. They led 22-11 after one quarter and substituted liberally throughout the first half. The Rockets wound up using 10 of the 14 players in uniform while raising their record to 23-1 with their 22nd consecutive victory. "We passed the ball well. We got out in transition and got a lot of easy buckets," said the 6-foot-7 Weems, a Mr. Basketball finalist who was on the receiving end of three alley-opp passes for dunks in the second half. "Our guards can go out and play hard, scrap and rotate on defense because we've got a new group of guys coming in. Everybody plays hard the whole time. We played our pace. "I think we can still improve a lot. Offensively, we can get a lot better. Defensively, we can get a lot better." New Haven has won 98 games since Weems joined the team as a ninth-grader. The Rockets have at most four games left in his career. "I'm just enjoying it," DePaul recruit Weems said as he signed an autograph for a young fan. Senior Malen Lewis scored 12 points and junior Trenell Payne 10 for New Haven, which started its regional winning streak in 2014-15, the season before Weems arrived. "It's a blessing," Rockets coach Tedaro France II said of the regional success. "It shows the dedication to the program we've had from a lot of kids." France has called this team his deepest at New Haven. The Rockets started a different lineup than the one that took the floor for the MAC Red/White tournament championship against Roseville less than three weeks ago. "We've got a lot of guys that are stepping up," France said. "I thought Malen Lewis set the tone for us with his defense and rebounding. Sometimes it's difficult to get kids to sacrifice, but our kids buy into it." Sophomore Tyson Davis led Goodrich (18-6) with 14 points. Jeffery made four 3-pointers and had five assists. Weems added 16 rebounds, 11 assists and three steals. Lewis had 10 rebounds. New Haven will try to extend its county record of consecutive regional championships to five when it plays either Croswell-Lexington or Pontiac at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. New Haven turned two of its four most recent regional crowns into state semifinal berths. The Rockets won the 2017 state championship in Class B. Weems dunked off a lob pass from Jeffery to open the second half. That gave New Haven a 44-26 lead, and the Rockets poured it on from there. The second of Weems' consecutive alley-oop dunks later gave New Haven a 74-40 lead. Jeffery had 14 points and Lewis 10 in the first half as New Haven built a 42-26 lead. It was the third victory in New Haven's regional streak achieved at Imlay City. The Rockets won twice at the IC gymnasium in 2016, Weems' freshman season. Winners of regional championships play in state quarterfinal games next Tuesday.
Joseph Hayes, The Times Herald
IMLAY CITY — They are the hottest ticket in town since The Jackson 5. The New Haven boys basketball team has been like a traveling roadshow for years. Whenever and wherever they play, the Rockets are certain to draw a crowd. On Tuesday, that crowd descended upon Imlay City High School and showed up in time to witness the Rockets dispose of Goodrich, 78-45, in a Division 2 regional semifinal. New Haven (23-1) advances to play Pontiac (22-2) in the regional final at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Pontiac defeated Croswell-Lexington, 65-41. "I tell my kids the game is about runs and how we can limit teams' runs," New Haven coach Tedaro France II said. "If a team goes on a 6-0 run, we have to make a play and get to the foul line, or get a stop or call a set play and get a good look. "We have done a great job of stopping runs and going on runs. From film study and practice time, they continue to learn the game." The Rockets outpaced Goodrich (18-6) in a similar manner to how they have dominated teams throughout the season. New Haven attacked the basket on offense and swarmed Goodrich on defense, never allowing it to find a comfort zone. New Haven senior standout Romeo Weems recorded yet another triple-double, this time with 15 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists, to go along with three steals and a pair of blocks. "You can't take me out of the game," Weems said. "They always try to take me out of the game offensively, but I don't have to score the ball to impact the game in a huge way. "Tonight I had a triple-double with assists and I feel like you can't take me out of the game. Even if you want to double-team or triple-team or trap, I will find the open guy and make the right play." When Weems wasn't navigating through the lane or setting up teammates, it was fellow senior Ronald Jeffrey III that was doing so. He led New Haven with 24 points and added five assists. "Throughout the whole game, we have to stay focused," Jeffrey said. "We weren't focused. When we came down to it, we got focused and started knocking down shots." The Rockets appeared to be a couple of steps ahead throughout the game as they pushed the tempo and stepped into passing lanes. New Haven got off to a fast start and led 22-11 after the first quarter, extended the lead in the second quarter, and was never threatened from there. When Goodrich attempted to climb back into the game in the third quarter, the Rockets answered with a run that put the Martians away for good. "We have to continue to get better defensively," Weems said. "We have to keep at it every day." Contact Joseph Hayes at (810) 989-6268 or at jahayes@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @Joseph_Hayes11. Michigan high school basketball: Top performances from district finals
Chris Allen, Special to Detroit Free Press
Joseph Hayes, The Times Herald
NEW HAVEN — It was a battle between the top two Blue Water Area heavyweights. The top two teams in the Times Herald boys basketball poll throughout the regular season were top-ranked New Haven and second-ranked Richmond. On Friday at New Haven, they collided with a Division 2 district title at stake. After a competitive first half, New Haven ran away with a 92-53 victory to claim its fifth consecutive district title. "When I took this job 11 years ago, we went 6-15 my first year," New Haven coach Tedaro France II recalled after the game. "God blessed me with the ability to coach here. "It's about more than just the game. We want to teach life lessons through the game of basketball. They know I care about them more than just this game. That's why they play so hard." Weems dominates It was crystal clear the best player on the court was New Haven senior Romeo Weems. The Mr. Basketball finalist controlled the pace of the game on offense with his athleticism and patrolled the lane on defense. He was a force in the open court as well as in a half-court set while making plays for his teammates. Weems would finish the game with 36 points, 15 rebounds and five assists, in addition to three blocks and a pair of steals. "It was a lot faster than we have played all year," Richmond senior Drew Davis said after scoring a team-high 20 points. "They have one of the top players in the country and you can't really match that in practice. "We really wanted this one. We knew it wasn't going to be easy. But like I said, they have one of the top players in the country, a really good team and a really good coach. It wasn't going to be easy at all." Weems was momentarily injured during the game, but after going down hard, he returned. Ronald Jeffrey III added 18 points and five assists for New Haven and Trenell Payne added 17 points, five rebounds and three steals. Daveyon Henderson scored 15 points and Jackson Allen added nine for Richmond. Rockets' second-half surgeAt the end of the first quarter, New Haven led Richmond, 13-6. At halftime, the score was 34-24 and Richmond remained within striking distance. But the Rockets opened the third period with an 11-0 run to blow open the game. "They thought they were going to come and blow us out," Richmond junior Daveyon Henderson said. "In the third quarter, we just got a little tired." By the time Richmond regrouped, it was too late. The Rockets had already surged ahead to a comfortable distance. "We have been going so hard in practice," Jeffrey said after the win. "Once you lose, you are done. We have a lot of seniors on this squad and we just want to win. They hit us with some stuff we didn't prepare for and they kept switching back and forth each possession." The Road ahead Richmond (21-2) will graduate three seniors, Davis, Jackson Allen and Victor Munoz. "Drew and Jackson set the foundation for us coming back," Richmond coach Josh Presnell said. "Daveyon is a hard worker. He's like they were. We are going to keep on going. We don't have a choice but to keep going." New Haven (22-1) will return to action at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Imlay City against Goodrich (18-5). Goodrich advanced with an 82-51 victory over Imlay City. "We have to take it day by day and try to learn from mistakes and keep our composure," France said. "In games like this, we can't let our emotions get the best of us. We have to stay within ourselves and continue to play team ball and stay together." Contact Joseph Hayes at (810) 989-6268 or at jahayes@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @Joseph_Hayes11. |
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