Follow us on Twitter                                                                                                                                                                                                                             @Rocketcountry
NEW HAVEN BASKETBALL
  • Home
  • Coaches
  • Rosters
    • Varsity (2021-2022)
    • Varsity (2020-2021)
    • Varsity (2019-2020)
    • Varsity (2018-2019)
    • Varsity (2017-2018)
    • Varsity (2016-2017)
    • Junior Varsity (2016-2017)
  • Schedule/Results
  • Rocket News
  • Championships
  • Player Honors
    • Mr Basketball
    • All-State Players
    • All-County Players
    • All-League Players
    • Program Awards
    • Team Awards
    • Coach Awards
  • Photos
    • 2022-2023 Season
    • 2021-2022 Season
    • 2020-2021 Season
    • 2019-2020 Season
    • 2018-2019 Season
    • 2017-2018 Season
    • 2016-2017 Season
    • 2015-2016 Season
    • 2014-2015 Season
    • 2008-2014 Seasons
  • Video
  • Next Level Alumni
  • Youth Camps/Leagues/Training
  • Community Service
  • Sponsors
  • Philosophy
  • Contact Form

Crawford helps New Haven end frustration

3/21/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
Guard scores 20 as Rockets post first quarterfinal victory

​By George Pohly
@MIPrepZoneMD


MARYSVILLE >> A.J. Crawford III has been a New Haven Rocket for one season.It has felt like much longer to the former Cousino basketball player.

“From the start, when I came here, I saw how upset people were over losing in the quarterfinals, of being so close to a state championship game,” Crawford said Tuesday. “You could hear the hurt in their voices.”
The hurt is gone.

Crawford scored a team-high 20 points to lead the Rockets to a 73-66 victory over Detroit Osborn that gave New Haven the first boys quarterfinal victory in program history and sent the northern Macomb County team into a state Class B semifinal that will be played Friday night at the Breslin Center.

New Haven had been 0-4 in quarterfinal games, including losses to Detroit Henry Ford each of the last two years, since winning its first regional championship in 1990.

“Finally,” Crawford said when asked his thoughts as the clock hit zero and the Rockets began to celebrate at center court.

“Even though I’ve been here only one year – finally,” Crawford said. “I felt all those years. I feel like I've been here for four years. Finally, we did it, but we’re not finished.

“One of our goals is to get to the Breslin, but our ultimate goal is to win that state championship.”

Crawford, a senior guard, joined a New Haven a program that had won consecutive league and regional championships and had established stars in sophomore Romeo Weems and Eric Williams.

A veteran of AAU teams as well as Cousino squads, Crawford quickly learned something upon his arrival in New Haven.

“Playing with other teams,” he said, “I had teammates who liked to play basketball, but they weren’t ball players. These boys here, they work it. They’re in the gym in the morning before school, after school; before practice and after practice.

“It’s been a grind since the fall.”

But a “grind” was what Crawford wanted when he enrolled at New Haven.
“That’s what I was doing before I came here,” he said. “To come here and find out that’s what these people do, it was a blessing.

“I needed to put my effort in. I had to give my all to make this happen.”
Added New Haven coach Tedaro France II, “He was able to pick up the vibe of who we are and what we’re about.”

Crawford had 11 rebounds against Osborn.

On a night when the Rockets struggled from the free throw line, making only 16 of 34 for the game, and missing 11 free throws in the fourth quarter, Crawford sank two foul shots to give New Haven a 69-66 lead with 33.8 seconds to play.

“I just attacked,” Crawford said of his approach to the game against the Detroit Public School League Knights. “I was confident. My dad says the tighter the game, the more relaxed and confident I am.

“I just played my role. I couldn’t have done it without my teammates.”

Williams had 16 points and 13 rebounds, Ashton Sherrell had 11 rebounds, and Weems collected 15 points, 13 rebounds, eight assists, three blocks and two steals.

The New Haven victory gave the county a state semifinalist for the second consecutive season.

Dakota advanced to the Class A semifinals in 2016.
New Haven plays Benton Harbor at 6 p.m. Friday.
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    New Haven Basketball

    Rocket Country

    Archives

    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    December 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    January 2011
    December 2008

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.