George Pohly, The Macomb Daily
New Haven made history against a historically significant opponent.
Romeo Weems scored 19 points and added double figures in three other categories to lead the Rockets to a 92-74 victory over Beverly Hills Detroit Country Day in the championship game of the Class B boys basketball regional at sold-out New Haven on Wednesday night.
Weems’ quadruple double included 16 rebounds, 12 assists and 10 steals as defending state champion New Haven ran its season record to 25-0 and won a regional championship for a Macomb County-record fourth consecutive year.
Ronald Jeffery III scored 22 points, backcourt mate Tavares Oliver Jr. 19 and Ashton Sherrell 17 as the Rockets withstood a fourth-quarter charge by Detroit Country Day, which has won eight state championships since 1990.
“We played hard the whole game,” Weems, a junior wing, said. “We’re all happy, and we’re going to celebrate, but we’re trying to get states. We’ve still got games to go.”
Detroit Country Day freshman Julian Roper made three 3-point field goals and scored a game-high 25 points. Demetriess Champion had 15 and Kolin Demens 10 for the Yellowjackets (17-7), who were within eight points and had the ball with less than three minutes to play.
“Our guys are really tough,” DCD coach Mark Bray said. “We’ve been down before and we know we’re good enough to come back.
“Our guys fight; they have all year. New Haven is a great team. We had to play our best to beat them, but we didn’t play our best.”
Bray noted New Haven’s advantage in free throw opportunities in the first half as one key to the game.
“We struggled all game to defend without fouling,” he said. “In (fast-break) conversion and block-out situations, we weren’t as good as we needed to be to win.
“That was basically the difference.”
Weems and the Rockets staggered the Yellowjackets with a 27-11 second quarter that ended with Weems making an off-balance jump shot for a 51-33 lead.
But as fouls mounted against New Haven – forwards Sherrell and Ascaun Johnson each were called for their fourth -- in the third quarter, DCD started to cut into its deficit. Freshman Makylind Manciel’s triple with a second left cut the Rocket lead to 72-59 with a second left.
Detroit Country Day was within 81-73 and taking the ball out of bounds with less than three minutes left in the fourth, but Weems stole an inbounds pass and made a layup for a 10-point lead.
After a Yellowjacket turnover, Weems called for the ball on the block and passed to Jeffery, whose open 3-pointer from the left corner raised the lead to 86-73 with 1:39 to play.
“I’m just playing hard at all times,” Weems said, referring to the tide-turning plays. “I’m going to keep playing to matter what. I got the steal and the score, and everybody got hyped up.”
Weems had options later when he took a pass from Jeffery and saw him run to the corner.
“I knew something was open,” he said. “I saw him go to the corner.”
Bray was called for a second technical foul and by rule ejected from the game with 3:56 left in the fourth quarter and New Haven leading 79-68.
“It’s embarrassing for me, not representing our school the way I want to,” Bray, who was called for both technical fouls by the same referee, said. “I’m so proud of our kids and so proud to be their coach.”
New Haven made 20 of 36 free throws. The Rockets missed 10 in the first half. Detroit Country Day was 12-of-19 from the line.
New Haven, winner of 51 games in a row, plays Bridgeport in a state quarterfinal game at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Corunna.
Bridgeport advanced with an 86-72 victory over Flint Powers Catholic.
New Haven made history against a historically significant opponent.
Romeo Weems scored 19 points and added double figures in three other categories to lead the Rockets to a 92-74 victory over Beverly Hills Detroit Country Day in the championship game of the Class B boys basketball regional at sold-out New Haven on Wednesday night.
Weems’ quadruple double included 16 rebounds, 12 assists and 10 steals as defending state champion New Haven ran its season record to 25-0 and won a regional championship for a Macomb County-record fourth consecutive year.
Ronald Jeffery III scored 22 points, backcourt mate Tavares Oliver Jr. 19 and Ashton Sherrell 17 as the Rockets withstood a fourth-quarter charge by Detroit Country Day, which has won eight state championships since 1990.
“We played hard the whole game,” Weems, a junior wing, said. “We’re all happy, and we’re going to celebrate, but we’re trying to get states. We’ve still got games to go.”
Detroit Country Day freshman Julian Roper made three 3-point field goals and scored a game-high 25 points. Demetriess Champion had 15 and Kolin Demens 10 for the Yellowjackets (17-7), who were within eight points and had the ball with less than three minutes to play.
“Our guys are really tough,” DCD coach Mark Bray said. “We’ve been down before and we know we’re good enough to come back.
“Our guys fight; they have all year. New Haven is a great team. We had to play our best to beat them, but we didn’t play our best.”
Bray noted New Haven’s advantage in free throw opportunities in the first half as one key to the game.
“We struggled all game to defend without fouling,” he said. “In (fast-break) conversion and block-out situations, we weren’t as good as we needed to be to win.
“That was basically the difference.”
Weems and the Rockets staggered the Yellowjackets with a 27-11 second quarter that ended with Weems making an off-balance jump shot for a 51-33 lead.
But as fouls mounted against New Haven – forwards Sherrell and Ascaun Johnson each were called for their fourth -- in the third quarter, DCD started to cut into its deficit. Freshman Makylind Manciel’s triple with a second left cut the Rocket lead to 72-59 with a second left.
Detroit Country Day was within 81-73 and taking the ball out of bounds with less than three minutes left in the fourth, but Weems stole an inbounds pass and made a layup for a 10-point lead.
After a Yellowjacket turnover, Weems called for the ball on the block and passed to Jeffery, whose open 3-pointer from the left corner raised the lead to 86-73 with 1:39 to play.
“I’m just playing hard at all times,” Weems said, referring to the tide-turning plays. “I’m going to keep playing to matter what. I got the steal and the score, and everybody got hyped up.”
Weems had options later when he took a pass from Jeffery and saw him run to the corner.
“I knew something was open,” he said. “I saw him go to the corner.”
Bray was called for a second technical foul and by rule ejected from the game with 3:56 left in the fourth quarter and New Haven leading 79-68.
“It’s embarrassing for me, not representing our school the way I want to,” Bray, who was called for both technical fouls by the same referee, said. “I’m so proud of our kids and so proud to be their coach.”
New Haven made 20 of 36 free throws. The Rockets missed 10 in the first half. Detroit Country Day was 12-of-19 from the line.
New Haven, winner of 51 games in a row, plays Bridgeport in a state quarterfinal game at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Corunna.
Bridgeport advanced with an 86-72 victory over Flint Powers Catholic.
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