The Academy Adventure Through The Breslin

Class C Final - Melvindale Academy of Business & Tech 73 Schoolcraft 67 Again, I took the eye test of the teams before the game started and the Gators of

Class C Final - Melvindale Academy of Business & Tech 73 Schoolcraft 67

Again, I took the eye test of the teams before the game started and the Gators of Melvindale Academy of Business & Technology looked larger.Schoolcraft had multiple big men, but as a whole, MABT looked larger.Since MABT is a specialty academy, they brought a very small crowd, really only filling their student section while Schoolcraft fans were spread out across the building.It was a drag strip paced beginning with both teams running the floor.Garner Small for Schoolcraft had eight points by the time six of the eight minutes had run off the clock.At the end of the first, the score was Schoolcraft 22 MABT 17.It might have been jitters from playing in their first state title game, but the Academy was shooting poorly.Inch by inch, Schoolcraft pulled away in the middle part of the second quarter.Two time Class C player of the year Michael Talley III started slow, but picked up the pace around the same time and MABT was down 29-26 midway through the second.Everyone for MABT was scoring some points and no one player was taking the load on their back in the first half.Mike Betcher, the 6’8” center for Schoolcraft had a nice dunk and another drive for a bucket while he got fouled.MABT held the ball, trying to get one of the last shots, but Anton Lowery was not ready for the pass and it went out of bounds.They got one last chance to take the halftime lead, but the three point shot didn’t fall and Schoolcraft preserved their 35-34 lead at the break.Small lead all scorers with 14 points while Nehemiah Crowder had eight for MABT.

The beginning of the second half was sloppy.Neither team scored in the first minute and both turned the ball over multiple times.Schoolcraft did score some while MABT went cold and didn’t score through the first four minutes of the quarter.By then, it was 41-34.Finally, Delance Wilson hit pair of free throws to break the ice cold shooting.It began to get physical with both teams going hard after the ball.MABT mounted a soft comeback and began to play much better in the latter part of the third.They ended 3 of 20 shooting in the third quarter.With a five point lead and the ball to begin of the fourth quarter, Schoolcraft went right back to work, but missed the first few shots.Most of the fourth quarter had the Gators losing by either five or seven points.As time began to run down, the pressure was turned up on MABT.They battled to a 64-63 deficit with a few ticks over two minutes left.A tipped pass forced Schoolcraft to step on the out of bounds line and turn the ball over.Then MABT hit a three pointer to take a 66-64 lead with 1:30 left until trophy time.Next, they played the stalling game until Schoolcraft was forced to foul.Talley hit both shots and Schoolcraft went into the hurry-up/foul mode.With 30 seconds and a three point lead, MABT needed to run down the clock, but fouled instead.Small hit one, missed the other, and the ball was knocked out of bounds.MABT was fouled on the inbound pass and Crowder hit both free throws.After another foul, most of the Schoolcraft fans headed toward the exits.Melvindale Academy of Business and Technology, after trailing for most of the game, won 73-67.

Melvindale ABT shot 31% from the floor.The leading scorer was Michael Talley III of Melvindale with 23 points.Delance Wilson had 11 rebounds for MABT.Derrick Lennen led Schoolcraft with 20 points and nine rebounds.Schoolcraft shot 42% from the floor.