Utica tops Tars for a share of league title
Mason Brodi had bruises. Dave Hinkle had tears.
And both were happy.
Brodi scored nine of his 16 points in the fourth quarter Tuesday night to lead visiting Utica to a 47-38 victory over Anchor Bay and at least a share of the Macomb Area Conference Blue Division basketball championship.
Brodi made two free throws after being fouled on a drive to the basket and then stole the ball and drove for a field goal to give the Chieftains a 36-28 lead after Anchor Bay had sliced seven points off the 30-19 lead Utica carried into the fourth quarter.
Later, Brodi and Sebastian Soriano sank a pair of free throws apiece for a 47-38 lead that sewed up the Chieftains’ first league championship since 2012 — and only their second in
more than 40 years.
“I might get emotional,” Utica coach Hinkle said. “I love these guys. We made a ton of key plays. I’m just so proud of all these kids.”
Utica finished 9-1 in the division. Cousino, which split two games with the Chieftains, is 8-1 with one game to play.
“It’s a great feeling, it’s what we imagined,” Brodi said. “We’ve had it on our bulletin board all year — win the league. To be on top and have this moment with these guys is a dream come true.”
Utica, helped by four missed Anchor Bay free throws, led 14-6 after one quarter, and the Chieftains got some separation from the Tars when Brodi banked in a long 3-point shot at the halftime buzzer for a 22-12 lead.
“This was the most physical game I’ve ever played,” said Brodi, a junior. “We had to grind it up and down. We allowed 12
points in the first half — that’s incredible.”
Nick Bosikovski scored eight points for Utica, which elevated its overall record to 12-3.
“It was an old-fashioned slugfest,” Hinkle said. “I knew what we were coming into; we were coming into physicality.”
Dylan Gira scored 10 points and Paul Coustal eight for the Tars (6-4, 8-9).
Bishop Thomas scored four points as Anchor Bay outscored Utica 9-2 to open the fourth quarter and draw to within 3228 with 6:15 left in the game.
Gira’s three-point play cut the Chieftains’ lead to 39-33 with 2:53 to go, but Soriano drove for a basket 11 seconds later and the Tars managed only two more points over the next minute-plus.
“From an energy and effort standpoint, I was very proud,” Tars coach Jay Seletsky said. “We weren’t very smart in moments
with some crucial fouls, and that cost us.
“But overall, we were competitive, we were gritty. We can see that we’re close, but we have to finish.”
Utica won the MAC White title in 2012.
This winter, Chieftains teams have also won MAC division championships in hockey, wrestling and competitive cheer.
Cousino 48, Lake Shore 30
Donald Wilburn scored 14 points and Justin Lifshay nine to lead Cousino. The Patriots are 8-1 in the MAC Blue Division. Cousino plays Fraser on Feb. 13. A victory would give coach Joe Kohl’s team a share of the division championship.
Fraser 58, Ford 31
Fraser’s Ashton Goul led all