PANTHERS BREAK DISTRICT TITLE GAME DROUGHT
Center Line heads to first such contest in 26 years after win over Michigan Collegiate
The Center Line Panthers and Michigan Collegiate Cougars played what looked more like a track meet than a basketball game on Wednesday, Feb. 28 at Country Day.
And though Collegiate is loaded with athletes themselves, Center Line thrived in the upand-down nature of the game, and it eventually led to a 57-50 victory in the Division 2 district semifinal game
“I knew they were athletes, so we just had to play hard and do what we do best,” said Center Line head coach Derrick Walton Sr. “Because I know we run a lot. We run every day. We run every day in practice to get in situations where it’s two or three minutes left, that we can play against anyone.
“I give credit to Collegiate. They’re very athletic. They gave us what we wanted. We did well. We get to play again. I’m proud of my guys.”
It was clear immediately that both teams were going to be content playing through their stars — both Michigan Collegiate guard Caleb Moore and Center Line forward Terez Holmes scored nine points apiece in the first quarter, and Moore took 15 points into halftime to Holmes’ 13.
Still, Center Line led at the break. Holmes’ interior defense, along with a few fellow Panthers chipping in offensively, helped the Panthers keep their lead.
But it didn’t last forever. Michigan Collegiate broke out of halftime by going on a 12-4 run fueled by six points from Moore and six from Demarion Johnson.
But the counterpunch from
Center Line came in the form of a 10-0 run, this time getting major contributions from their guards as well as Holmes. Six different Panthers scored in the second half compared to just three Michigan Collegiate scorers.
“My coach, all he do is run is,” said Holmes, who finished with 22 points. “We’re a pretty fast team. It helps us because when we’re not tired, other teams are tired. I feel like nobody runs as much. My coach, he runs us. … We always going to have the energy to keep going.”
Fellow Panthers Jordan Zeigler had nine points, Caleil Spencer and Isiah Ashford had eight points and Justin O’Neal had five points.
Six of Spencer’s points came in the fourth quarter, and Holmes’ interior defense along with Center Line’s pesky guard play to force turnovers held Michigan Collegiate to just nine points in the fourth for the Panthers to put the win away.
The win advances them to the Division 2 District 61 championship game, making today the first time Center Line will play for a district crown since 1998.
“It means a lot,” Walton Sr. said. “Because last year’s team, to be honest, was more talented than this one. But this team just has grit. They just want to work hard, and I’m proud of them for it.”
Michigan Collegiate’s Moore left everything on the court — the junior finished with a gamehigh 27 points. Demarion Johnson added 12 points.
Their season ends with an 8-14 record.
“We’re losing three kids,” said MCHS head coach Jenorris Jack