Chuck Krafft | Class B Semifinals | March 25, 2011
Our Bleacher Denizen has looked forward to this game all week. Lansing Sexton and Detroit Country Day are two of the finest teams in the state regardless of class. Country Day is led by Amir Williams, a 6’ 10” Senior Center who was a Mr. Basketball Finalist and has accepted a scholarship from Michigan State.
Country Day is perennially one of the best teams in the state. They won the championship last year and beat Sexton by quite a few points in the final game. However, Sexton started three sophomores and a junior last year and all of them are better. (And last year they were good enough to play in the State Finals!) Also, Ray McCallum, one of the best high school guards I have ever seen has graduated from Country Day.
Sexton’s returning starters are Denzel Valentine, a Junior Guard who has already accepted a scholarship from Michigan State. He’s 6’ 5” and quite athletic. He runs the point half the time, but also can match up with just about anyone on the inside, too. He plays a smart game and is especially good on defense. (In case you have not figured it out, I think Denzel is pretty good.) Junior Anthony Clemmons is quick and also a determined defender who is also a pretty good rebounder for being 6’ 1”. He is a good all-around offensive player who has a special instinct for getting to the basket and either scoring or dishing off.
Bryn Forbes is a 6’ 3” Junior who is probably the best shooter of the four. His outside shot is silky and this year, he is also starting to drive to the basket more aggressively. Like everyone else on Sexton, he also gives a good effort on defense. Tyrin Wade is the leading scorer; he is a 6’ 5” Senior who is pretty burly but has excellent body control. I’ve been stunned at a couple charging fouls he has avoided; it seems like he can stop on a dime if he has to. He shoots well out to the three point line, but he is especially tough inside.
The fifth starter is 6’ 7” sophomore Jalen Hayes who can score, but usually concentrates on defense, rebounding and running the floor. The primary substitutes are Jeff Cain and Donyae Logan. Cain is a guard and Logan is a 6’ 2” guy who plays inside, but leaps really well and certainly plays defense as well as any of the starters. Sexton can go about ten deep if they need to.
The game starts with Sexton winning the opening tap and committing a turnover. Country Day misses a three pointer. Bryn Forbes gets a fast break layup with an assist from Anthony Clemmons. Country Day commits a turnover, but Kenny Knight blocks Sexton’s next shot. Chris Fowler gets a fast break layup. Country Day gets a steal and then they miss a shot. Jalen Hayes gets a nice hook shot over Amir Williams. (Hey, I SAID he could score!) After Clemmons fouls Williams, Williams splits a pair of free throws to make it 4-3 with 4:27 left in the game.
After Sexton misses a layup, Adam Zavadil assists Amir Williams on a dunk. Sexton shoots an airball, but Country Day turns it back over to them. Jalen Hayes steals the ball and streaks downcourt for a dunk. (AND he’s a 6’ 7” sophomore and just did that!) Country Day heaves up an airball and Bryn Forbes hits a three pointer on the other end to put Sexton up 9-5 with 3:00 left. Hayes commits his second foul and Williams splits a pair of free throws. Each team has a couple fruitless possessions until Denzel Valentine drives in from the side to make it 11-6 Sexton with 1:30 left.
Each team turns it over, then Country Day misses a shot. Jodan Price fouls Donyae Logan who hits two free throws. Tyrin Wade fouls Amir Williams who hits two free throws to close out the quarter’s scoring with 34 seconds left. After the first quarter is over, Sexton holds a 13-8 lead. I’m a bit concerned for Sexton, because their tallest player, Hayes already has two fouls.
The second quarter starts out and it’s Country day ball. Lee Bailey hits a jump shot ten seconds into the quarter. Each team turns it over and then each team misses a shot. Sexton misses a three, Country Day misses a shot and then Sexton turns it over, but Bryn Forbes steals it back. Sexton misses a three pointer and Chris Fowler finally gets a layup to end a two minute scoring drought for both teams. Sexton leads 13-12 with 5:44 left.
Sexton beats a Country Day press, but then turns it over and Amir Williams gives Country Day the lead with a dunk. Anthony Clemmons gets a layup as Sexton reclaims the lead. Country Day misses a couple shots and Adam Zavadil fouls Denzel Valentine, who splits a pair of free throws and Sexton leads 16-14 with 4:45 left in the half. After another Country Day miss and some back and forth somewhat ragged play, Bryn Forbes gets a rebound and makes a great pass to assist Anthony Clemmons on a layup. Sexton now leads 18-14 with 3:22 left. Tyrin Wade gets his second foul.
Lee Bailey hits a three for Country Day. After a Sexton turnover, Kyren Kemp fouls Lee Bailey, who hits two free throws to give Country Day the lead back at 19-18 with 3:03 left. Tyrin Wade hits a 12 footer from the baseline to put Sexton back on top with 2:43 left. Denzel Valentine steals the ball, but Sexton misses a layup. The ball is out of bounds to Sexton and then Sexton is tied up. The uncompromising possession arrow (Who elected you to be Dictator anyway, Mr. Arrow?) awards the ball to Country Day. Tyrin Wade commits his third foul. This is not a good development for Sexton.
Chris Fowler hits both ends of a one and one free throw opportunity to give the lead back to Country Day. Country Day steals the inbound pass, but Fowler commits a charging foul. On the next possession, Amir Williams blocks two shots before Country Day finally gets the ball. Jodan Price hits a three pointer to put Country Day up 24-20 with 1:01 left in the half. Carter Elliott steals the ball and gets a layup for Country Day. Jeff Cain hits a layup for Sexton, but Lee Bailey hits a jump shot with four seconds left to send Country Day in with a 28-22 lead at half time.
Foul trouble for Wade (three) and Hayes (two) means that Sexton might have even more difficulty with Williams in the second half.
It’s Sexton ball to start the third quarter and just 11 seconds into the quarter, Bryn Forbes is fouled by Amir Williams. (Alas, it is only his first.) Forbes hits two free throws to make it 28-24. Chris Fowler answers with a three point shot to give Country Day a 31-24 lead. Jalen Hayes gets a putback basket to make it 31-26. Country Day turns it over, but Chris Fowler steals it back and Lee Bailey assists Amir Williams on another dunk.
Denzel Valentine responds with a dunk for Sexton. Jalen Hayes gets his third foul and Kenny Knight hits two free throws to push the Country Day lead to 35-28 with 6:35 left. Bryn Forbes goes right at Amir Williams and hits a layup as Williams backs away. Donyae Logan fouls Williams who hits his free throws to put Country Day back up 37-30 with 6:14 left. (Williams has a nice soft touch on his free throws, especially for someone so tall!) Sexton turns the ball over, but Wade steals it back and Denzel Valentine cruises right down the middle of the Country Day defense for a layup to make it 37-32. Country Day commits a free throw and Anthony Clemmons drives in for a layup. Austin Price fouls him and Clemmons finishes the three point play. Country Day’s lead is down to 37-35 and Sexton is on a run! Kenny Knight hits a putback, but Bryn Forbes responds with a fast break layup on an assist from Anthony Clemmons.
Country Day misses, but Lee Bailey fouls Bryn Forbes on a drive and Forbes splits a pair of free throws to cut Country Day’s lead to one. Country Day misses its next shot and Bryn Forbes hits a three to give Sexton a 41-39 lead with 3:45 left. Forbes is capable of getting on a roll, an unfortunately for Country Day, he’s on one now!
Jodan Price hits a three with a hand in his face to give Country Day the lead back at 42-41 with 3:31 left. Sexton misses his next shot and Lee Bailey hits a fast break layup for Country Day to put them up 44-41 with 3:09 left. Lee Fowler fouls Bryn Forbes on a drive and Forbes hits two free throws. Country Day misses a three pointer and Carter Elliott fouls going for an offensive rebound. Now, it’s triple time for Bryn Forbes as Sexton retakes the lead 46-44 with 2:11 left. Williams gets a putback dunk to retie the game. Anthony Clemmons hits a runner and after a Country Day turnover, Bryn Forbes jets down for a fast break layup to put Sexton up 50-46 with 1:30 left. Forbes steals the ball, but Sexton turns it back over. Country Day misses a three, but Anthony Clemmons gets the rebound and assists on a layup by Donyae Logan. Country Day misses another three pointer. (At least today, maybe these three point shooters need to realize they are not hitting them.) Bryn Forbes continues in his starring role as he gets the last scoring of the quarter by hitting a layup with 7 seconds left.
Sexton has outscored Country Day by 32-18 in this quarter and leads 54-46 heading into the fourth.
Country Day has the ball to start the fourth quarter. Jalen Hayes commits his fourth foul, but Country Day misses the free throws. Sexton calls a time out. When play resumes, Anthony Clemmons aggressively drives to the basket where he is fouled by Amir Williams. Clemmons splits his free throws to make it 55-46 with 7:06 left. I get in trouble with the Sexton fan next to me when I mention that I’m not writing off Country Day yet. (Country Day is really good and they are reputed to be good three point shooters.)
Bryn Forbes also proves me to be needlessly nervous as he hits a fastbreak layup with an assist from Donyae Logan to put Sexton up 57-46 with 6:37 left. Chris Fowler splits a pair of free throws for Country Day. Amir Williams blocks a Sexton shot, but Tyrin Wade grabs the ball for Sexton. Denzel Valentine goes in for a layup and Chris Fowler commits his fourth foul and knocks Denzel to the floor. Denzel hits both free throws to make it 59-47 with 5:25 left.
Donyae Logan steals the ball, but Austin Price steals it back for Country Day. Country Day tries a lob to Williams. It fails, but Country Day catches a lucky break, when the ball goes out of bounds and is awarded back to them. Austin Price hits a three for Country Day to make it 59-50 with 4:36 left. Amir Williams blocks a shot, but Donyae Logan saves the ball for Sexton. Country Day heaves up an airball, but a Sexton travelling violation gives them back the ball. Country day misses two shots, but gets two offensive rebounds. Kenny Knight commits his third foul, but Sexton misses the one and one free throw. It is still 59-50 with 2:42 left. There is no more scoring, but a lot of intense play until Lee Bailey fouls Denzel Valentine with 1:49 left. Denzel splits his free throws to make it 60-50 with 1:49 left.
Country Day misses a three pointer, but Chris Fowler gets the offensive rebound. Lee Bailey is fouled when he shoots a three pointer. He makes all three free throws to cut Sexton’s lead to 60-53 with 1:33 left. Kenny Knight fouls Bryn Forbes who splits a pair of free throws and the score is 61-53 with 1:27 left. Country Day misses another three and when Anthony Clemmons gets the rebound, he is fouled by Amir Williams. Clemmons hits both free throws and Sexton leads 63-53 with 1:18 left.
Lee Bailey hits a three point shot six seconds later to cut Sexton’s lead back to seven at 63-56. Lee Bailey gets a steal, but misses a three point shot. Anthony Clemmons gets the rebound and Denzel Valentine misses a layup, but Sexton manages to keep the ball. Kenny Knight commits his fifth foul and Bryn Forbes hits two free throws for Sexton to put them up 65-56 with 46 seconds left. Country Day misses two hurried layups on their next possession and Jeff Cain gets the rebound. Denzel Valentine sails to the basket on the other end and crashes an authoritative dunk through the hoop. Sexton now leads 67-56.
Country Day misses a free throw and Jeff Cain gets the last points of the night for Sexton when Denzel Valentine assists him on a layup with ten seconds left. Jodan Price hits a three pointer with three seconds left, and Sexton goes to the finals with a 69-56 win over a team many people thought was the best team in the state.
It was a great team win for Sexton. Bryn Forbes led them with 29 points and showed something to the people who are not voting him onto All-State teams. Anthony Clemmons had 12 points and nine rebounds and Denzel Valentine had 12 points. Leading scorer Tyrin Wade had only two points but had nine important rebounds against Amir Williams. Jalen Hayes had six points and Jeff Cain and Donyae Logan each had four. Donyae played almost half the game because of Hayes’s foul trouble and was great on defense and had a lot of hustle plays.
For Country Day, Lee Bailey had 17 points and Amir Williams had 14 points and 14 rebounds along with six blocked shots. Chris Fowler had 10 points and Jodan Price hit three three point shots for nine points. Country Day will reload and probably be back next year.
Sexton, of course, will have all the starters back except for Tyrin Wade. They have a great long-term future and could have a wonderful day tomorrow if they win the finals.
Our Bleacher Denizen has looked forward to this game all week. Lansing Sexton and Detroit Country Day are two of the finest teams in the state regardless of class. Country Day is led by Amir Williams, a 6’ 10” Senior Center who was a Mr. Basketball Finalist and has accepted a scholarship from Michigan State.
Country Day is perennially one of the best teams in the state. They won the championship last year and beat Sexton by quite a few points in the final game. However, Sexton started three sophomores and a junior last year and all of them are better. (And last year they were good enough to play in the State Finals!) Also, Ray McCallum, one of the best high school guards I have ever seen has graduated from Country Day.
Sexton’s returning starters are Denzel Valentine, a Junior Guard who has already accepted a scholarship from Michigan State. He’s 6’ 5” and quite athletic. He runs the point half the time, but also can match up with just about anyone on the inside, too. He plays a smart game and is especially good on defense. (In case you have not figured it out, I think Denzel is pretty good.) Junior Anthony Clemmons is quick and also a determined defender who is also a pretty good rebounder for being 6’ 1”. He is a good all-around offensive player who has a special instinct for getting to the basket and either scoring or dishing off.
Bryn Forbes is a 6’ 3” Junior who is probably the best shooter of the four. His outside shot is silky and this year, he is also starting to drive to the basket more aggressively. Like everyone else on Sexton, he also gives a good effort on defense. Tyrin Wade is the leading scorer; he is a 6’ 5” Senior who is pretty burly but has excellent body control. I’ve been stunned at a couple charging fouls he has avoided; it seems like he can stop on a dime if he has to. He shoots well out to the three point line, but he is especially tough inside.
The fifth starter is 6’ 7” sophomore Jalen Hayes who can score, but usually concentrates on defense, rebounding and running the floor. The primary substitutes are Jeff Cain and Donyae Logan. Cain is a guard and Logan is a 6’ 2” guy who plays inside, but leaps really well and certainly plays defense as well as any of the starters. Sexton can go about ten deep if they need to.
The game starts with Sexton winning the opening tap and committing a turnover. Country Day misses a three pointer. Bryn Forbes gets a fast break layup with an assist from Anthony Clemmons. Country Day commits a turnover, but Kenny Knight blocks Sexton’s next shot. Chris Fowler gets a fast break layup. Country Day gets a steal and then they miss a shot. Jalen Hayes gets a nice hook shot over Amir Williams. (Hey, I SAID he could score!) After Clemmons fouls Williams, Williams splits a pair of free throws to make it 4-3 with 4:27 left in the game.
After Sexton misses a layup, Adam Zavadil assists Amir Williams on a dunk. Sexton shoots an airball, but Country Day turns it back over to them. Jalen Hayes steals the ball and streaks downcourt for a dunk. (AND he’s a 6’ 7” sophomore and just did that!) Country Day heaves up an airball and Bryn Forbes hits a three pointer on the other end to put Sexton up 9-5 with 3:00 left. Hayes commits his second foul and Williams splits a pair of free throws. Each team has a couple fruitless possessions until Denzel Valentine drives in from the side to make it 11-6 Sexton with 1:30 left.
Each team turns it over, then Country Day misses a shot. Jodan Price fouls Donyae Logan who hits two free throws. Tyrin Wade fouls Amir Williams who hits two free throws to close out the quarter’s scoring with 34 seconds left. After the first quarter is over, Sexton holds a 13-8 lead. I’m a bit concerned for Sexton, because their tallest player, Hayes already has two fouls.
The second quarter starts out and it’s Country day ball. Lee Bailey hits a jump shot ten seconds into the quarter. Each team turns it over and then each team misses a shot. Sexton misses a three, Country Day misses a shot and then Sexton turns it over, but Bryn Forbes steals it back. Sexton misses a three pointer and Chris Fowler finally gets a layup to end a two minute scoring drought for both teams. Sexton leads 13-12 with 5:44 left.
Sexton beats a Country Day press, but then turns it over and Amir Williams gives Country Day the lead with a dunk. Anthony Clemmons gets a layup as Sexton reclaims the lead. Country Day misses a couple shots and Adam Zavadil fouls Denzel Valentine, who splits a pair of free throws and Sexton leads 16-14 with 4:45 left in the half. After another Country Day miss and some back and forth somewhat ragged play, Bryn Forbes gets a rebound and makes a great pass to assist Anthony Clemmons on a layup. Sexton now leads 18-14 with 3:22 left. Tyrin Wade gets his second foul.
Lee Bailey hits a three for Country Day. After a Sexton turnover, Kyren Kemp fouls Lee Bailey, who hits two free throws to give Country Day the lead back at 19-18 with 3:03 left. Tyrin Wade hits a 12 footer from the baseline to put Sexton back on top with 2:43 left. Denzel Valentine steals the ball, but Sexton misses a layup. The ball is out of bounds to Sexton and then Sexton is tied up. The uncompromising possession arrow (Who elected you to be Dictator anyway, Mr. Arrow?) awards the ball to Country Day. Tyrin Wade commits his third foul. This is not a good development for Sexton.
Chris Fowler hits both ends of a one and one free throw opportunity to give the lead back to Country Day. Country Day steals the inbound pass, but Fowler commits a charging foul. On the next possession, Amir Williams blocks two shots before Country Day finally gets the ball. Jodan Price hits a three pointer to put Country Day up 24-20 with 1:01 left in the half. Carter Elliott steals the ball and gets a layup for Country Day. Jeff Cain hits a layup for Sexton, but Lee Bailey hits a jump shot with four seconds left to send Country Day in with a 28-22 lead at half time.
Foul trouble for Wade (three) and Hayes (two) means that Sexton might have even more difficulty with Williams in the second half.
It’s Sexton ball to start the third quarter and just 11 seconds into the quarter, Bryn Forbes is fouled by Amir Williams. (Alas, it is only his first.) Forbes hits two free throws to make it 28-24. Chris Fowler answers with a three point shot to give Country Day a 31-24 lead. Jalen Hayes gets a putback basket to make it 31-26. Country Day turns it over, but Chris Fowler steals it back and Lee Bailey assists Amir Williams on another dunk.
Denzel Valentine responds with a dunk for Sexton. Jalen Hayes gets his third foul and Kenny Knight hits two free throws to push the Country Day lead to 35-28 with 6:35 left. Bryn Forbes goes right at Amir Williams and hits a layup as Williams backs away. Donyae Logan fouls Williams who hits his free throws to put Country Day back up 37-30 with 6:14 left. (Williams has a nice soft touch on his free throws, especially for someone so tall!) Sexton turns the ball over, but Wade steals it back and Denzel Valentine cruises right down the middle of the Country Day defense for a layup to make it 37-32. Country Day commits a free throw and Anthony Clemmons drives in for a layup. Austin Price fouls him and Clemmons finishes the three point play. Country Day’s lead is down to 37-35 and Sexton is on a run! Kenny Knight hits a putback, but Bryn Forbes responds with a fast break layup on an assist from Anthony Clemmons.
Country Day misses, but Lee Bailey fouls Bryn Forbes on a drive and Forbes splits a pair of free throws to cut Country Day’s lead to one. Country Day misses its next shot and Bryn Forbes hits a three to give Sexton a 41-39 lead with 3:45 left. Forbes is capable of getting on a roll, an unfortunately for Country Day, he’s on one now!
Jodan Price hits a three with a hand in his face to give Country Day the lead back at 42-41 with 3:31 left. Sexton misses his next shot and Lee Bailey hits a fast break layup for Country Day to put them up 44-41 with 3:09 left. Lee Fowler fouls Bryn Forbes on a drive and Forbes hits two free throws. Country Day misses a three pointer and Carter Elliott fouls going for an offensive rebound. Now, it’s triple time for Bryn Forbes as Sexton retakes the lead 46-44 with 2:11 left. Williams gets a putback dunk to retie the game. Anthony Clemmons hits a runner and after a Country Day turnover, Bryn Forbes jets down for a fast break layup to put Sexton up 50-46 with 1:30 left. Forbes steals the ball, but Sexton turns it back over. Country Day misses a three, but Anthony Clemmons gets the rebound and assists on a layup by Donyae Logan. Country Day misses another three pointer. (At least today, maybe these three point shooters need to realize they are not hitting them.) Bryn Forbes continues in his starring role as he gets the last scoring of the quarter by hitting a layup with 7 seconds left.
Sexton has outscored Country Day by 32-18 in this quarter and leads 54-46 heading into the fourth.
Country Day has the ball to start the fourth quarter. Jalen Hayes commits his fourth foul, but Country Day misses the free throws. Sexton calls a time out. When play resumes, Anthony Clemmons aggressively drives to the basket where he is fouled by Amir Williams. Clemmons splits his free throws to make it 55-46 with 7:06 left. I get in trouble with the Sexton fan next to me when I mention that I’m not writing off Country Day yet. (Country Day is really good and they are reputed to be good three point shooters.)
Bryn Forbes also proves me to be needlessly nervous as he hits a fastbreak layup with an assist from Donyae Logan to put Sexton up 57-46 with 6:37 left. Chris Fowler splits a pair of free throws for Country Day. Amir Williams blocks a Sexton shot, but Tyrin Wade grabs the ball for Sexton. Denzel Valentine goes in for a layup and Chris Fowler commits his fourth foul and knocks Denzel to the floor. Denzel hits both free throws to make it 59-47 with 5:25 left.
Donyae Logan steals the ball, but Austin Price steals it back for Country Day. Country Day tries a lob to Williams. It fails, but Country Day catches a lucky break, when the ball goes out of bounds and is awarded back to them. Austin Price hits a three for Country Day to make it 59-50 with 4:36 left. Amir Williams blocks a shot, but Donyae Logan saves the ball for Sexton. Country Day heaves up an airball, but a Sexton travelling violation gives them back the ball. Country day misses two shots, but gets two offensive rebounds. Kenny Knight commits his third foul, but Sexton misses the one and one free throw. It is still 59-50 with 2:42 left. There is no more scoring, but a lot of intense play until Lee Bailey fouls Denzel Valentine with 1:49 left. Denzel splits his free throws to make it 60-50 with 1:49 left.
Country Day misses a three pointer, but Chris Fowler gets the offensive rebound. Lee Bailey is fouled when he shoots a three pointer. He makes all three free throws to cut Sexton’s lead to 60-53 with 1:33 left. Kenny Knight fouls Bryn Forbes who splits a pair of free throws and the score is 61-53 with 1:27 left. Country Day misses another three and when Anthony Clemmons gets the rebound, he is fouled by Amir Williams. Clemmons hits both free throws and Sexton leads 63-53 with 1:18 left.
Lee Bailey hits a three point shot six seconds later to cut Sexton’s lead back to seven at 63-56. Lee Bailey gets a steal, but misses a three point shot. Anthony Clemmons gets the rebound and Denzel Valentine misses a layup, but Sexton manages to keep the ball. Kenny Knight commits his fifth foul and Bryn Forbes hits two free throws for Sexton to put them up 65-56 with 46 seconds left. Country Day misses two hurried layups on their next possession and Jeff Cain gets the rebound. Denzel Valentine sails to the basket on the other end and crashes an authoritative dunk through the hoop. Sexton now leads 67-56.
Country Day misses a free throw and Jeff Cain gets the last points of the night for Sexton when Denzel Valentine assists him on a layup with ten seconds left. Jodan Price hits a three pointer with three seconds left, and Sexton goes to the finals with a 69-56 win over a team many people thought was the best team in the state.
It was a great team win for Sexton. Bryn Forbes led them with 29 points and showed something to the people who are not voting him onto All-State teams. Anthony Clemmons had 12 points and nine rebounds and Denzel Valentine had 12 points. Leading scorer Tyrin Wade had only two points but had nine important rebounds against Amir Williams. Jalen Hayes had six points and Jeff Cain and Donyae Logan each had four. Donyae played almost half the game because of Hayes’s foul trouble and was great on defense and had a lot of hustle plays.
For Country Day, Lee Bailey had 17 points and Amir Williams had 14 points and 14 rebounds along with six blocked shots. Chris Fowler had 10 points and Jodan Price hit three three point shots for nine points. Country Day will reload and probably be back next year.
Sexton, of course, will have all the starters back except for Tyrin Wade. They have a great long-term future and could have a wonderful day tomorrow if they win the finals.