Chuck Krafft | Class B Finals | March 26, 2011
Well, it’s a mixed bag of feelings as our Bleacher Denizen gets ready to watch the last game of the Michigan High School Basketball season.
He’s sad that there won’t be any more basketball to watch until early December, but is truly excited that the Big Reds of Sexton High have a chance to bring a state championship to our city!!!
Go Big Reds!!
Sexton has a great starting lineup led by Junior Guard/Forward Denzel Valentine. He’s 6’ 5” and can do everything from running the point to playing excellent interior defense on opposing big guys. He’s willing to do anything to win and is happy whether he scores seven points or twenty-two points as long as Sexton wins. 6’ 3” Junior Guard Bryn Forbes is coming off the game of his life when he scored 29 points against Detroit Country Day in the semifinals. He has an excellent outside shot, but especially later this year, he’s been driving to the basket more. He successfully challenged 6’ 10” Ohio State recruit Amir Williams a few times last night.
Anthony Clemmons is a 6’ 1” junior who handles the ball well, rebounds really well, shoots well and generally is fearless and always competes. 6’5” Tyrin Wade is the only senior in the starting lineup and he is the team’s leading scorer. He’s strong and played an excellent defensive game against Amir Williams. Williams only shot the ball seven times; Wade was the primary defender.
6’7” Sophomore Jalen Hayes can score, but is more involved with the team defense. He rebounds and gives a great effort on defense. Once in awhile, he’ll surprise you by stealing a guard’s dribble, too. I have a feeling that he will have an excellent future at Sexton.
I’ve only seen Muskegon Heights play once this year. Last night, Deontae Hudson had 31 points for Muskegon Heights. They played ferocious defense and caused Dowagiac to commit a lot of turnovers. Sophomore D’Vonte Dockery seemed especially intense.
Sexton wins the opening tap. About 55 seconds into the game, Tyrin Wade gets a nice one-handed tip in to give Sexton the lead. For Muskegon Heights, Hudson banks in a three point shot and Heights leads 3-2, although generally banked three pointers tend to be lucky and not easy to repeat.
Tyrin Wade gets another tip-in; this one from about four feet away from the basket. Rowmell Crawford responds with a putback for Muskegon Heights. After a Sexton turnover, Marquis Childers hits a fourteen foot jumper to give Muskegon Heights a 7-5 lead with 5:35 remaining in the quarter. Childers fouls Wade, who splits a pair of free throws.
After a Muskegon Heights airball, Denzel Valentine misses a shot and commits a foul on an offensive rebound attempt. Denzel promptly steals the ball back, but Juwon Martin blocks the Sexton layup attempt. Muskegon Heights misses a shot, but Sexton turns the ball back over to them. After the media timeout, Anthony Clemmons steals the ball back and Denzel Valentine hits a long three point shot off a Tyrin Wade assist to give Sexton an 8-7 lead. Juwon Martin gets the lead back for Muskegon Heights with a three pointer of his own.
Now Sexton shows some of their excellent team play when Tyrin Wade fakes a shot, then passes up a good shot for a sure thing by Anthony Clemmons, who cuts to the basket and hits a layup to tie the score at 10-10 with 2:33 left in the quarter. After Muskegon Heights travels, Wade makes a pretty spinning drive for a layup to give Sexton back the lead. (Wade is a really big guy and it’s amazing how quick and precise he is with his footwork. He almost never commits a charging foul and he’s very aggressive going to the basket.)
D’Vonte Dockery, one of the most intense defenders I have seen this year, scores a putback to tie the game at 12-12. Sexton misses a three pointer; Muskegon Heights misses a badly rushed three pointer. Denzel Valentine gives Sexton the lead back with a layup with 1:01 left. This is the last scoring of the first quarter and Sexton has a 14-12 lead. This may just be the Big Red’s year!!
Muskegon Heights scores the first points of the second quarter when Deontae Hudson drives in for a layup to tie the score at 14-14 twenty seconds into the quarter. Jeff Cain comes off the bench to hit a three pointer thirty seconds later to give Sexton a 17-14 lead. Rowmell Crawford hits a layup, is fouled and completes the three point play to tie the score for Muskegon Heights. After a Sexton turnover, Muskegon Heights retakes the lake on a Deontae Hudson layup. Muskegon Heights seems to want the title, too!
Bryn Forbes ties the game with a basket, Marquis Childers hits a three point shot to give Muskegon Heights a 24-21 lead with 5:26 left. Tyrin Wade banks in a six footer for Sexton. (I like a lot of things about Wade’s game. He uses a lot of the “old-fashioned” skills to his advantage; he uses the backboard a lot more often than most players.)
Deontae Hudson gets into the lane for a basket for Muskegon Heights. Now the refs intervene as the play is getting a bit physical and hand out a double foul. Sexton misses the ball and Muskegon Heights misses a scooped shot on their possession. Sexton misses a three as well as a putback and Marquis Childers hits a fourteen foot jumper to give Muskegon Heights a 26-21 lead with 3:41 left. Sexton commits a turnover.
Muskegon Heights breaks the Sexton press, but misses a jump shot. Bryn Forbes takes a rebound all the way downcourt for a fast break layup and converts a free throw. The three point play brings Sexton to within two points at 26-24. Muskegon Heights misses a shot and Anthony Clemmons ties the game with a putback. (Clemmons gets a lot of rebounds for a guard.)
Sexton blocks a shot and Muskegon Heights steals the ball back, but they mishandle the ball and there is a scrum. Muskegon comes out of the scrum with the ball and Anthony Clemmons fouls Deontae Hudson to prevent a layup. Hudson misses his free throws, and Tyrin Wade hits a layup to give Sexton a 28-26 lead with 1:23 left.
Muskegon Heights travels with the ball and Sexton is able to hold the ball for the rest of the half. (This is quite a good feat; many high school teams are not disciplined enough to hold the ball that long without attacking the basket. Most teams will turn the ball over in that time.) Anthony Clemmons hits a jumper with three seconds left and Sexton takes a 30-26 lead into halftime.
This was a great half with a lot of exciting action! Sexton, as usual has balanced scoring; Tyrin Wade has 11 points, Bryn Forbes has 6, Denzel Valentine has 5, Anthony Clemmons has five and Jeff Cain has also contributed a three point shot.
Deontae Hudson leads Muskegon Heights with nine points and Marquis Childers has seven.
Its Sexton ball to start the third quarter and Bryn Forbes assists Tyrin Wade on a layup 19 seconds into the fourth quarter. Tyrin Wade steals the ball and Anthony Clemmons finishes up this Sexton possession with a putback that gives Sexton a 34-26 lead with 7:08 left. The Big Red express may be running all the way to a State Championship!!! Go Big Reds!!
After Muskegon misses a shot, Denzel (one of the best high school passers out there) makes a no-look sharp hook pass to Jalen Hayes. Deontae Hudson fouls Hayes to prevent the layup, but Hayes foils that strategy with two well-shot free throws to put Sexton up 36-26. (Hayes does not score as much as the other starters, but when he shoots; you can see that he has talent. It’s a credit to his maturity (He’s only a sophomore.) that he so willingly hustles and does the non-scoring things the Sexton team needs.)
Hayes proves my point on the next Sexton possession as he hits a putback to give Sexton a twelve point lead. If Sexton does not let down, I think they will be bringing a State Championship back to Lansing!!
Deontae Hudson hits two free throws to stop the Sexton scoring streak, but Denzel Valentine hits another one of his long threes to give Sexton a 41-28 lead with 5:03 left.
Juwon Martin answers with a three of his own for Muskegon Heights. Kyren Kemp assists Tyrin Wade on a basket for Sexton and Muskegon Heights responds with a layup by D’Vonte Dockery with an assist from Marquis Childers. Sexton mishandles the ball on their next possession; they win a scrum to keep possession, but have to use up a timeout to protect the possession. Bryn Forbes confidently puts one up from the top of the key and swishes it to give Sexton a 46-33 lead.
Deontae Hudson comes right back with a layup for Muskegon Heights. Denzel Valentine commits a charge for his third foul and goes out of the game. After Muskegon Heights misses a three point shot, D’Vonte Dockery fouls Tyrin Wade on a putback and Wade splits a pair of free throws. (You’ve got to love the way Dockery fearlessly hustles and gives everything he has at all times, though. He’s only a sophomore and will play a lot more good basketball for Muskegon Heights.)
Muskegon Heights saves the ball from going out and gets the ball to Juwon Martin for a layup and Martin hits a free throw for a three point play to close Sexton’s lead to nine points at 47-38. Jalen Hayes hits a nice jump shot to put Sexton’s lead up to eleven points. Jeff Cain fouls Juwon Martin who hits two free throws and it’s 49-40 with 2:11 left in the quarter. Sexton misses a shot, but after they get the offensive rebound, Denzel Valentine hits a three point shot to make it 52-40. Juwon Martin comes right back with a three point shot with some help from a friendly bounce for Muskegon Heights.
Juwon Martin steals the ball for Muskegon Heights, but they miss a layup and D’Vonte Dockery is called for his third foul on the rebound. Sexton holds the ball for the last shot, but Denzel sees an opening and drives right in for a jam with nine seconds left. Muskegon Heights misses a three pointer and Sexton has a 54-43 lead after three quarters.
Sexton is playing really well, but Muskegon Heights is still competing hard.
Muskegon Heights has the ball to start the fourth quarter. Anthony Clemmons commits his fourth foul and Rowmell Crawford splits a pair of free throws. Jeff Cain drives full court for a Sexton layup. After Cain forces a turnover, Jalen Hayes gets a putback to give Sexton a 58-45 lead. Deontae Hudson is fouled and hits one of his free throws.
After a Sexton turnover, Dockery commits an offensive foul for his fourth. He disagrees, but he was fighting just a bit too aggressively for position down low. The competitiveness that led to the foul is a good thing, though.
Marquis Childers fouls Denzel Valentine; Denzel hits two free throws to push Sexton’s lead to 60-46 with 6:13 left. The gym is starting to buzz with the anticipation of a Sexton victory. (A large part of the crowd appears to be from Lansing.) Go Sexton!!
Rowmell Crawford gets a nice tip in. Denzel Valentine continues his passing clinic with a sweet diagonal pass that Tyrin Wade immediately converts to a layup. (Wade helps by having good hands that seem to catch almost everything.) Muskegon Heights misses a three point shot. After a Sexton timeout, Sexton turns the ball over on a travelling violation. D’Vonte Dockery’s layup brings Muskegon back to within twelve at 62-50 with 4:18 remaining. Muskegon is fighting hard, but they are running out of time.
Sexton misses the front end of a one and one, but Muskegon Heights misses a shot on their end. Anthony Clemmons is fouled and hits two free throws. Muskegon Heights follows with a wild three point shot that has no chance of going in. Clemmons is fouled again and hits two more free throws.
Now Sexton makes a rare mistake (at least for this game) and fouls Juwon Martin on a three point attempt. Martin hits two of his three free throws to make it 66-52 with only 3:16 remaining. Sexton keeps the ball in Clemmons’ hands and he is fouled again and hits two free throws again. Anthony Clemmons will not let anyone take this championship away from Sexton!!
D’Vonte Dockery gets a layup for Muskegon Heights and then Marquis Childers steals the ball and gets a layup to make the score 68-56 with 2:24 left. Childers fouls out of the game and Denzel Valentine misses both free throws, but gets the offensive rebound. Juwon fouls Anthony Clemmons to stop the clock and Clemmons hits one of two free throws to give Sexton a 69-56 lead with 1:47 left. Deontae Hudson fouls Bryn Forbes and Forbes nails a couple free throws. (I like watching Forbes shoot; his shots have a nice arch and frequently swish right down the middle!) Sexton leads 71-56 with 1:25 left. Denzel Valentine fouls Hudson and he hits two free throws.
Juwon Martin fouls Valentine and he hits two free throws to make it 73-58 with 1:10 left.
Sexton takes a time out and puts in its bench players. Muskegon Heights misses a shot and Donyae Logan grabs the rebound. Heights fouls Kyren Kemp and he swishes two free throws for Sexton. Darese Sanders gets the final basket of the game with a layup with 27 seconds left.
Sexton wins 75-60 and wins the Class B Championship. It was a great game and a great finish to an excellent season for Sexton.
This was truly a team effort as always for Sexton and you can see that from the balanced scoring totals. Tyrin Wade led as usual with 18 points. He also had seven rebounds and four assists. Denzel Valentine had seventeen points, six rebounds, three assists and about 100 excellent decisions. (Actually, to be fair, the whole Sexton team played a smart game. They really got on a roll during the tournament and played with efficiency and confidence. As a Muskegon Heights fan pointed out; they shared the ball and truly did not care who was scoring the points. These last four games in Sexton’s tournament run (see previous blog articles) were truly a joy to watch!)
Anthony Clemmons had 15 points and a bunch of clutch free throws in the fourth quarter. Bryn Forbes chipped in with 10 points and Jalen Hayes gave Sexton eight points and 11 rebounds. Jeff Cain got five points in only ten minutes of play including a three pointer early in the second quarter when the game was still close. Kyren Kemp hit two free throws for two points.
For Muskegon, Deontae Hudson and Juwon Martin each had 16 points and Marquis Childers and Rowmell Crawford had eight. D’Vonte Dockery had eight points.
Congratulations to the Sexton team on a great tournament run and a State Championship!! GO BIG REDS!!!!!
Well, it’s a mixed bag of feelings as our Bleacher Denizen gets ready to watch the last game of the Michigan High School Basketball season.
He’s sad that there won’t be any more basketball to watch until early December, but is truly excited that the Big Reds of Sexton High have a chance to bring a state championship to our city!!!
Go Big Reds!!
Sexton has a great starting lineup led by Junior Guard/Forward Denzel Valentine. He’s 6’ 5” and can do everything from running the point to playing excellent interior defense on opposing big guys. He’s willing to do anything to win and is happy whether he scores seven points or twenty-two points as long as Sexton wins. 6’ 3” Junior Guard Bryn Forbes is coming off the game of his life when he scored 29 points against Detroit Country Day in the semifinals. He has an excellent outside shot, but especially later this year, he’s been driving to the basket more. He successfully challenged 6’ 10” Ohio State recruit Amir Williams a few times last night.
Anthony Clemmons is a 6’ 1” junior who handles the ball well, rebounds really well, shoots well and generally is fearless and always competes. 6’5” Tyrin Wade is the only senior in the starting lineup and he is the team’s leading scorer. He’s strong and played an excellent defensive game against Amir Williams. Williams only shot the ball seven times; Wade was the primary defender.
6’7” Sophomore Jalen Hayes can score, but is more involved with the team defense. He rebounds and gives a great effort on defense. Once in awhile, he’ll surprise you by stealing a guard’s dribble, too. I have a feeling that he will have an excellent future at Sexton.
I’ve only seen Muskegon Heights play once this year. Last night, Deontae Hudson had 31 points for Muskegon Heights. They played ferocious defense and caused Dowagiac to commit a lot of turnovers. Sophomore D’Vonte Dockery seemed especially intense.
Sexton wins the opening tap. About 55 seconds into the game, Tyrin Wade gets a nice one-handed tip in to give Sexton the lead. For Muskegon Heights, Hudson banks in a three point shot and Heights leads 3-2, although generally banked three pointers tend to be lucky and not easy to repeat.
Tyrin Wade gets another tip-in; this one from about four feet away from the basket. Rowmell Crawford responds with a putback for Muskegon Heights. After a Sexton turnover, Marquis Childers hits a fourteen foot jumper to give Muskegon Heights a 7-5 lead with 5:35 remaining in the quarter. Childers fouls Wade, who splits a pair of free throws.
After a Muskegon Heights airball, Denzel Valentine misses a shot and commits a foul on an offensive rebound attempt. Denzel promptly steals the ball back, but Juwon Martin blocks the Sexton layup attempt. Muskegon Heights misses a shot, but Sexton turns the ball back over to them. After the media timeout, Anthony Clemmons steals the ball back and Denzel Valentine hits a long three point shot off a Tyrin Wade assist to give Sexton an 8-7 lead. Juwon Martin gets the lead back for Muskegon Heights with a three pointer of his own.
Now Sexton shows some of their excellent team play when Tyrin Wade fakes a shot, then passes up a good shot for a sure thing by Anthony Clemmons, who cuts to the basket and hits a layup to tie the score at 10-10 with 2:33 left in the quarter. After Muskegon Heights travels, Wade makes a pretty spinning drive for a layup to give Sexton back the lead. (Wade is a really big guy and it’s amazing how quick and precise he is with his footwork. He almost never commits a charging foul and he’s very aggressive going to the basket.)
D’Vonte Dockery, one of the most intense defenders I have seen this year, scores a putback to tie the game at 12-12. Sexton misses a three pointer; Muskegon Heights misses a badly rushed three pointer. Denzel Valentine gives Sexton the lead back with a layup with 1:01 left. This is the last scoring of the first quarter and Sexton has a 14-12 lead. This may just be the Big Red’s year!!
Muskegon Heights scores the first points of the second quarter when Deontae Hudson drives in for a layup to tie the score at 14-14 twenty seconds into the quarter. Jeff Cain comes off the bench to hit a three pointer thirty seconds later to give Sexton a 17-14 lead. Rowmell Crawford hits a layup, is fouled and completes the three point play to tie the score for Muskegon Heights. After a Sexton turnover, Muskegon Heights retakes the lake on a Deontae Hudson layup. Muskegon Heights seems to want the title, too!
Bryn Forbes ties the game with a basket, Marquis Childers hits a three point shot to give Muskegon Heights a 24-21 lead with 5:26 left. Tyrin Wade banks in a six footer for Sexton. (I like a lot of things about Wade’s game. He uses a lot of the “old-fashioned” skills to his advantage; he uses the backboard a lot more often than most players.)
Deontae Hudson gets into the lane for a basket for Muskegon Heights. Now the refs intervene as the play is getting a bit physical and hand out a double foul. Sexton misses the ball and Muskegon Heights misses a scooped shot on their possession. Sexton misses a three as well as a putback and Marquis Childers hits a fourteen foot jumper to give Muskegon Heights a 26-21 lead with 3:41 left. Sexton commits a turnover.
Muskegon Heights breaks the Sexton press, but misses a jump shot. Bryn Forbes takes a rebound all the way downcourt for a fast break layup and converts a free throw. The three point play brings Sexton to within two points at 26-24. Muskegon Heights misses a shot and Anthony Clemmons ties the game with a putback. (Clemmons gets a lot of rebounds for a guard.)
Sexton blocks a shot and Muskegon Heights steals the ball back, but they mishandle the ball and there is a scrum. Muskegon comes out of the scrum with the ball and Anthony Clemmons fouls Deontae Hudson to prevent a layup. Hudson misses his free throws, and Tyrin Wade hits a layup to give Sexton a 28-26 lead with 1:23 left.
Muskegon Heights travels with the ball and Sexton is able to hold the ball for the rest of the half. (This is quite a good feat; many high school teams are not disciplined enough to hold the ball that long without attacking the basket. Most teams will turn the ball over in that time.) Anthony Clemmons hits a jumper with three seconds left and Sexton takes a 30-26 lead into halftime.
This was a great half with a lot of exciting action! Sexton, as usual has balanced scoring; Tyrin Wade has 11 points, Bryn Forbes has 6, Denzel Valentine has 5, Anthony Clemmons has five and Jeff Cain has also contributed a three point shot.
Deontae Hudson leads Muskegon Heights with nine points and Marquis Childers has seven.
Its Sexton ball to start the third quarter and Bryn Forbes assists Tyrin Wade on a layup 19 seconds into the fourth quarter. Tyrin Wade steals the ball and Anthony Clemmons finishes up this Sexton possession with a putback that gives Sexton a 34-26 lead with 7:08 left. The Big Red express may be running all the way to a State Championship!!! Go Big Reds!!
After Muskegon misses a shot, Denzel (one of the best high school passers out there) makes a no-look sharp hook pass to Jalen Hayes. Deontae Hudson fouls Hayes to prevent the layup, but Hayes foils that strategy with two well-shot free throws to put Sexton up 36-26. (Hayes does not score as much as the other starters, but when he shoots; you can see that he has talent. It’s a credit to his maturity (He’s only a sophomore.) that he so willingly hustles and does the non-scoring things the Sexton team needs.)
Hayes proves my point on the next Sexton possession as he hits a putback to give Sexton a twelve point lead. If Sexton does not let down, I think they will be bringing a State Championship back to Lansing!!
Deontae Hudson hits two free throws to stop the Sexton scoring streak, but Denzel Valentine hits another one of his long threes to give Sexton a 41-28 lead with 5:03 left.
Juwon Martin answers with a three of his own for Muskegon Heights. Kyren Kemp assists Tyrin Wade on a basket for Sexton and Muskegon Heights responds with a layup by D’Vonte Dockery with an assist from Marquis Childers. Sexton mishandles the ball on their next possession; they win a scrum to keep possession, but have to use up a timeout to protect the possession. Bryn Forbes confidently puts one up from the top of the key and swishes it to give Sexton a 46-33 lead.
Deontae Hudson comes right back with a layup for Muskegon Heights. Denzel Valentine commits a charge for his third foul and goes out of the game. After Muskegon Heights misses a three point shot, D’Vonte Dockery fouls Tyrin Wade on a putback and Wade splits a pair of free throws. (You’ve got to love the way Dockery fearlessly hustles and gives everything he has at all times, though. He’s only a sophomore and will play a lot more good basketball for Muskegon Heights.)
Muskegon Heights saves the ball from going out and gets the ball to Juwon Martin for a layup and Martin hits a free throw for a three point play to close Sexton’s lead to nine points at 47-38. Jalen Hayes hits a nice jump shot to put Sexton’s lead up to eleven points. Jeff Cain fouls Juwon Martin who hits two free throws and it’s 49-40 with 2:11 left in the quarter. Sexton misses a shot, but after they get the offensive rebound, Denzel Valentine hits a three point shot to make it 52-40. Juwon Martin comes right back with a three point shot with some help from a friendly bounce for Muskegon Heights.
Juwon Martin steals the ball for Muskegon Heights, but they miss a layup and D’Vonte Dockery is called for his third foul on the rebound. Sexton holds the ball for the last shot, but Denzel sees an opening and drives right in for a jam with nine seconds left. Muskegon Heights misses a three pointer and Sexton has a 54-43 lead after three quarters.
Sexton is playing really well, but Muskegon Heights is still competing hard.
Muskegon Heights has the ball to start the fourth quarter. Anthony Clemmons commits his fourth foul and Rowmell Crawford splits a pair of free throws. Jeff Cain drives full court for a Sexton layup. After Cain forces a turnover, Jalen Hayes gets a putback to give Sexton a 58-45 lead. Deontae Hudson is fouled and hits one of his free throws.
After a Sexton turnover, Dockery commits an offensive foul for his fourth. He disagrees, but he was fighting just a bit too aggressively for position down low. The competitiveness that led to the foul is a good thing, though.
Marquis Childers fouls Denzel Valentine; Denzel hits two free throws to push Sexton’s lead to 60-46 with 6:13 left. The gym is starting to buzz with the anticipation of a Sexton victory. (A large part of the crowd appears to be from Lansing.) Go Sexton!!
Rowmell Crawford gets a nice tip in. Denzel Valentine continues his passing clinic with a sweet diagonal pass that Tyrin Wade immediately converts to a layup. (Wade helps by having good hands that seem to catch almost everything.) Muskegon Heights misses a three point shot. After a Sexton timeout, Sexton turns the ball over on a travelling violation. D’Vonte Dockery’s layup brings Muskegon back to within twelve at 62-50 with 4:18 remaining. Muskegon is fighting hard, but they are running out of time.
Sexton misses the front end of a one and one, but Muskegon Heights misses a shot on their end. Anthony Clemmons is fouled and hits two free throws. Muskegon Heights follows with a wild three point shot that has no chance of going in. Clemmons is fouled again and hits two more free throws.
Now Sexton makes a rare mistake (at least for this game) and fouls Juwon Martin on a three point attempt. Martin hits two of his three free throws to make it 66-52 with only 3:16 remaining. Sexton keeps the ball in Clemmons’ hands and he is fouled again and hits two free throws again. Anthony Clemmons will not let anyone take this championship away from Sexton!!
D’Vonte Dockery gets a layup for Muskegon Heights and then Marquis Childers steals the ball and gets a layup to make the score 68-56 with 2:24 left. Childers fouls out of the game and Denzel Valentine misses both free throws, but gets the offensive rebound. Juwon fouls Anthony Clemmons to stop the clock and Clemmons hits one of two free throws to give Sexton a 69-56 lead with 1:47 left. Deontae Hudson fouls Bryn Forbes and Forbes nails a couple free throws. (I like watching Forbes shoot; his shots have a nice arch and frequently swish right down the middle!) Sexton leads 71-56 with 1:25 left. Denzel Valentine fouls Hudson and he hits two free throws.
Juwon Martin fouls Valentine and he hits two free throws to make it 73-58 with 1:10 left.
Sexton takes a time out and puts in its bench players. Muskegon Heights misses a shot and Donyae Logan grabs the rebound. Heights fouls Kyren Kemp and he swishes two free throws for Sexton. Darese Sanders gets the final basket of the game with a layup with 27 seconds left.
Sexton wins 75-60 and wins the Class B Championship. It was a great game and a great finish to an excellent season for Sexton.
This was truly a team effort as always for Sexton and you can see that from the balanced scoring totals. Tyrin Wade led as usual with 18 points. He also had seven rebounds and four assists. Denzel Valentine had seventeen points, six rebounds, three assists and about 100 excellent decisions. (Actually, to be fair, the whole Sexton team played a smart game. They really got on a roll during the tournament and played with efficiency and confidence. As a Muskegon Heights fan pointed out; they shared the ball and truly did not care who was scoring the points. These last four games in Sexton’s tournament run (see previous blog articles) were truly a joy to watch!)
Anthony Clemmons had 15 points and a bunch of clutch free throws in the fourth quarter. Bryn Forbes chipped in with 10 points and Jalen Hayes gave Sexton eight points and 11 rebounds. Jeff Cain got five points in only ten minutes of play including a three pointer early in the second quarter when the game was still close. Kyren Kemp hit two free throws for two points.
For Muskegon, Deontae Hudson and Juwon Martin each had 16 points and Marquis Childers and Rowmell Crawford had eight. D’Vonte Dockery had eight points.
Congratulations to the Sexton team on a great tournament run and a State Championship!! GO BIG REDS!!!!!