DETROIT — The Catholic League’s boys and girls basketball finals were no place for the faint-hearted.

At University of Detroit Jesuit High School, where the boys were playing, the home team Cubs eked out a 64-62 victory in the final four seconds over Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice.

That skirmish followed Riverview Gabriel Richard’s 46-39 triumph over Clarkston Everest Collegiate on six free throws in the closing minutes.

The girls were playing on Gabriel Richard’s court Downriver. Wixom St. Catherine’s defense limited Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes to just two points in the last three minutes of the game for a 40-36 win.

In the nightcap, whenever archrivals Bloomfield Hills Marian and Farmington Hills Mercy meet for combat, it’s ulcer-producing time. Mercy prevailed on a pair of free throws in the closing seconds for a 43-39 victory.

It’s Sonny on the spot for U of D

“It’s all about confidence,” said sophomore Sonny Wilson.

Coach Pat Donnelly put the ball, and the game’s outcome, in the hands of the 6-foot-2 point guard who is carving a niche in Cubs’ lore alongside another point guard of repute, Cassius Winston, who led U of D Jesuit to the 2016 state championship and then went on to an All American career at Michigan State.

Brother Rice’s own fabulous sophomore, Xavier Thomas, converted a pair of pressure free throws to tie the score at 62-62 with 32 seconds to play.

Per Donnelly’s order, Wilson made his move at the six-second mark, a drive straight for the basket and a layup to put the Cubs in front.

There were 4.2 seconds remaining, just enough of an opening for Rice’s Johnathan Blackwell to attempt a potential game-tying jumper. It bounced off the rim.

The victory gave U of D Jesuit (8-0) the Bishop trophy (Central and AA Divisions), its eighth in the last nine years.

“Sonny does a great job for us,” Donnelly said. “He can handle the ball, can penetrate and make the right decision.”

Wilson ended up with 21 points, including a pair of triples.

Brother Rice, not forgetting the 29-point whipping the Cubs administered to them five weeks ago, built a 35-32 halftime lead, thanks to the aggressiveness of 6-foot-5 Thomas, who compiled a double-double with 31 points and a dozen rebounds.

“He was the best player on the court tonight; he was a total beast,” Brother Rice head coach Rick Palmer said.

The second half was a back-and-forth whirlwind. The score was tied six times and the lead changed hands 11 times.

“The big thing about our guys is they’re unflappable,” Donnelly said. “They’re calm. They are under control. They didn’t panic and throw up bad shots, and that was really important.”

The two squads could be playing each other next week in the regionals (March 30) if both win their districts in the Michigan High School Athletic Association playoffs. U of D Jesuit plays Detroit Mumford on March 23. Rice will meet either Southfield A&T or Birmingham Groves on March 25.

The other Central Division teams open their MHSAA schedule on March 25: Novi Detroit Catholic Central will meet either Salem or Northville; Orchard Lake St. Mary’s either West Bloomfield or Auburn Hills Avondale; and Warren De La Salle either Warren Mott or Warren Cousino.

This one’s for you, Dad

Gabriel Richard seemed on its way to taking the Cardinal Trophy (Intersectional 1 and 2 Divisions) for the second year in a row after having its way with Everest 25-15 in the first half.

In a reversal of form, Everest reorganized for a 17-7 third quarter to tie the game at 32 heading into the final eight minutes.

Asked about what happened for the turnaround, Richard coach Kris Daiek laughed. “I let my assistants take over.”

It took the coach’s son, senior Drew, to put the Pioneers back on the winning track with a long distance three-pointer for a 39-38 lead.

“I wanted to jump up and down,” the coach said, but he maintained his composure. The bear hug came later in the locker room.

Senior Nick Szczechowski canned six consecutive free throws after that to ensure the victory.

Senior forward Mike Holdsclaw led Richard’s offense with 18 points. Lucas Cross and Mike McGrath topped Everest with 10 apiece.

Gabriel Richard (10-2) opens its Division 3 MHSAA playoff March 23 against Taylor Prep.    

Everest (12-2), in the MHSAA Division 4 district, will play Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes on March 24.

‘Shut down the Robaks’

“It’s a goal we set back in November,” Jen VanGoethem said.

Motivated by the memory of the drubbing Our Lady of the Lakes gave them a year ago for the Cardinal Trophy (A-North and A-South Divisions), the St. Catherine Stars defense limited the Lakers to just two points in the game’s final 3 minutes and 11 seconds for their first CHSL championship in the school’s 10-year history.

Everything was going the Stars’ way for a 23-13 halftime lead, but the Lakers bounced back to retake the lead, 28-26, early in the fourth quarter. Laura Godin’s three-pointer restored the lead, which the Stars didn’t relinquish the rest of the way.

Senior Darbi Klatt led St. Catherine with 11 points, sophomore Rachel Luomala added 10, and Angelina Arena chipped in six.

Therese Mackowiak led the Lakers with 13 points, while cousins Quinn Robak (sophomore) and Brooklyn Robak (senior) each recorded 10 points, far below their season averages.

“We knew we had to shut down the Robaks,” VanGoethem said. “They’re great shooters, but we focused on shutting them down.”

In the MHSAA tourney, St. Catherine (9-7), in Division 2, will host Livonia Clarenceville on March 24. Our Lady of the Lakes (8-3), in Division 4, will await the winner of Clarkston Everest Collegiate and Auburn Hills Oakland Christian for the district title March 26.

Mercy prevails in the end

Back and forth, back and forth.

It came down to the closing seconds before Mercy and Marian could decide who would take home the Bishop Trophy (Central Division).

They were tied at the end of the first and second quarters. Mercy opened the third quarter with an eight-point lead.

Triples by Sarah Sylvester and Shannon Kennedy sparked a 10-2 Marian run to go ahead early in the fourth quarter.

Maya White and Alexis Roberts broke free from Marian’s full-court press for quick baskets to give Mercy a seven-point spread.

Roberts clinched a Mercy win with a pair of free throws in the dwindling seconds.

Marian had defeated Mercy twice during the regular season, first by 10 points, the second by five points in double overtime. In the last decade, each team has won the championship five times.

Roberts led Mercy with 15 points, including three triples. Sylvester had 15 for Marian.

Both teams open the Division 1 MHSAA tourney March 24: Mercy (12-3) against Novi, and Marian (10-5) against either Bloomfield Hills or Auburn Hills Avondale.

Contact Don Horkey at [email protected].