- All
BASKETBALL: Mt.Clemens holds on to 66-65 victory over Detroit ML King
MT.CLEMENS – With the help of seniors Malik Albert (Mott Community College), and Dennis Norfleet (Michigan), Detroit King won the PSL basketball title last year and advanced to the Class A regionals. With both of these players having graduated, Head Coach Pierre Brooks is now looking for his new go to players to stay atop the PSL. And while King does have a deep squad, only time will tell if that one impact Crusader player emerges.
The Crusaders opened the 2012-2013 season against Mt.Clemens and the Battling Bathers gave them all that they could handle. King jumped off to an early 11-0 start in the first quarter and only allowed 4 points for Mt.Clemens. Taking advantage of their size and turnovers, King built onto it’s lead early in the 2nd, but after being down by 16 early Mt. Clemens fought their way back into the game. A couple of three pointers by Jeremy Landers helped trim the lead down to nine points at halftime, with King still leading 33-24.
A back and forth 3rd quarter still had King ahead by a comfortable margin but Mt.Clemens would not go away. Early in the fourth quarter, Mt Clemens turned to a full-court press defense to force King into consecutive turnovers, providing Mt. Clemens with a few easy baskets on turnovers to tie the game at 59 with 4:46 remaining. Mt.Clemens took their first lead of the game, 60-59, with 2:32 left but King grabbed the edge back in just :27 seconds on a wide open Dayvon Austin lay-up.
Down 64-62 with just under a minute left, King guard Desmond Davis made a huge 3-pointer off the backboard that brought the crowd to its feet, giving King the 65-64 lead. But Jeremy Landers (20 points) would convert two clutch free throws down the stretch to ice the game for Mt. Clemens. With just 9.5 seconds left, Desmond Davis raced the length of the court to the King basket but his lay-up was missed as time ran out. 6’6" junior Tyrone Acuff lead all King scorers with 15.
