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BOYS BASKETBALL: U-D Jesuit & Waterford Lakes collect Catholic League titles in decisive fashion
DETROIT – The Catholic League threw a blowout party on the high school boys hardwood Sunday at Calihan Hall on the campus of the University of Detroit-Mercy, with both the A-B and C-D Division CHSL Tournament title-tilts going in an lopsided direction.
In A-B play, Detroit U-D Jesuit repeated as champs, drubbing Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 58-42 and in C-D action, Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes took home its first crown since 1992 with a 66-48 annihilation of Allen Park Cabrini.
U-D Jesuit’s effort was headlined by star sophomore Cassius Winston in the backcourt and senior role players, Nick Mutebi and Paris Bennett at the forward spots.
Winston, one of the top tenth-graders in America, scored a game-high 19 points to go along with eight assists and four steals.
Mutebi, a starter in the Cubs frontcourt, posted 10 points and six rebounds and Bennett, a Syracuse football-signee set to play linebacker in the ACC, came off the bench to tally 11 points and seven boards (4 offensive) in an energizing performance on the blocks.
Julian Morgan and Gary Collins teamed to bottle up St. Mary’s all-league forward Teddy McCree, limiting him to just two points on entire game.
“We play unselfish basketball, everyone does their part,” Winston said. “The way we play, we like to get up and down, push the tempo and spread the ball around. That’s been our recipe for success.”
The Cubs (17-2, ranked No. 4 in the state in Class A) jumped in front 30-17 at the break Sunday and led by a commanding score of 50-29 after three quarters.
St. Mary’s (10-9) received a team-high 11 points from junior point guard Jason Boswell and 10 points from junior off-guard Lamon Mathison.
WOLL turned up the heat in the second half of its C-D finale and did it lightning fast, making a 28-20 halftime lead a 41-22 advantage less than two minutes into the third frame.
The Lakers (14-5) were in cruise mode the rest of the way.
Junior Nick Robak pumped in a game-high 25 points, including nailing a late triple to end the first half and starting off the second half with a three-point play.
Adam and Andrew Kline (transfers from Clarkston) added 12 apiece in the win.
Nick’s uncle and head coach, Paul Robak, was a starting guard on the WOLL squad that won the program’s last league championship, a year away from an all-state campaign where he helped guide the Lakers into the Class D final four. His father and assistant coach, Steve Robak, has won multiple CHSL titles as the head coach for the school’s girls team and got one as a player in 1984. His older sister’s Lauren and Lexie, both all-state Lakers’ girls hoopsters, and numerous aunts have their share of league titles, too.
“It feels nice to carry on the family tradition,” the youngest Robak said.
Last season, WOLL fell in the CHSL Championship Game to Madison Heights Bishop Foley, after upsetting Detroit Loyola in the semifinals
