The Ypsilanti Courier
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Backyard brawl
Ypsilanti comes out on top in annual crosstown contest
By Dave Merchant, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: January 17, 2008
In a classic battle between two Mega Red hoop teams, the team with the quicker start got the win on Friday afternoon as Ypsilanti edged Belleville 56-53 in a game that was rescheduled to 4 p.m. on Friday.
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The game was moved up by district officials to ensure no ill will against the fans from either side. Both coaches said the early start had no effect either way on the outcome of the game.
In the first quarter, Ypsilanti senior Torren Burns lit up the court with six points out of the team's 13 points. Burns hit his first two shots to put his team up 4-2 with less than seven minutes to play in the first quarter.
Belleville's Kyle Gupton had four of his team's seven points in the quarter. The Phoenix led 13-7 after the first.
The second quarter was all about Marvon Sanders and how the senior guard put on a clinic in scoring. At one point he scored nine points in a row and went on to score 11 of his team's 13 points in the quarter. He also grabbed a couple rebounds and stole a few passes in the second quarter.
Kourea Hayes of Belleville scored four points in the quarter on free throws. At the half, the Tigers trailed 26-17.
In the quarter both teams got more physical and it seemed like Belleville were the aggressors. Tiger junior guard Booker Stoudmire scored seven of his team's 15 points in the third quarter. Both teams scored 15 points in the third and Ypsilanti led 41-32 after 24 minutes of play.
Things got interesting in the fourth quarter as the Tigers had two players foul out and Ypsilanti had three players hit the showers early. The Tigers battled back in the game and almost came back to force overtime.
Gupton hit a basket with 8.4 seconds left to cut the Ypsilanti lead to 54-53. Burns was fouled and made both shots from the charity stripe to give the Phoenix the final margin with 5.4 seconds to go.
Just as things were winding down Gupton got a good look at a tough triple that just missed sending the game into overtime.
Sanders led all scorers with 24 points and his teammate Burns added 12. Stoudmire had 13 points for the Tigers and Gupton was next with 11 points.
Phoenix Coach Steve Brooks was not surprised with how his team played.
"I told everyone we were the best 2-6 team around," Brooks said. "The majority of our losses have come by five points and under. The kids just needed to get focused."
It seemed like the return of senior big-man Terry Lopez helped the team do better.
"Lopez's return if only by emotion helped spark the team," he said. "When he came back yesterday and was able to practice it was one of the best practices we have had all year."
Brooks said that the senior leadership showed by his two guards Sanders and Burns was extremely important to the outcome.
"In the first quarter we came out very aggressive," he said. "I told them not to confuse aggression with a foul. I think Marvon has finally gotten out of football mode and into basketball and Torren was big in the beginning and the end of the game."
Belleville Coach Don Hickman didn't feel too bad when his team was only down by nine points at the half.
"I thought we played poor offensively in the first half and I thought they shot well," Hickman said. "I told them at the half to calm down and get a stop in the second half."
Hickman said the game was a backyard brawl for both teams and that a lot of fouls were called both ways.
"The kids know each other," he said. "They have each other's cell phone numbers. The Mega is a physical league."
He went on to say that he thought his team could win a lower scoring game like this.
"I thought that if both teams only scored 10 to 13 points a quarter we would have a chance to win," he commented. "We just couldn't buy a bucket."
Earlier in the week, Belleville dumped Willow Run 43-30. The Tigers led 11-2 after the first quarter and were up 25-7 at the half.
Gupton and Alantae Phalen each had 12 points. The Flyers were led by Mark Cook who had 16 points. Belleville is now 7-3 overall and 3-1 in the Mega Red. They play at Romulus on Thursday night.
Ypsilanti cruised over Truman 60-42 on Tuesday night. The Phoenix led 14-11 at the end of the first quarter but trailed 28-24 at the half.
Ypsilanti used a big third quarter 23 points and a 13-2 win in the fourth quarter to seal the win. Burns lit up the Cougars with 22 points, Greg Gibson had 18 points and Sanders chipped in with 10 points.
The Phoenix improve to 3-6 overall and 3-1 in the Mega Red. Today they will host Willow Run at 7 p.m.
"This was the kind of week we needed," Brooks said. "We still have a shot at the Mega and we take defending our co-champ status from last season very serious. We got two in-a-row and we got focused. We just want to win."
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