A quality season for Brandon’s varsity boys basketball team ended at the hands of Swartz Creek in Class A district semifinal action Wednesday, Mar. 8.
Galen Stone scored 20 points and Will Hanson added 13 points as the Dragons defeated the Blackhawks 65-52. Adrian Harges scored 13 points to lead the Blackhawks, while Adam Howard added 11 points.
The Blackhawks ended the season with a 16-6 record, including their first Flint Metro League championship in school history. Swartz Creek advanced to take on Grand Blanc in the district finals, scheduled for Friday, Mar. 10 at Brandon.
Brandon took a 14-13 lead after the first quarter, as a Swartz Creek shot rattled in and out of the rim at the end of the period. However, the Dragons hit a three-pointer at the beginning of the second quarter to take a 16-13 lead, and controlled the game from that point.
In their district opener Monday, Mar. 6, the Blackhawks benefited from productive three-point shooting on the part of Howard and Gary Glasby.
The two Brandon seniors each hit six three-point shots as the host Blackhawks defeated Fenton 66-49. As a team, the Blackhawks connected on 13 three-pointers.
Howard scored 22 points, while Glasby added 20 points and Harges 12 to lead the Blackhawks. Joshua Fite scored 14 points for the Tigers, who finished their season with an 11-10 record.
The Blackhawks also defeated Fenton, a Flint Metro League foe, twice in the regular season, and Brandon coach Tim Donnan said the Blackhawks stuck with what worked the previous two times.
‘You probably never want to play a team three times, but in our district, chances are that’s going to happen,? he said after the Blackhawks? victory. ‘I think our guys prepared pretty well. We stuck to the same game plan we used during the season.?
Donnan also said Fenton’s zone defense opened things up for Brandon’s three-point shooting.
‘We have some good three-point shooters, probably some of the best that have ever been here,? he said. ‘We haven’t seen a lot of zone this season because of that. When you face a zone, it’s your responsibility to make open shots, and we did that.?
The game began with a fast and furious pace, as the two teams hit one three-pointer after another ? the first seven field goals of the game were all three-pointers, with the Blackhawks taking a 12-9 lead about midway through the first quarter.
Brandon took control of the game as the first quarter progressed, eventually taking a 22-13 lead at the end of the period. The Blackhawks continued pressuring the Tigers defensively in the second quarter, leading to baskets at the offensive end. At halftime, the Blackhawks led by double digits, 38-26.
The Tigers made an attempt to get back in the game in the third, cutting the Brandon lead to 37-31 before the Blackhawks called time-out with 6:55 left in the third. However, the Blackhawks answered the Fenton challenge by scoring 11 straight points, culminating with two Howard three-pointers.
By the time the Tigers called time-out with 3:47 left in the third, the Blackhawks were out in front 48-31, and on their way to the win.
Despite losing four straight games to end the regular season (including a 60-55 loss to host Richmond in their Mar. 3 contest), Donnan said the Blackhawks entered the Fenton game with a positive attitude.
‘Last week, we played Haslett and Richmond, and they are two good teams,? he said. ‘Those are teams that are going far in the state tournament. I think we played well last week, even though we came up on the short end.?