Tag Archives: Wyoming Lee Boys Basketball

Lee boys basketball team adds big district victory to league title

City of Wyoming, Entertainment News, Sports, West Michigan, , ,
After winning the Alliance League championship with a perfect 8-0 record, the Lee Legends opened play in the state tournament with a thrilling win against West Catholic. (Courtesy, Wyoming Lee)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor



After winning the Alliance League championship with a perfect league record this season, the Lee basketball team opened the state tournament with a thrilling 49-48 win against West Catholic in the Division 2 district semifinal game Wednesday at the West Catholic district.

In a low-scoring, defensive struggle, the Legends persevered at the end to come away with the win that improved their record to 17-5 for the season. Lee now goes on to Friday’s district title game against Grand Rapids Catholic Central as the Legends go after their first district title since 1995.

“It was a great team win,” said Lee Coach Dominic Shannon. “I’m proud of our effort and proud of our energy. It was a tight game to the end. It was a back-and-forth game from the start to the finish. The biggest lead of the game was eight by us early in the game and at halftime we were up by two at 19-17.”

West Catholic came out playing a zone defense and looked to slow down the pace of the game against the Legends.

“They (West Catholic) tried to slow the game down,” Shannon said. “The opportunities that we did have to run we capitalized on. It was a fun game with great energy and I’m happy we were able to pull it out.”

Lee played a rugged non-conference schedule this season that included games against schools like East Kentwood, Benton Harbor, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix and Forest Hills Eastern, and that experience proved valuable in the district.

“The reason we played such a tough schedule is for moments like this,” Shannon said. “Our schedule prepared us for a game like this.”



Lee senior Ny’Zhem Marshall led with 17 points and 14 rebounds. (Courtesy, Wyoming Lee)



Marshall led the Legends with 17 points and 14 boards

Ny’Zhem Marshall led Lee with 17 points, 14 rebounds and six blocked shots. Nate Johnson added 11 points.

“Nate hit one of the biggest shots of the game for us,” Shannon said. “We were down 45-42 in the fourth quarter. Marc Whitfield drove to the basket and the defense collapsed on him. Nate is one of our best three-point shooters and Marc recognized that and kicked the ball out to him on the wing and Nate knocked the shot down to tie the game.”

 

Conference crown two-straight years

The district win comes after the Legends wrapped up a regular season that saw them win a conference title for the second consecutive year and with a perfect league mark for the second straight season.

“I’m so proud of our boys for capturing back-to-back conference championships for multiple reasons,” Shannon said. “One, the boys made history at Lee with back-to-back conference championships for the first time since 1971 and 1972.”

A key to success for the Legends this year is the way the team prepares for each game.

“The key to capturing our conference was trusting our preparation,” Shannon said. “Even though our conference is untraditional with teams only playing each other once, we were able to get film and have a gameplan based on what was shown on film. There were games when we were off, but we also have a strong bench and at times we were able to insert someone from the bench to provide a boost.



Specifically, I can recall the Wellspring game as we were down heading into the fourth quarter. The coaching staff made an adjustment as a starter was having an uncharacteristically off-game and essentially the adjustment aided with the win.”

Lee also did a solid job of handling the adversity it faced during the season.

“We started the season 0-3 and finished 15-5 overall,” Shannon said, “not to mention we dealt with many injuries this year and we are actually full strength in the postseason.”

On the court, the Legends count on strong defense as a major team strong point.

“A strong component of our team is our ability to defend baseline to baseline, regardless of who’s defending,” Shannon said. “We have great versatility in our defense this year and we really pressure the ball which has led to great success. We like to be able to make guards uncomfortable when starting their offense to disrupt rhythm and timing.” 



Lee senior Marc Whitfield leading the Legends this year. (Courtesy, Wyoming Lee)


Marc Whitfield leading the team

Leading the way for the legends this season is Marc Whitfield. The reigning conference player of the year, Whitfield averages 22 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals per game while shooting 40 percent from beyond the three-point arc. Whitfield has five 30-point games this season with a season-high 35 points in the win against Grand River Prep.

Ny’Zhem Marshall all-around production

Ny’Zhem Marshall provides all-around production averaging 11 points, eight rebounds, four blocked shots and two assists per game while shooting 50% from beyond the three-point line. Marshall also recorded five games with seven blocked shots.

Clarence Lewis, who guarded the opposing team’s best player this season, added eight points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals per game and recorded a season-high of six steals in one game. Nathan Johnson averaged nine points and three rebounds per game while shooting 40% from the three-point line. Johnson also scored a season-high 22 points in two games this season. 

Godwin Heights rallies to outlast Lee 83-80 in district semi OT thriller; Towns scores 47 points

City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, , ,
Godwin’s Jakhary Towns (10, far right), teammate Damarie Thompson (2) and Lee’s Clarence Lewis (11) during the district semifinal game. Towns finished with a career-high 47 points. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor


The venerable Godwin Heights gym has seen some thrillers in its long history, but few have produced the drama that the host Wolverines and Lee produced in Wednesday’s district semifinal game.

Trailing by six points with 20 seconds remaining, Godwin tied the game and sent it into overtime where it eventually came away with an 83-80 win.

Godwin Heights senior guard Jakhary Towns turned in a game for the ages as he poured in 47 points to lead the comeback and give himself and his teammates one more game to be played on their home court.

“When we were down by six late in the fourth quarter we were talking in the huddle about getting two more stops,” Towns said. “We had a lot of energy left and we knew if we could get two more big stops, we could do it.”

Godwin’s comeback hopes received a big shot of adrenaline with 17 seconds left in the game when Towns stepped back and drained a three-point shot that cut the Lee lead in half. After a turnover by the Legends, Godwin regained the ball and Towns cut the margin to 69-67 after splitting a pair of free throws with 16 seconds remaining in the game.

Off to overtime at 69-all

On the ensuring inbounds play, the Godwin defense forced the second turnover it needed with 13 seconds left on the clock. Three seconds later Godwin tied the game when Towns drew a foul and connected on both free throws to tie the game at 69-69.

Lee, however, was determined to retake the lead. The Legends quickly moved the ball down the floor, but missed a pair of shots that would’ve won the game in the final seconds of regulation.

“That was crazy,” said Godwin Heights Coach Tyler Whittemore. “I told the guys we needed to execute on offense and force a couple of turnovers. I told the guys whatever happens we have to stay together and that’s what we did. Everybody came through and did their jobs.”

As thrilling as the final seconds of the game were, the four-minute overtime session provided even more thrills. The two teams combined for 25 points in overtime. Like regulation, the overtime had plenty of lead changes as the two teams exchanged the lead six times.


Lee’s Marc Whitfield (0) prepares to drive to the basket as Jaylen Martin (23) of Godwin Heights defends. Whitfield led Lee with 27 points. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



Up 75-74 with 1:36 remaining in overtime, Marc Whitfield drained a pair of free throws putting the Legends up 77-74.

Godwin Heights cut the lead to 77-76 with 1:25 remaining when Towns scored. The next basket came with 23 seconds left when Towns again delivered from long range putting the Wolverines up 79-77.

Lee split a pair of free throws with 15 seconds left to cut the margin to 79-78. With 10 seconds remaining Towns proved to be money at the free-throw line by draining two free throws to up the Godwin lead to 81-78.

Lee battled to the end and with 1.5 seconds remining in the game Whitfield scored on a drive to the hoop cutting the margin to one point before Godwin ended the game with Jaylen Martin hitting a pair of free throws with 0.4 seconds remaining.

“When we were down by six points, we still knew we could come back,” Martin said. “It was not just a one-man effort. We all had to produce if we were going to come back and win this game.”


Lee’s Joe Russau (14) and Marc Whitfield (0) and Godwin Heights’ Jaylen Martin (23) line up along the lane during a free-throw attempt during a Division 2 semifinal game Wednesday at Godwin. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



Towns, who scored a career-high 47 points, delivered five three-point baskets during the game along with scoring on numerous drives to the hoop.

“It feels great,” Towns said. “I’ve never been to a district final during my four years of high school. To have a game like this on my home court is special.”

Along with the 47 points from Towns, Godwin received 12 points from Damarie Thompson, eight from Jamarion Collins and seven from Tre’Vonte Buckley.

“Jaylen Martin was a big, big part of this win,” Whittemore said. “He has just dug in and gotten better all season. He played some great defense tonight.”

With the win, Godwin Heights improved to 14-7 for the season and will host Unity Christian for the district championship Friday after Unity defeated Grand Rapids Catholic Central 57-55 in the other semifinal game.

Lee finishes exceptional season with big turnaround

Lee finished the season with a 19-2 record and first place in the Alliance League at 8-0.

“This team really laid the foundation for our program going forward,” said Lee Coach Dominic Shannon. “Every one of our players left everything they had on the court. I’m so proud of our players and so proud of our coaching staff.



“We won only five games last year so to go 19-2 this year is a big turnaround. We also became the first Lee team in 43 years to win a conference championship.”

Whitfield scores 27

Junior Marc Whitfield led Lee with 27 points, followed by Clarence Lewis, 18; Joe Russau, 16; Ny’Zhem Marshall, 10 and Troy Fox, nine.

“You have to salute their senior guard Jakhary Towns,” Shannon said. “He had a great game tonight. We knew he was one of the keys. We put our best defender, Clarence Lewis, on him and he made it hard on him. He just was hitting shot after shot. They played well. You have to give them credit.” 

Lee holds on to defeat Potter’s House in Alliance League thriller Friday

City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, ,
Lee huddles during a win over Potter’s House Christian Friday. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor



The calendar may have said it was the first Friday in February, but the action inside the gym at Potter’s House felt totally like March.


In a game that was played in a state tournament-like atmosphere and in front of a packed crowd, the Lee Legends boys team held on to edge Potter’s House Christian 56-53.

Lee led the game from start to finish, but the victory was a hard-earned one as the Legends needed to withstand a spirited comeback by Potter’s House during the fourth quarter.

“I’m very, very proud with the way we faced adversity today,” Lee Coach Dominic Shannon said. “You have to take your hats off to Potter’s House. They played a great game, but I’m so proud of the way our guys responded to the adversity and playing on the road in a tough gym like they did.”

Lee seemed to have control of the game early in the fourth quarter as the Legends led 41-32 with six minutes remaining in the game. That lead, however, was anything but safe as the Pumas fed off the energy of their home crowd and battled back during the final six minutes of the game. Lee also lost senior Keontae Taylor midway through the final quarter when he fouled out with the Legends holding a seven-point lead.

Potter’s House cut the lead to 49-48 with 1:21 remaining in the game. That was when Silas Ondersma came up with a steal that led to a bucket by Aaron Leedy making the contest a one-point game. That bucket also capped a six-point Puma run.

Lee, however, refused to surrender the lead. A free throw by Marc Whitfield with 1:16 remaining and a subsequent offensive rebound and putback by Joe Russau built Lee’s lead back to four points.

After a free throw by Ezequiel Araujo drew Potter’s House to 52-49, Ny’Zhem Marshall scored with 43 seconds remaining to put Lee up 54-49. Lee was not in the clear, however, as Quincy Winkle drained a trey with 36 seconds left cutting the lead to 54-52.

After Lee missed a pair of free throws, Potter’s House drew to within one point when Araujo split a pair of free throws with 23 seconds remaining.

Right down to the wire

Lee upped the lead to 56-53 when Whitfield connected on a pair of free throws and then a steal by Lee’s Clarence Lewis with three seconds remaining sealed the win.


Lee sophomore Troy Fox came off the bench to help the Legends win. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



“We lost a key player when Keontae fouled out,” Shannon said, “but like the old saying goes, `next man up’. Troy Fox, a sophomore, came off the bench and he really came through for us. It was a great team effort with everyone contributing.”

Lee knew they were facing a difficult road test and in the early minutes of the game the Legends did what they could to take the crowd out of the game. Lee scored the first nine points of the game and held Potter’s House scoreless until the 4:05 mark of the first quarter.

“Our plan was to get out to an early lead and take the crowd out of the game,” Shannon said. “Getting that early lead helped to settle our nerves and give us some confidence.”

Lee led 17-8 at the end of the first quarter and took a 26-20 lead into halftime. The Legends continued to keep that working margin in the second half as they led 36-29 at the end of the third quarter.

Despite trailing the entire game, Potter’s House never felt out of the contest and gave the Legends all they could handle.

Fell behind early

“We fell down into a hole early,” Potter’s House Coach Kevin Kuipers said. “I think we had a little too much adrenaline early and we missed some shots. The last month or so we’ve been playing pretty good. We’ve focused on staying together and never quitting. Never giving up.



“I liked the way we kept battling back tonight. I’m proud of the ways these guys played. We still had a chance at the end and that is all you can ask for.”


The Pumas getting ready to defend Lee. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)


With the win, Lee improved to 12-1 overall and 3-0 in the Alliance League. The Legends, whose only defeat this season was a 45-44 loss to Charlotte, return to action Tuesday at Saranac and then host Tri-unity on Friday.


Whitfield led Lee in scoring with 16 points, followed by Lewis with 13. Marshall added nine points, while Russau had eight.

Potter’s House fell to 6-8 overall and 2-2 in the conference. The Pumas return to action Tuesday when they host Wellspring Prep and then travel to Covenant Christian next Friday.


Winkle led the Pumas with 21 points and Leedy added 12.