Michigan falls to Louisville in classic title game

The University of Michigan men’s basketball team played in its first national championship game since 1993. They faced off with the highly touted Louisville Cardinals.

Both teams had something to play for, with Louisville losing their backup point guard Kevin Ware who suffered the horrific leg injury he endured during the Elite 8 game against Duke. Michigan was trying to get back on the national scene as a relevant basketball contender.

“Going into the game, I was really excited but I felt terrible for (Kevin) Ware, Louisville just looked like a really tough team,” says Austin Palo, a HHS sophomore who most would consider a die-hard Michigan fan.

The game started off with a bang, with both teams exploding out of the gate nailing almost all of their shots. Michigan took the early lead but Louisville came back and tied the game at seven. The game then went back and forth, with Michigan starting to run away with the lead.

“Once Michigan started hitting their three pointers, it started to look like they were going to run away with the game,” says Palo.

Spike Albrecht, the small backup point guard started to make a lot of shots, something that caught everybody by surprise, blowing up the ‘Twitter’ feed as well. Albrecht, known as a good 3-point shooter, started making three’s left and right, nailing them from nearly the half-court line. The Michigan fans at the game were ecstatic, the crowd was split right down the middle: on one side there was a sea of red and black, and on the other, the Michigan faithful stood by, making their presence known. This sudden jolt of offense from Albrecht added to Michigan’s lead, getting them into double digits.

“Spike (Albrecht) just absolutely went off, started leading Michigan and I thought that they had it wrapped up,” says Palo.

Enter Luke Hancock, Michigan nightmare and Louisville role player. Hancock started matching Albrecht with three-pointers and sparked a Louisville comeback and swung the momentum in the Cardinals’ favor. He just made bucket after bucket, seems like he didn’t buy into the idea that Michigan was running away with the game. Hancock went off for 16 points by the end of the first half, most of them coming in the final three minutes. Albrecht had 17 and Michigan had the one-point advantage 38-37 going into halftime.

“I was shocked with Luke Hancock at the end of the first half, he single-handedly put Louisville back into the game,” says Palo.

This game turned into a back and forth duel right off the bat in the second half, with both teams going back and forth. The story pretty much stayed the same for the second half, Louisville taking a lead with Michigan always finding a way back. There was always a three or four point margin between the teams until about five minutes left in the game, when Louisville started to add points to their lead, getting as much as a nine-point lead. Michigan’s Trey Burke, consensus All-American and winner of Most Outstanding Player in the country, showed determination that he wanted to win this game, and started hitting his shots, with Michigan getting as close as four points. Louisville again willed itself from Michigan to eventually go on to win 82-76, winning the school’s third national championship.

“I’m really proud of Michigan and Louisville just played the better game that night, they deserved the win and I can’t wait for some more Michigan basketball next year,” says Palo.

Big Ten Basketball Tournament held in full swing

Hosting for the 8^th time in conference history, the Big Ten Basketball Tournament headed to Chicago March 14- 17, 2013, where rivals would meet again and some unexpected upsets would take sports fans by surprise.

 

Players would gather at Chicago’s United Center, the largest playing arena in the United States.  Tipoff of the first game began Thursday, March 14 and the tournament was concluded on Sunday, March 17.

 

To start off the competitive four-day tournament, four games were played on Thursday, March 14, 2013, beginning with a close win by Illinois (51) against Minnesota (49).  6’4’’ Illinois guard, Brandon Paul hit a buzzer beater fade away jump shot to win the game.  Paul finished with a total of 25 points and led his team to compete in the quarterfinals Friday, March 15, against third-ranked Indiana.

 

In Thursday’s second game, Michigan defeated Penn State in an 83-66 win.  Sophomore guard Trey Burke led Michigan in scoring with 21 points helping advance them into the second round of tournament play.

 

In the last two games of the first found of the Big Ten Tournament, Nebraska was able to pull off a close victory over Purdue with a final score of 57-55; an important win for Nebraska after Purdue’s victory over the team last year in the tournament.  Also, Iowa defeated Northwestern 73-59 after a slow start by Northwestern, where they were unable to keep the game close enough to pull off a win.

 

Friday, March 15, 2013, third- ranked Indiana (80) faced Illinois (64).  Seven-foot sophomore, Cody Zeller put up 24 points for the Hoosiers and grabbed 9 rebounds.  Also Michigan (59) suffered a defeating loss to Wisconsin (68) to eliminate them from the tournament.  The start of the game looked bright for Michigan as none of Wisconsin’s shots seemed to be falling, however, they were able to come back and fight through.

 

“Just a great team effort,” Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan said.  “Guys picked each other up.  They didn’t get frustrated when the shots weren’t going down in the first half.  We took care of that in the second half, and continued to hustle on defense.”

 

Ohio State went on to face Nebraska and with a 71-50 win over the team, continued on to the semi- final game where they would face Michigan State after their Friday win over Iowa 59-56.

 

Heading into Saturday’s semi- final games, Wisconsin would advance to the finals after a win over Indiana 68-56.  Ohio State (61) faced Michigan State (58) where 6’2” Junior Aaron Craft would lead the tenth- ranked Buckeyes to an exciting victory.

 

To conclude the tournament, Ohio State would defeat Wisconsin in a 50-43 win during the Championship Game on Sunday, March 17, 2013.

 

Ohio State head coach Thad Matta said, “We were challenging our guys every timeout, telling them ‘You’ve got one more gear.  You’ve got one more gear.’  Fortunately for us, we made some big plays and then finally knocked a couple shots down.”

Local church basketball league gains popularity

The Howell High School boys basketball team may have just finished an unbelievable season, but there is another league in Howell that is gaining popularity. Community Bible Church, located on the Howell-Brighton border on Grand River Avenue, hosts a basketball league every winter, where high school students can play basketball and learn about God every Saturday. There are two high school divisions: a grades 9-10 division and a grades 11-12 division.

“It’s unbelievably fun to be able to go out there and play basketball while learning about God,” says HHS junior Cody Roberts, who is in his second year playing in the CBC league.

At halftime of every game, the players of both teams sit at half court with a coach preaching the gospel. They end the halftime period with a prayer.

This is a league where truly everyone gets a chance to play. “It’s great to be in a league where everyone gets a chance. It’s all for the fun and games,” says Roberts.

Chris Ackerman, a HHS sophomore, also plays in the league. He plays in the younger division; his team has a record of 7-0. “I’ve been told that it’s only fun when you win, but everyone is a winner at CBC,” says Ackerman, upon being asked his favorite part about playing CBC basketball.

“Winning is fun too,” he adds with a laugh.

You may think that players don’t have to practice to play well on game days, but players are always working on their skills. “I prepare throughout the week so I’m ready to play on game day,” says Roberts.

The CBC basketball games are open to all visitors. The championship game is Saturday, March 16 at

“This is my second year in CBC, and they have both been really fun,” says Roberts.

Lady Highlanders stay optimistic despite loss in districts

The atmosphere was electric at Fowlerville High School for the matchup between Howell and Hartland for the first game of districts on Wednesday, Feb. 27.

 

Hartland jumped out to a 10-3 first quarter lead and continued to hold Howell to three points through the end of the second quarter, holding a lead of 22-3 at the conclusion of the first half.

 

“There’s not much we can do except go out there every game and give it our best effort on every possession and I know that we’ve done that in every game,” says junior Danielle Hamilton.

 

Junior Erin Hage ended the 14-minute scoreless streak for Howell with a layup. Tess Weatherly netted a pair of free throws to make the score 37-9. Senior Cassie Colon scored a layup to spark a Howell mini-comeback but eventually the Eagles’ defense proved too strong for Howell.

 

As the game progressed, Howell made a short run but ended up losing, with a final score of 47-21, thus concluding their season.

 

“We’re hoping to improve over the offseason and to come back stronger next year,” says junior Maggie Jenison.

Highlander boys’ basketball captains lead with passion of sport

Every team has its leaders who you can to look to when things aren’t going well and who push their teammates to greatness. These leaders are better known as captains. Howell varsity boys basketball has two captains who are perfect for the job.

The two captains are junior Tyler Johnson, and senior Juan Baltazar. Head coach, Nick Simon, is happy in his choice of captains.

“I am confident in my captains. They represent what we need to be as a team. They are hard workers and both very talented,” says Simon.

Baltazar started out playing basketball when he was in the sixth grade. He continued to play the game from then on, which includes playing with the Howell Heat travel team for two years.

“Basketball is just fun. I love to compete,” says Baltazar.

He is planning on going to college, but not necessarily to play basketball. Baltazar would love to be able to play in college, but he does not want to go out of his way for it. Going to University of Michigan Flint to become a DEA (Drug Enforcement Agent) is his dream.

Winning districts is one thing that Baltazar would like to accomplish this season. That goal is what helps to push him.

“Juan is an unbelievably hard worker. He’s an intelligent basketball player and doesn’t give up,” says Simon.

“Our team is real close this year, closer than in the past. Being a captain is a lot of pressure, but it’s a really good feeling,” says Baltazar.

Johnson has been playing basketball since he was in kindergarten and then played on a first grade league. Johnson was also a member of the Howell Heat for a few years. After that he played with Team Detroit, and now he is a part of the Michigan Mustangs.

Johnson also plays football, but says that basketball is his favorite sport to play by far. He loves the competition of the game and he loves the sport in general.

Playing basketball in college is something Johnson wants to do. Although, he would like to stay close to home. He is not sure about what he would like to do for his future occupation.

Johnson says that this year’s team is the best team he’s played on at Howell.

“Being a captain is a big responsibility that I can handle since I’ve been on the team since my freshman year,” says Johnson.

Simon agrees that Johnson is responsible and respected by his teammates.  The coach says Johnson has formed into a great leader and has gotten better as the season has progressed.

“Tyler is a vocal leader. He’s the one that will get on people verbally and he really brings the team together out on the court,” says Simon.

Simon is happy about the way the season has been going so far. He hopes to have a winning record in the conference and hopes that his two captains can lead to the team to that goal.

“Trying to be good at something I love to do inspires me,” says Johnson.

Highlander boys’ basketball captains lead with passion of sport

Every team has its leaders who you can to look to when things aren’t going well and who push their teammates to greatness. These leaders are better known as captains. Howell varsity boys basketball has two captains who are perfect for the job.

The two captains are junior Tyler Johnson, and senior Juan Baltazar. Head coach, Nick Simon, is happy in his choice of captains.

“I am confident in my captains. They represent what we need to be as a team. They are hard workers and both very talented,” says Simon.

Baltazar started out playing basketball when he was in the sixth grade. He continued to play the game from then on, which includes playing with the Howell Heat travel team for two years.

“Basketball is just fun. I love to compete,” says Baltazar.

He is planning on going to college, but not necessarily to play basketball. Baltazar would love to be able to play in college, but he does not want to go out of his way for it. Going to University of Michigan Flint to become a DEA (Drug Enforcement Agent) is his dream.

Winning districts is one thing that Baltazar would like to accomplish this season. That goal is what helps to push him.

“Juan is an unbelievably hard worker. He’s an intelligent basketball player and doesn’t give up,” says Simon.

“Our team is real close this year, closer than in the past. Being a captain is a lot of pressure, but it’s a really good feeling,” says Baltazar.

Johnson has been playing basketball since he was in kindergarten and then played on a first grade league. Johnson was also a member of the Howell Heat for a few years. After that he played with Team Detroit, and now he is a part of the Michigan Mustangs.

Johnson also plays football, but says that basketball is his favorite sport to play by far. He loves the competition of the game and he loves the sport in general.

Playing basketball in college is something Johnson wants to do. Although, he would like to stay close to home. He is not sure about what he would like to do for his future occupation.

Johnson says that this year’s team is the best team he’s played on at Howell.

“Being a captain is a big responsibility that I can handle since I’ve been on the team since my freshman year,” says Johnson.

Simon agrees that Johnson is responsible and respected by his teammates.  The coach says Johnson has formed into a great leader and has gotten better as the season has progressed.

“Tyler is a vocal leader. He’s the one that will get on people verbally and he really brings the team together out on the court,” says Simon.

Simon is happy about the way the season has been going so far. He hopes to have a winning record in the conference and hopes that his two captains can lead to the team to that goal.

“Trying to be good at something I love to do inspires me,” says Johnson.

Howell honors alumni basketball players

On Saturday, January 19, the Howell alumni stormed the courts and played another game in the Howell High School field house.

 

“The games are very competitive, they have always been that way,” says Guy Samples, the head of the alumni games.

 

This is the third year that the men have had this alumni game. This year there was a twist however, not only would the men play, but also the women.

 

“This year we added the girls’ game. Since coach Piepho had such a big impact on both the boys and girls program here at Howell, we wanted to make sure that we incorporated everyone,” says Samples.

 

The idea of the fundraiser came from Guy Samples and Dan Millard. The donations are split between the Howell boys and girls basketball program.

 

“We typically average $400-500 a game,” says Samples.

 

The women’s game began at 1:00 p.m. and consisted of ten Lady Highlanders from the 1996 finalist team. Past coaches, Jennifer Goodwin and Trisha Clark coached for the women’s game.

 

“It feels like we are big time now, coming back and playing as alumni. We liked the turn out. We had 18 girls playing and we are looking to get more next year so that should be exciting,” says Howell alumni Stephanie Benear.

 

Afterward the men’s game took over, coached by Lee Piepho and Bill Simmons. With Piepho’s Green Team trailing Bill Simmons’ White team 63-60, Jeff Dunham swished a three pointer at the buzzer to tie it.

 

Longtime coach of the boys and girls, Lee Piepho was honored between the two games.

 

Lee Piepho was part of both the boys program and the girls. He coached freshman basketball for the boys and then switched to the girls program, becoming the varsity head coach. Throughout his twenty six years at Howell he had a record of 362-152 .In 1996 he led the Lady Highlanders to the Semi finals.

 

“It’s a fantastic experience coming back and seeing all the girls that I’ve coached over the years, especially the girls from the 1996 team. It’s fantastic to see them and their families and just to see what they have been up to over the past few years,” says Piepho.

 

The key teams, according to Samples were the following: ”Boys team was pretty solid through the 80′s and the girls were definitely there in 95-96.”

 

From the amount of smiles and bruises throughout the games fans could tell what a great experience it was for these alumni.

 

“We are just looking to regain the history of Howell basketball,” says Samples.

Legendary Coach Honored: Piepho built one of the top programs in the state

As Lee Piepho stood there holding the microphone giving a speech in between the women’s and men’s Howell alumni game, the crowd went silent and gave all ears to the legendary Howell basketball coach.

Lee Piepho has always been involved with basketball. He played four years for the University of Missouri at Rolla and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.

Piepho married his wife and had three children, all of whom have also involved their lives around basketball.

“Basketball has been a part of our family. My wife followed me whereever I’m going: playing basketball, refereeing, coaching.”

Piepho’s oldest, Tracy, is a coach in Kansas. Jason Piepho is the head coach at Brighton High School, Howell’s rivalry. Lastly his daughter Sara is coaching at a college in Cincinnati, Ohio. Piepho’s wife has been Howell’s scorekeeper for years.

“My kids, ever since they were little toddlers, have been out on a basketball court. We truly are a basketball family,” says Piepho.

Piepho was able to coach his daughter Sara who is up on Howell’s hall of fame. Unfortunately, he was not able to coach Jason since he was moved up to JV his freshman year.

“It’s unfortunate I wasn’t able to coach him. I didn’t get the chance to make him run lines or anything,” he jokingly replies.

Piepho is one of the best known coaches in the state. Piepho started his career at Howell with taking the freshman boys head coaching job from 1978 to1994. In 1995 Piepho switched over to the girls program taking over the varsity team from 1995 to 2007.

Piepho’s best known team is the 1996 team as he led them to becoming state finalists, although they ended up losing their 26 game winning streak to Marian Birmingham.

“My best memory for sure was taking the team to the state finals in 1996. It was a very exciting year,” says Piepho.

In order to help recruit basketball players to go to the next level, Piepho teamed up with his son, Jason to start up the Livingston Sting. This team consisted mostly of Livingston county girls. Piepho coached the Sting for 12 years leading this team to four state championships (1998-2000, 2002), won the 18U state championship in 2007, and claimed first at the Deep South Classic Tournament in 2001.

 

One of Piepho’s biggest goals was landing scholarships for his players. Out of the 65 girls who played for him 23 had gone on to play college basketball. He helped 32 girls on this AAU teams earn scholarships, (11) D-1, (7) D-II, (17) NAIA, D-III, and Jr. College levels.

 

Piepho left Howell to seek a job he had wanted for so long, to become a college coach. Although it was just a year, Piepho coached as the intern at the University of Detroit Mercy during the 2007-2008 season.

 

Afterwards he came back to Howell taking over the middle school basketball at Highlander Way Middle School. This year his boys team went 10-2, earning them first place in the division.

 

Today Piepho is still coaching middle school basketball while also officiating. He had officiated 37 years of high school basketball and also works games for the Mid-American Conference along with the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Conference for college basketball.

“Coaching and refereeing is what keeps me out of trouble,” Piepho says.

Piepho has spent day in and day out helping young basketball players achieve their dreams.

“I love being around young people. From a basketball standpoint teaching fundamentals and as an overall prospective teaching them life skills, goal settings, and just taking steps in order to be successful in life.”

Annual basketball event benefits cancer foundation

The tradition at Howell High School continues this year as the Lady Highlanders come together to support a wonderful organization, the Susan G. Komen Foundation. “Shoot For The Cure” is an event that has taken place for a few years here at the high school and always seems to be successful. T-shirts, rally towels and pink beads will be sold at lunches starting on January 24 for game attendees. Tickets for the game will be on pre-sale as well. Halftime will be occupied by performances from the twirlers and the pom team. Every cent earned from this event will be donated to the Susan G. Komen foundation. A sea of pink will overtake the field house as the Lady Highlanders take the court on Tuesday, January 29th at 7 p.m. against the Milford Mavericks. Be sure to attend and show your support for cancer as well as your Lady Highlanders basketball team.

Senior’s fervent love of sport keeps him in the game

The fire and passion towards a sport comes from deep within one’s heart. Howell senior Nate Butka has such love for the sport that it has slowly grown to be a crucial part of his life.

Basketball has been Butka’s game since he was a child.  It all started when his father signed him up for a recreation league in first grade. Even at a young age, he had a love for the game.

Travel basketball for Butka began in the fifth grade. He played for the Howell Heat up until eighth grade. In high school, he has continued to play each of his four years.

“Basketball is my passion. It’s just what I live for,” says Butka.

Every athlete has his or her share of injuries. Butka has unfortunately gotten many more than the average player. He has missed out on a vast amount of playing from injuries.

During Butka’s junior varsity year, he suffered a broken ankle. Through the recovery of this injury, Butka worked hard to stay mentally strong and push through. Butka kept working towards being healthy again and playing varsity basketball.

“Getting so many injuries slowed me down a bit and put me behind the other kids, but I had to keep working through it and work harder than everyone else,” says Butka.

Butka is currently on the Howell High School varsity basketball team. This past year, the team has gone through a coaching change and has lost many key players. Nick Simon has taken over as the head coach.

“The atmosphere this year is great, a lot better than last year. Simon is awesome. I love my team, and I really like how the season has been going so far. I love having such a hyped-up student section this year, too. The support they show is crazy and it helps us out a ton,” says Butka.

Senior Tyler Lassitter was on the varsity basketball team last year with Butka. Lassitter was not able to play due to an injury. Making a comeback at the end of the season, Lassitter got the chance to play with Butka.

“Nate is a very hard worker. He always hustled and pushed himself. I have always seen that in him, and I still do today when I go watch the boys games,” says Lassitter.

The game of basketball, as well as any sport, can teach many lessons. Not just for athletics, but for everyday life as well. Butka has learned important traits from basketball: teamwork, respect, pride, and possessing a competitive nature.

“I take pride in my defense. It’s a huge part of the game. It has taught me to take pride in your work and in the things you do,” says Butka.

Physical therapy is Butka’s choice of a future occupation. He would like to start off at a community college then go to Oakland University to finish.

Continuing to play basketball is college would be a dream for Butka. He just wants to keep playing the games he loves.

College and professional level sports serve as the pinnacle of all skill to high school athletes everywhere. Butka looks up to the Michigan State basketball team, as well as their head coach Tom Izzo.

“Basketball gives me something to look forward to everyday and to keep my mind off of things,” says Butka.

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