Bobcats win District title
By DOUG DONNELLY
BLISSFIELD – Josh DuPree had one eye on the clock, one eye on the basket, a Madison player draped on his arm and he was 22 feet from the basket.
Swish.
DuPree nailed a three-point basket as time expired, lifting Whiteford to a 58-56 Class C District basketball championship Friday.
“I thought when it was half way up that it was going in,” DuPree said. “I figured I was off all night and one of these shots had to go in. I’m glad that one did.”
So was the healthy crowd of Bobcat fans that packed one side of the Blissfield gymnasium. The Bobcats knocked off 21-1 Madison, the Tri-County Conference champions and No. 10 ranked team in the state.
“He had a lot of arc on the shot,” said Bobcat coach Brad Stevens. “When he is off there is no arc. That shot had arc.”
The Bobcats (20-3) needed the shot despite building a four-point lead with 1:10 remaining. After being down for most of the game – sometimes in double digits – Whiteford tied the game at 51-51 in the fourth quarter. It took the lead for the first time since the Bobcat started off with a 4-0 lead and it came with 1:35 remaining. The basket came from the hands of Jake DuPree, who teamed with his brother Josh to clamp down on the Trojan ball handlers in the fourth quarter.
“We finally put some pressure on their guards,” Stevens said after his first District title. “Jake really played hard and he and Josh did a nice job. Joel (Bunge) came up with some big steals.”
The defensive pressure was just what the Bobcats needed to get back in the game.
After Dave Gust scored four points in the opening minute of the game, the Trojans ran off 13 straight points. The lead stuck throughout the game. Gust kept Whiteford in the game with 14 first half points, but the Trojans extended the lead at nearly every opportunity. The Trojans led by six when the fourth quarter began.
Bunge made three straight free throws after being fouled on a triple try to cut the score to 48-45. Two Gust free throws made it 51-49 Madison, then Josh DuPree got a steal and made a layup to tie the game.
Two Jake DuPree baskets gave Whiteford the lead and it stuck until a crucial turnover gave Madison the ball with 25 seconds left. Madison point guard Chase Mann (19 points) made a basket with 4.9 seconds left and the Bobcat immediately called a timeout.
“We knew we wanted Josh to have the ball,” Stevens said. “That’s definitely what we wanted.”
With 4.5 seconds left, DuPree took the inbounds pass and drove the length of the floor and fired up his game-winner.
“We were a little bit down,” Gust said. “When they made that shot, we were all hanging our heads. Coach called a timeout and told us get the ball to Josh.”
DuPree was mobbed on the floor after the shot went in.
“This is just a great, great feeling,” Gust said. “Last year it was disappointing that we lost in the first (District) game. I’ve been playing with these guys since the fifth grade. I knew when we were seniors we were going to have a good team.”
Gust continued his great season with 25 points and 7 rebounds. Josh DuPree scored 12 and Bunge 9.
“It couldn’t happen to a better team,” Stevens said. “I feel great for Josh. I’m glad for these kids. They are going to remember this for a long time.”
Whiteford, who reached 20 wins for just the third time in school history, will take on Napoleon Monday at Madison.
“We started to fade down the stretch of the season,” Josh DuPree said. “We were getting tired. We tried to keep our heads up and stay together. After that, we were fine.”
WHITEFORD (58)
Kevin Fisher 0 0-0 0, Joel Bunge 3 3-3 9, Josh DuPree 5 0-1 12, Jake DuPree 2 0-0 4, Dave Gust 10 4-4 25, Cody McCartney 3 0-0 6, Greg Keeling 1 0-0 2. Totals 24 7-8 58. Three-point field goals: Josh DuPree 2, Gust 1.
MADISON (56)
Rodriguez 1 0-0 3, Agruda 2 3-3 9, Crison 2 0-0 4, Mann 6 5-6 19, Brewer 1 0-0 2, Vallejo 5 0-0 10, Beekel 4 1-2 9. Totals 21 9-11 56. Three-point field goals: Rodriguez 1, Agruda 2, Mann 2.
Whiteford 12 12 18 16 = 58
Madison 17 13 18 8 = 56
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