March 4th, 2008 Doug Donnelly
Ida’s All-State candidate Nic Jobe passed the 1,000 point mark Monday in the Blue Streaks’ Regional loss.
He is the sixth Ida player to reach that level and should become the school’s all-time leading scorer next season.
Garry Anderson (1,263), Chad Cilley (1,118), Todd Iott (1,083), Chad Shiliday (1,023) and Gary Hatter (1,021) are the other Blue Streaks to do so.
Jobe is one of only a handful of players to reach it prior to their season season.
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March 4th, 2008 Doug Donnelly
To read the game stories from Monday’s Ida, Flat Rock and Whiteford games, visit www.monroenews.com after noon today.
To read about Whiteford’s game from the Jackson Citizen-Patriot, go to http://www.mlive.com/highschool/citpat/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1204643136260670.xml&coll=3
or visit http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080304/SPORTS06/803040396/-1/SPORTS
Also, there are some video clips of DuPree’s two game-winning baskets on www.youtube.com — type in Josh DuPree in the search window.
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March 3rd, 2008 Doug Donnelly
Whiteford won just its second Regional game in school history Monday, defeating Napoleon 51-49 in overtime.
Josh DuPree, for the second time in two games, hit the game winner — this time with 4.6 seconds left.
The Bobcats won the District title Friday when DuPree hit a buzzer beater over Madison.
The Bobcats came from behind for the third time in four games.
Whiteford trailed 27-16 at halftime before mounting a comeback.It was 30-23 at the end of the third quarter.
Dave Gust scored four points and Greg Keeling hit two free throws to cut the lead to 36-29 with 5:30 to play when Whiteford called a timeout.
A Keeling jumper and Dave Gust basked cut it to 3 points with 4:35 left. After fine Napoleon guard Marshawn Norris hit a jumper, Josh DuPree hit a three-pointer and a free throw, Joel Bunge hit a driving shot in the lane to give Whiteford its first lead of the game at 39-38 with 2:43 left. Whiteford was up 41-38 and got the ball back on a Pirate turnover with 2:12 to play. It took more than a minute off the clock before heading to the free throw line.
After a miss, Norris tied the game with an incredible, off-balance triple with :46 seconds left. The Bobcats missed a shot at the buzzer to end regulation.
Norris came out and nailed two straight baskets and the Pirates had a 45-41 lead with 2:45 left. Then came another Bobcat comeback.
Jake DuPree hit a 3-pointer with 2:28 left. Gust then hit two straight baskets and turned the four point deficit into a three-point Bobcat lead — its biggest lead of the game. After David French cut the lead to two, Bunge made it a two point game with :39 left with a free throw. When Norris tied it again with 22 seconds left, the game appeared to be headed into overtime when Josh DuPree got the ball and the rest of the Bobcats cleared out. He took the ball right to the hole and scored over top of three Pirate defenders.
Napoleon got off a shot at the buzzer but it missed and the 21-3 Pirates’ season was over.
Gust scored 20 points and Josh DuPree 15 to lead Whiteford.
The Bobcats will play Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard in the Regional final at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Adrian Madison.
Whiteford’s only other Regional win came in 1986 when it defeated Camden Frontier in the Class D Regional semifinals.
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March 3rd, 2008 Doug Donnelly
Previewing the Regional games involving area teams:
http://www.monroenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080302/SPORTS/837072417
Jackson Citizen-Patriot writer Mike Pryson predicts a Napoleon-Hanover Horton Regional final:
http://www.mlive.com/highschool/citpat/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1204455927241630.xml&coll=3&thispage=1
Fans can listen to the Whiteford-Napoleon game on the Internet at www.k1053.com. You might be able to pick up the station from inside Madison’s gymnasium, too.
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March 2nd, 2008 Doug Donnelly
Ron Montri offers a preview of Monday’s Regional semifinal games in today’s Evening News. Be sure to check it out.What I found most amazing about Friday night was how the best players in the region — Josh DuPree of Whiteford, Nic Jobe of Ida and Devon Crain of Flat Rock — all came up huge in tremendous District final games. Evening News staff member Jason Haupricht told me how he was at the Ida game Friday and Kris Hubbard — Whiteford’s longtime coach and wife of Ida varsity boys basketball assistant coach Mark Hubbard — was cheering when Whiteford’s DuPree hit the game winner against Madison. She was listening in on the Adrian radio station WLEN (103.9 FM). Less than a minute later, Jobe hit his game-winner.How cool was it to read in Saturday’s Evening News that two of the best players in the Region hit game-winning shots for their respective teams. And, who would have thought Flat Rock would knock off Grosse Ile twice this season?Congratulations to the teams. Can’t wait for Monday night. I’ll post some pre-game information on the Whiteford-Napoleon game later.
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February 29th, 2008 Doug Donnelly
By DOUG DONNELLY
doug@monroenews.com
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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February 29th, 2008 Doug Donnelly
I will be covering the Whiteford-Madison District final tonight for The Evening News. We will have someone at each of the four District final games tonight while Niles Kruger is in Battle Creek for the state wrestling finals. We will have a lot of information on our Web site tonight and in Saturday’s Evening News.
While doing research to get ready for the game, I’ve put together some pregame information on the Whiteford-Madison contest that I’ll share with you:
Game notes:
Madison (21-1) vs. Whiteford (19-3)
7 p.m.
Class C District championship
At Blissfield High School
WIN STREAK: Madison is on a 15 game winning streak. The Madison school record is a 17 game win streak by the 1978-79 Trojan team (23-2) coached by Jim Hartley, now Madison’s superintendent. Jeff Webster, Madison’s current coach, played on that team.
COACHES: Both coaches played on TCC championship teams for the teams they now coach. Jeff Webster has a 74-53 mark since taking over Madison. He is in his 6th year. Brad Stevens is 58-48 and is in his 5th season at Whiteford.
COACH NOTE II: Jeff Webster is the only person in TCC boys basketball history to play on and coach a Tri-County Conference champion.
ALL-STATE: The Michigan High School Basketball Bulletin (formerly called bankhoops.com) has released its Class C All-State team. Tonight’s game features several players from that list:
First Team: Josh DuPree (Whiteford)
Fifth Team: Vince Beekel (Madison)
Eighth Team: Dave Gust (Whiteford)
Ninth Team: Chase Mann (Madison)
MORE POST-SEASON HONORS: Josh DuPree was named one of the Top 25 players in the area by The (Toledo) Blade.
TOP SCORERS: Josh DuPree and Dave Gust finished 1-2 in the TCC scoring race. It is the first time in TCC history that two players from the same team finished 1-2 in scoring. It is also the first time in Whiteford history that two Bobcats have scored more than 400 points (all games) in the same season.
20 WINS: Madison has reached the 20-win plateau for the second time in school history. The other time was the 1978-79 team that went 23-2. Whiteford will be trying to reach the 20-win mark for the third time in school history. The 1982-83 team, which current Bobcat coach Brad Stevens played on, went 20-2. The 2002-03 Whiteford team went 23-1. Never has two TCC teams won 20 games in one season.
DISTRICT TROPHIES: Whiteford last won a District title in 2003. Madison’s last District championships came in 1983.
POINTS: Whiteford enters tonight’s game averaging 73.8 points a game. The Bobcats set a record by scoring 1,169 points in TCC games this season – topping the previous record of 1,131 by the 1986-87 Morenci team. Whiteford played 16 league games this year, compared to 14 games by that 1986-87 Morenci team. Whiteford 73.1 per-game average in TCC play is good for 12th best in league history. The overall season average (73.8 points) is the third-best in school history.
POLL: Whiteford appeared in all eight Class C Associated Press polls this season, including a high of No. 6 on Jan. 22. They were ranked No. 17 – the lowest of the season – in the final poll on Feb. 26. Madison appeared in four polls, reaching a high of No. 10 in the final poll. The Trojans have spent 51 weeks in the AP poll since 1973-74, second among TCC teams behind only Whiteford, who has been in the poll 75 weeks since 1974.
DOUBLE-DOUBLES: Dave Gust leads Whiteford in double-doubles this season with 12. Cody McCartney has five.
TOP SCORER: Only three different players have led Whiteford in scoring this year: Josh DuPree (13), Dave Gust (8) and Jake DuPree (1). Jake’s 18 point effort was in the District semifinal Wednesday. Madison has been led in scoring by Chase Mann (8), Jake Agruda (5), Vince Beekel (6), Jon Vallejo (2) and Jacob Crison (2) [Mann and Beekel shared team honors once].
FINALS: Whiteford is 8-10 all-time in District final games. Madison and Whiteford have met once in the District finals (1982) with Madison winning that game, 66-54. Madison went 16-8 that season and Whiteford was 19-3. … Whiteford has appeared in one District game in its history on the Blissfiel court, 1961. Whiteford beat Dundee in that game.
1,000 POINTS: Josh DuPree topped the 1,200 mark Wednesday and now has 1,204 career points. That ranks him third on the all-time school scoring list behind Eddie Sharpe (1,693) and Brad Nieman (1,280). He ranks ahead of his father, Everett, who scored 1,072 points in his career. Josh’s career high is 40 points (vs. Whitmore Lake).
700 POINTS: Dave Gust has 720 career points, ranking him No. 20 on the school’s all-time scoring list. He needs 15 points to move into the No. 16 slot – which would put him one place behind Bobcat coach Brad Stevens on the school scoring list. If Gust scores 35 points tonight he will bring his average up to 20 points a game. His career high is 33 (vs. Britton).
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February 29th, 2008 Doug Donnelly
Just learned that the Whiteford-Madison Class C District final tonight at Blissfield will be on the Adrian radio station WLEN, 103.9 FM.
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February 29th, 2008 Doug Donnelly
The Associated Press, Detroit News and Detroit Free Press have picked All-State basketball teams for decades. A new All-State team has emerged and is the first one out from this past season.
Bankhoops.com has released its Class C and Class D All-State teams.
Go to: http://blog.mlive.com/highschoolbasketball/ to view the teams. Locally, Whiteford’s Josh DuPree was a first team choice in Class C and his teammate, Dave Gust, was an eighth-team choice.
The AP, News and Free Press teams come out later.
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February 28th, 2008 Doug Donnelly
You remember the Six Degrees of Separation Game, don’t you? Six Degrees of Separation is a trivia game based on the idea that everyone on earth can be connected using fewer than six associations.
Let’s play that game with the four remaining boys basketball teams for the Monroe County Region and former Whiteford Coach John Rice. Rice is now the head coach at Toledo Bowsher, which finished the season 4-15 in the Toledo City League:
WHITEFORD: This one is easy. Rice coached Whiteford for 30 seasons. He coached current Bobcat coach Brad Stevens during his four years on the varsity. He coached several relatives of current Bobcat leading scorer Josh DuPree and the three brothers of second-leading scorer Dave Gust. Stevens, incidentally, played on the first Bobcat team to win 20 games — the 1982-83 squad — that Rice coached. If Whiteford wins Friday against Madison (7 p.m. at Blissfield) it will give them 20 victories for the third time in school history.
FLAT ROCK: This one is almost as easy. Rice coached Flat Rock last season in a one-season effort when Ram coach Andy Mangin resigned shortly before the season started. The Rams went 4-17. Several current Rams — such as Jake Richardson, Adam Pavilanis, Mike Marcon, Andrew Scarton, Garret Matthews and Mike Boyce — all played for Rice last year. He did not coach Devon Crain as the senior moved into the district after the season started. Crain did hang around the team though for the second half of the season.
SMCC: Rice is the second-winningest coach in Region history behind SMCC coach Ray Lauwers. I had a conversation recently about coaching in the Toledo City League and Coach Rice told me that “Ray Lauwers is as good as or better than any basketball coach in the City League.” Back to the game: The biggest connection is Rice coached SMCC’s opponent, Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard, for two seasons after leaving Whiteford (2003-04 and 2004-05). He did not coach current Richard stars Eso Akunne or Josh Herbeck. He did coach Josh Herbeck’s brother, Mike, for two seasons. He also coached some brothers of a few other Richard players. The remaining connection is Irish captain and reserve Brian McNally. Coach Rice brought McNally up to the varsity during the 2004-05 season when he was a ninth-grader and he appeared in several games.
IDA: Rice never coached at Ida, but coached against Ida several games while at Whiteford. One of Ida’s biggest upsets ever was in the District finals of the 1982-83 season against the Bobcats (the same Bobcat team that Brad Stevens played on and went 20-2 that I mentioned above). That was Ida’s last District championship. Mark Hubbard was the coach of the 13-8 Ida squad that season. Hubbard is back on the sidelines this season as an assistant coach for Ida. Another connection: Rice was Whiteford’s JV girls basketball coach for two decades. The varsity coach at the time was Kris Hubbard — Mark’s wife.
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