Jetting on to JCC: Hillsdale's MacDonald signs letter of intent to play college hoops

[caption id="attachment_513" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Left to right, JCC assistant basketball coach Brian Woodhurst, Hillsdale senior and the newest JCC Jet Kyle MacDonald, and head coach Steve Finamore."][/caption]

On April 30 Kyle MacDonald took the first step toward what he calls "an opportunity to create his own legacy".

The Hillsdale High School senior sharp-shooter officially signed his letter of intent to play basketball under scholarship for Jackson Community College after drawing interest from the Jets' coaching staff following his participation in numerous open gym sessions.

MacDonald said his mother, Amy Manifold, called the coaching staff about potential opportunities that might be available, he started playing pick up ball with players from Albion, Holly,  Jackson High and East Jackson among other schools, with plenty of eyes watching — and needless to say, he impressed.

Hillsdale High School head basketball coach Brad Felix said he received a call from JCC head coach Steve Finamore a few weeks ago and Finamore was excited about the prospect of having MacDonald on his roster.

“Their head coach said they were in dire need of a spot-up shooter, and that kid definitely knows how to shoot. It’s nice because no one has been talking about Kyle at all,” Felix said. “Of all my guys on the team last year he is the only one with an offer right now, who would have thought that? I’m really happy for him and he’s a good kid.”

MacDonald said he actually garnered some interest from Hillsdale College prior to his junior season, but he spent much of that year buried on the bench and it wasn't until the end of the 2008 season that things really started to come together for him.

That's when MacDonald started lifting weights, becoming a gym rat and really focusing on the sport he didn't start playing competitively until eighth-grade.

"Everything started to change when I started hitting the weights, and got stronger," he said, noting that people like teammate Scott Lantis and Hornet football coach Marc Lemerand had a major impact on his training techniques. "Plus coach told me I had to get better at my ball handling and defense, and this season he told me I'd play about 27 minutes a game, and I did and I had a lot better season."

MacDonald averaged 6.5 points per game as a senior, fourth on the team, and hit 32 3-pointers at a 28.1 percent clip. He also averaged 1.7 assists and 1.2 steals per game playing 25 minutes per game in a starting role, just a year removed from playing six to eight minutes per contest.

Manifold said she was glad to see her son finally get an opportunity, especially after he had played so well for the Lenawee Magic, an AAU team, during the summer.

"In AAU games during the summer he would play better and I think he plays better with people he doesn't know as well, for whatever reason," she said. "He scored 30-some points at an AAU game last summer and (former Hornets star) Tyler (Laser) was there, and he told Kyle he was going to go far and he had a future."

MacDonald does have a future to look forward to indeed, but not only on the hardwood. He is planning on going into dentistry, something he can start taking classes for the next two years at JCC. The scholarship he was awarded will cover the cost of tuition and books and MacDonald has yet to decide whether not he will live near campus or commute for his first year.

One thing he is sure of though is that becoming a Jet was the perfect choice for him.

"The coaches are awesome and I'm really excited to play for them.  They told me that now that I've made it, I've got to keep going because they can take the scholarship back at any time. I like that though, because I need to set goals and I like being pushed so I can get better," he said. "I've always wanted to play college basketball, for a long time...I'll probably play a little two-guard and some point (guard) for them."

Manifold has typical motherly feelings about her son's newest adventure.

"I really just want what's best for Kyle. And JCC is close, the costs are a little lower and I'm happy if he's happy. He's going into dentistry school and that can take anywhere from 10-12 years so I think this is a good place for him to start," she said. "The atmosphere is nice there and the coaches are great. They were really easy to work with and I like them a lot."

The 5-11 MacDonald is one of three guards signed for the incoming freshmen class, along with Anthony Wade of Jackson High and Patrick Williams from Holly. Nick Schaefer, a point guard from Hanover-Horton, is another notable name on the Jets' roster.

Manifold said she is excited to see her son play college basketball, and glad he will have a fresh start, where "politics" don't come into play like they sometimes do in high school.

MacDonald, once a scrawny, scraggly-haired kid with glasses, and now a well-built young man with contacts, although the hair hasn't changed, couldn't agree more.

"Maybe it's a chance to kind of create my own legacy and show people what I can do," he said. "I guess I can kind of just come out of my shell."

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Still on the market: Gabriele mulling college options, hoping scholarship offers are still to come

[caption id="attachment_438" align="alignright" width="154" caption="Despite being named an all-state selection in three sports. Hillsdale High's Mitchell Gabriele is still waiting for a scholarship offer."][/caption]

By RJ Walters / Daily News Sports Editor

As published in the Hillsdale Daily News on April 24, 2009
Mitchell Gabriele is much more polished and perceptive than average 18-year-olds because of the lessons he has learned in sports.

But nothing could have prepared him for what he calls a “bumpy road” on the recruiting trail, one that has forced him to look at his destiny in life as one dictated by forces beyond his control.

With his 12th and final season as a Hornet quickly evaporating, Gabriele figured spring baseball would be a time to enjoy some final malarkey with his high school teammates and possibly make a deep run in the state tourney before heading off to play college ball, but instead he is still sending out tapes and e-mails, trying to figure out why no one is offering him a scholarship.

All part of the game

For a kid who relishes having the ball in his hands with the game on the line it couldn’t be more frustrating, but the things he has taken to heart the past few years have prepared him for this.

For one, he learned through athletics that his über-competitive drive can get the best of him sometimes and considering the consequences before taking action is a wise option.

He has also learned waiting his turn, behind the likes of Tyler Laser and CJ Hinkle among others, was especially fruitful — for when it was his turn to take the reigns he already knew what to expect.

In just a few shorts years Gabriele has experienced being part of a state championship baseball team and he’s also digested the feeling of going 2-for-22 in his final high school basketball game; he’s been thrown out of a high school contest, hit the game-winning 3-pointer, scored dozens of important touchdowns and come up just short enough times to keep him hungry.

Most impressively though, he has learned the commitment it takes to be one of the best athletes in the state at every sport he plays, to the point he was able to reach a goal he set for himself prior to high school — being named an all-state performer in baseball, basketball and football.

But nothing, not volunteering in the community, getting hassled about whose homeruns went farther by his older brother Marco, or the priceless advice he’s received from high school coaches and parents could have prepared him for this question: “Why has no college or university offered him an athletic scholarship, a chance to take his skills to the next level?”

The answer seems to be mysterious, and somewhat baffling — something Gabriele’s closest confidants, teachers and family members just can’t figure out.

Where is the love?

The cupboard is not empty, it is just not stocked the way Gabriele envisioned it.
The Ferris State football program invited him for an official workout, only to call him and tell him they would be glad to have him walk on, but they wouldn't be offering him “preferred” status.
And on April 19 Gabriele went to an official basketball workout at Grand Valley, one of Division II’s most heralded sports schools, but as his father John Gabriele said, “It sounds like he felt good about the workout, but you never know exactly what they’re expecting and what they are looking for.”

Gabriele said Division III Adrian has offered him a chance to play basketball and football as a Bulldog next fall, which he’s honored by, but he still thinks he’s a D-II talent who has proven worthy of a scholarship at a higher level.

Gabriele, who led the Jackson area in points per game on the hardwood this season, and led the Hornets to another state playoff berth in football in his first and only year as the quarterback, said maybe he is just getting overlooked because he’s from a small school recruiters haven’t heard of.

Or maybe coaches and scouts think he’s too small to play quarterback or not quick enough for college basketball.

Or maybe there is no reasonable explanation at all, as Hornets basketball coach Brad Felix insists.

“I’ve reached out to a number of coaches, in fact I’m calling Albion’s coach tonight,” Felix said several weeks ago. “I’m not trying to push him on them, but probably just calling for the same reason you would, to figure out what’s the deal here.”

Felix said the lack of interest and phone calls regarding Gabriele had him wondering if he somehow had misread the senior’s ability or potential. But after a season in which Gabriele was named County Player of the Year by the HDN, a Jackson Citizen Patriot Dream-Team selection, and an honorable mention all-state representative by the AP, Felix said he is confident he is talking up a consummate talent when he talks to prospective schools.

“Statistically speaking, other than points per game, he put up numbers….(21.3 points,4.7 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 3.2 steals per game, to be exact) I don’t know if you can compare them totally to Tyler Laser, but assist wise he’s the best I’ve coached and he was still doing (all that). And he couldn’t be more competitive, he’s a great competitor,” Felix said. “His basketball IQ is the best I’ve had, he’s the best quarterback I’ve ever coached. He’s not the best player I’ve coached, there’s a little bit of a difference, but I’ve even told Mitchell this — he’s the best player I’ve coached as far as he knows what I want him to know.”

Maybe those intangibles are what caught the attention of Grand Valley, but Gabriele thinks it’s odd that the Lakers are the only one giving him a look.
“It’s so unbelievable, because Grand Valley is the top of the GLIAC pretty much every year and they ask me to come for a workout….but it’s kind of weird,” he said. “Because the top in Division II is (interested) and I sent out like 19 or 20 tapes for a whole bunch of Division II and some small Division I (schools) and they’re the only ones who have responded for basketball.”
Gabriele said he also received a small amount of interest from Central Michigan University for football and he sent them some video clips, but he never heard back from them, and expects his 6-foot frame is at least two or three inches from ideal.

He may a bit on the small side, but his numbers aren't. In the 2008 football campaign he completed better than 60 percent of his passes for more than 1,500 yards and 21 touchdowns, while also running for over 800 yards and 18 scores.

John Gabriele, who played football and baseball at Hillsdale College in his younger years, said this isn’t the script he thought Mitchell’s senior year would follow, but his son has stayed strong.

“I just thought Mitchell’s senior year was going to determine whether he was more suited for football, basketball or baseball,” he said. “But he’s a pretty strong kid as far as mentally, so he bounces around pretty good and he always seems to land on his feet.”

Why not a Charger?

In the next few months Gabriele will land his feet on a college campus he’ll call home, but it won’t be at Hillsdale College.

This has perplexed Felix and Gabriele himself, but upon closer inspection it appears grades, not Gabriele’s completion percentage or assist-to-turnover ratio is the reason he won’t be donning Charger blue, like teammate and close friend Scott Lantis, who has committed to play baseball at the college.
Gabriele said being shunned by the college he grew up near stings, be he is not bitter, and thinks it is a privilege to play at there given their academic and athletic record, not a right.

“It kind of hurts, being the local kid and all and not having the eyes on you from your local college…they don’t see something in me like Ferris did, but it happens,” he said.

Gabriele also said he is proud of many of his fellow county athletes who have suited up for the Chargers in various sports the past few years, but he thinks he is at least as talented as most of them.

“Hey look at me, I’m standing over here,” he said. “It’s hard to get into that school though…but you know it’s a possibility I could transfer to a school that’s bigger like (Hillsdale) if I do go to Adrian, but it’s hard.”

It’s so hard to get into Hillsdale College, whose 2008 freshman class entered with average GPAs of 3.73 and composite ACT scores of 28, that Hillsdale College men’s basketball coach John Tharp said he regularly has to turn potential recruits aside simply because they don’t meet the lofty admissions requirements.

Tharp is prohibited by NCAA rules and regulations to comment specifically on Gabriele’s situation because he is an unsigned recruit, but he did shed some light on what types of academic standards he is expected to uphold.

“Right now we’re really kind of looking at 25 (on) ACTs, it’s kind of our base for recruiting kids at. Kids who maybe have a lower ACT score than that better have a particularly high GPA,” he said. “If it’s a 25 (on the ACT) they may have a little lower GPA, but it’s kind of how we have to do things.”

Gabriele scored a 20 on his ACT and carries a 3.6 GPA.

Tharp added that Jeff Lantis, the college’s head of admissions is “an absolutely wonderful man, who does his job extremely well” and the athletic department has the trust of the admissions office to only bring in students that meet their stringent criteria.

John Gabriele said he is surprised his son’s academic resumé isn't quite good enough for the college, but the family has decided to just accept Hillsdale's decision.

“I’m a little disappointed…but we don’t have much control over that and what is, is,” he said. “We’ve just pretty much accepted it. It’s discouraging, but we’ve accepted it.”

Felix said he understands the college has a status quo to uphold, but he still thinks something is fishy based on previous experiences with recruits.

“As far as Hillsdale is concerned, they kind of gave me the grade issue, but he’s got a good GPA and 20 (on the ACT) and I know when we were pushing Tyler (Laser) around that would’ve got him anywhere. So I’m not sure about that reasoning right now,” he said. “All of it seems kind of weird to me. I respect coach Tharp and think he respects me, so I’m not going to say he’s feeding me anything because I don’t think so, but there is something strange about it all.
Gabriele’s athletic partner-in-crime the last three years, Scott Lantis, said it is an interesting situation, but one he is in a tough position to comment on.

As Gabriele said though, if he is set on being a Charger at some point in his college career, transferring is a possibility, much like current Hillsdale College forward Luke Laser did. Laser played under Felix in high school and went to Saginaw Valley State to play hoops before Tharp brought him in as a transfer.

Gabriele has been a regular at Charger basketball games the last few years and he said he's confident he is a GLIAC-caliber guard, although he admits he has plenty of room to improve as well.

“Of course like anybody who has a lot of improving to do right out of high school I would have the same. Everyone does — if you’re Michael Jordan or you’re Mitchell Gabriele, you have a lot to learn.”

Just letting it all happen

Though this question-filled, pressure-packed saga has worn on Gabriele at times, the enlightening part is it has given him perspective on the challenges ahead.

At this point he knows he wants to go into pre-med and play college athletics at the highest level possible, but little else.

But Felix and Hornets head football coach Marc Lemerand have helped him see this situation through lenses filled with life experiences and faithful hope.

“Like Coach Lem told me when I talked to him about it: ‘Mitchell, like my mom told me one time, everything will happen for a reason, everything will be fine if you just let them happen,” Gabriele said. “So I’m letting them happen and I did get a phone call from Grand Valley, which is letting it happen, and hopefully other doors will open.”

Felix is of the same mindset.

“Really I’m just a little disheartened and hope he gets the chance he deserves,” he said. “But you try and go with the philosophy that everything happens for a reason and hopefully the Lord will shine down on you and if He doesn’t right now then He must have another path or other plans down the road for you.”

As of right now, those other plans could include Gabriele enrolling at Adrian College, something he has started to warm up to the past few months.

He said he would rather play one sport at the Division II level than two at D-III, but he “loved” his visit to Adrian and said he was blown away by the facilities and locker rooms, comparing them to some Division I schools he’s seen.

“I know Adrian is Division III and that’s something I was kind of iffy about doing, but they’re going to let me play basketball and football there, so that’s a big possibility,” he said. “I know every college feels ‘we’re going to build a family here’, but they really do. It was the first program that sent me stuff from kids who have played football and went on to bigger and better things and are like heads of corporations and stuff now. They send me stuff that tries to put it all in perspective and show me the true meaning in life.”

Gabriele said the Bulldogs graduated their starting QB from last season and are willing to give him a chance at the spot if the coaching staff thinks it’s his best position, and that is an endearing prospect for Gabriele because he said he still “wants the ball in his hands”.

At the end of the day all Gabriele really wants is a chance — a chance to prove he is better than the naysayers think and an opportunity to prove he was one bona-fide prospect who slipped too far under the radar somehow.

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Is K-Mac JCC bound?

[caption id="attachment_434" align="alignright" width="197" caption="Hillsdale senior Kyle MacDonald has been offered a scholarship to play basketball at Jackson Community College.By RJ Walters / Daily News Sports Editor"][/caption]

By RJ Walters / Daily News Sports Edtor

As published in the Hillsdale Daily News on April 23, 2009

A Hillsdale senior has been offered a scholarship to play college basketball, and surprisingly his last name isn't Gabriele.
A feel-good story involving plenty of weight lifting and shooting drills, and a shaggy-haired kid who shoots 3-pointers as if they were free-throws just got better, as Hillsdale guard Kyle MacDonald was offered a scholarship to play basketball at Jackson Community College late last week.
While MacDonald has not officially accepted the offer yet, and several calls to him were not returned, Hillsdale High School varsity basketball coach Brad Felix said he has talked with MacDonald and expects him to commit to JCC in the near future.

"Their head coach said they were in dire need of a spot-up shooter, and that kid definitely knows how to shoot. It's nice because no one has been talking about Kyle at all," Felix said. "Of all my guys on the team last year he is the only one with an offer right now, who would have thought that? I'm really happy for him and he's a good kid."

Felix said MacDonald had been going to JCC open-gym sessions and caught the attention of Jets' coaches in the process. One of the coaches gave Felix a call early last week, and a few days later he was told MacDonald had been offered a spot on the roster.

MacDonald averaged 6.5 points per game as a senior, fourth on the team, and hit 32 3-pointers at a 28.1 percent clip. He also averaged 1.7 assists and 1.2 steals per game playing 25 minutes per game in a starting role, just a year removed from playing six to eight minutes per contest.

Felix said MacDonald's career really took a turn in the right direction when he became more committed to weight lifting at the end of his junior season, and started becoming more of an all-around player, rather than just a long-range threat.

"I kind of put (Scott) Lantis in charge of him because kids come in and are sometimes intimidated right away. As a captain, I told Scotty to help us get Kyle in the weight room," he said. "And Scotty latched onto him and he got Kyle into the weight room and I think that was a turning point, at the end of his junior year. Kyle started to gain confidence and earn the respect of his teammates a little more, so he kind of became one of the guys."

Lantis said he had nothing to do with Mac's transformation, it was more of the fact he became a gym rat and came into his own over the summer.

"Seriously, other than Tyler Laser, I don't think I've ever seen a kid in the gym more than Mac. The joke was that we all said he must've had a loft up in the weight room as much as he was there," Lantis said.

Felix said only a year ago he was putting MacDonald into the game for a few minutes to see if he could get into a shooting rhythm and if he couldn't he would pull him. But now Felix said his defense is a selling point, he handles the ball well and most importantly he makes very few mistakes.

"He's really a feel-good story," Felix said. "He went the normal route, playing on the freshman (team) as a freshman and JV as a sophomore, and really at the end of his junior year he just started to grow up real quick."

According to the JCC athletics Web site the Jets were 8-14 last season, barring results from their final five games which weren't posted.

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Gabriele named All-State First-Team by BCAM

[caption id="attachment_407" align="alignright" width="215" caption="Hillsdale High School senior Mitchell Gabriele was named a First-Team All-State Selection for Class B by BCAM Tuesday."][/caption]

By RJ Walters / Daily News Sports Editor

As published in the Hillsdale Daily News on April 15, 2009

While Hillsdale High School senior three-sport star Mitchell Gabriele continues to wait for the right opportunity to continue his athletic career in college, the accolades continue to roll in.

On Tuesday it was announced Gabriele was a first-team all-state selection for Class B on the Basketball Coaches of Michigan (BCAM) "BCAM's Best" team.

Gabriele was named an AP honorable mention recipient in Class B several weeks ago, to go along with being selected for the Jackson Citizen Patriot's Dream Team and being named the County Player of the Year by the Hillsdale Daily News.

Gabriele averaged 21.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game in helping guide the Hornets to a 14-7 mark.

He also averaged 3.2 steals per game and made 55 3-point field goals on the season.
Brad Felix said.

"Mitchell is a great kid man, especially behind the scenes where not many people see the relationship between a player and their coach. Not many days go by where he doesn't come and see me and chat."

Felix said the two have built a very close relationship the last few years, and added that Gabriele must've hugged him five times on the last day of meetings at the end of the season.

Before Gabriele's career came to an end Felix said he matured into the type of floor general every coach dreams of.

"Other than points per game — he put up numbers that I don't know if you totally compare to Tyler (Laser), but assists wise...he's the best assists guy I've coached and he grabbed five or six rebounds a night and led us in steals and deflections," he said.

"And his basketball IQ is the best I've had, he's the best quarterback I've had."

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Just not on target: Hornet boys shoot 21 percent in first-round loss

[caption id="attachment_265" align="aligncenter" width="510" caption="Nick Kelley (40) and Scott Lantis (30) walk off the court for the final time as Hillsdale Hornets basketball players."][/caption]

By RJ Walters / Daily News Sport Editor

As published in the Hillsdale Daily News on March 10, 2009

The one thing coaches say you can't teach is the one thing the Hillsdale Hornets boy's basketball team couldn't do Monday.

In a first-round district showdown with Coldwater the Hornets took care of the ball, played solid defense for four quarters and executed their game-plan almost to a tee according to head coach Brad Felix — but they couldn't shoot worth a lick and their season is now over because of it.

The Hornets shot just 21 percent from the field as a team, senior guard Mitchell Gabriele was held to seven points on a 2-for-22 shooting effort and for the second straight meeting Cardinals' point guard Cameron Holicki was the man of the hour in a 60-32 Coldwater victory.

It was an unfathomable way for the Hornets to end a season in which they finished 14-7 and almost pulled off an SMAA championship.

Hillsdale players were antsy to finally get over the hump and win a district title with this group of guys, but a short-handed Coldwater team, who was without starters Jacob Robison and Bobby White due to team violations, shot 58 percent from the field and ended the game on an astonishing 35-6 run.

Felix said he wasn't angry whatsoever, just disappointed.

"I told them it was a tough way for the seniors to finish their career. Quite frankly we're real disappointed...we picked a horrible time to shoot the ball like that. It's a little embarrassing," he said. "They play good man-to-man defense, but I'll tell you what man, we got good shots. We had a real good game-plan coming in and we were getting the ball where we wanted it and to the people we wanted to be touching it."

Coldwater head coach chalked Brian Stevens chalked the win up to defense and heart.

"That was our best defensive effort all year right there. And you know we had to really step it up because we knew we were going to have some guys out, but it was just a fantastic effort," he said. "I've never been more proud of a group of kids than I was tonight. The telling thing here is we have a good team and we don't have to rely on just two people."

It also didn't hurt that Holicki had one of the best games of his career on the same night Gabriele's had one of his toughest outings.

Holicki scored 13 first-half points, the same number the Hornets had in falling behind by 10 at the break, and he finished the game with 26 points to go with six boards and five assists.

Stevens said Holicki was at his best when Hornets defenders got right up in his face and he was able to drive by them and get to the lane.

"He's a gamer. He knew he was going to have to step up ands play huge tonight with a few guys out," he said. "The guy is a great competitor... they just gave him the opportunities and he took them."

For the Hornets, Gabriele gave it his all and even hit a key 3-pointer early in the second half to begin a run that would give the Hornets a 26-25 advantage, but no one had an answer to why the ball just wouldn't fall through the cylinder.

"It is frustrating... anytime you shoot that bad when you're averaging as many points as I am. When they're not falling and they should be falling, and you're trying to get your team back on top and trying to get the 'W' it's very frustrating and it hurts," he said.

Felix said he doesn't understand what happened, but he has sympathy for his floor general.

"It's tough to fathom. I just feel bad for Mitchell that he's got to finish his career like that. That's his last game and he probably couldn't have shot the ball any worse than he did," he said, "He's a competitor man, and we were going to keep throwing him the ball and getting him looks and we even tried to get him the ball inside. The sets we ran worked, we got him shots on the block and he just couldn't finish."

Backcourt mate Scott Lantis had a little better success, knocking down three 3-pointers en route to 11 points, but he said the sting of losing in such a fashion is pretty strong.

"I just think it would've been nice if we went out playing well. We've got some athletes here, we've got some players and if we would've gone out and shot well and they beat us, I think we'd have a little better taste in our mouths," he said. "We had the looks, the game-plan was there, but you can't coach shooting and like coach said, we weren't trying to miss."

For the Cardinals, who will take on Parma Western in the semifinals Wednesday, Seth Szafranski pitched in nine points and Sam Foster and Spensor Tanner both put in seven.

Nick Kelley had six points and six rebounds in his final game as a Hornet.

Despite the defeat, Felix said he was extremely proud to have coached a team who was led by a senior class who had to overcome the shadows of players like the Laser brothers and Mike Blanchard.

"I think they've overachieved really and it's a credit to them. Another thing I'll remember is they're competitors, they always go the extra mile and they've been loyal parts of our program," he said. "I enjoyed coaching those guys and I thought they had a great year. We didn't finish it how we wanted to, but overall it was a pretty good year."

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For all the marbles: Boys high school hoops postseason starts tonight

[caption id="attachment_255" align="aligncenter" width="510" caption="Hillsdale's Scott Lantis and Pittsford's Chase Weber are just two local kids who will star this week. Photos by RJ Walters."][/caption]

By RJ Walters / Daily News Sports Editor

As published in the Hillsdale Daily News on March 9, 2009

If girl's district play was any indication, these postseason battles will be worth every penny of your $5 ticket in boys district action this week. Here is a breakdown of who is playing where and what to look for:

District No. 36 at Marshall
Hillsdale County teams: Hillsdale
Hillsdale head coach Brad Felix used the word “loaded” several times to describe the Hornets’ district and it’s hard to argue with him.
Two of the teams in the district have handed the Hornets losses this season, one is fresh off a victory over Jackson High and two teams who have hovered around .500 have been deceptively good at times.
To even discuss a possible district championship the Hornets have to get by Coldwater, a team that beat them 73-61 at the Hive in late January. In that contest guard Cameron Holicki put up 18 points to go with nine assists, but he had plenty of help — including from Jacob Robison and Bobby White, a pair of starters who may not even suit up Monday.
They were suspended last week for violating team rules and did not dress for the team’s regular season finale Thursday. Several sources have said they expect the pair to be absent from the lineup for the district opener, but Felix said nothing is set in stone yet and he’s preparing for the game as if they’ll be able to play.
“That’s up in the air. I’ve heard that (Robison) is not playing and there’s another starter in limbo who is appealing the whole thing. I’m sure they’ll pull as many strings as they can to get their guys in there, but from what I’ve heard they’re in trouble,” he said.
“I’ll tell you what though, I watched the film on that game and I think we can beat that team with them or without them. Sometimes guys will come off the bench and play inspired too, so we’re going to treat it as if they’re going to be full-strength in our practices and if (they don’t) play, (they don’t) play.”
Despite what Felix said, Robison and White had a major impact in the outcome the first time the teams met. Robison tallied 19 points and 16 boards and White shadowed Hornet star Mitchell Gabriele all evening, forcing him into a 10-for-25 shooting performance.
Felix said he expects the momentum from Thursday’s game from Lansing Christian to carry over and the fact his boys are seeking a little sweet revenge on the Cardinals doesn’t hurt either.
If they can reverse their fortunes from earlier this season, they will face league foe Parma Western in the semifinals.
The two teams split the season series, with both squads winning at home. Western finished the season 10-10 overall.
A trio of teams loom as a possible district finals opponent: Jackson Lumen Christi, Marshall, and Columbia Central, with the Titans and Redhawks being the most likely challengers.
Lumen Christi finished the season 13-7, including a 71-67 win over Jackson High Thursday. Looking at common opponents, the Titans beat Western 43-40 early on this season and were blown out by Coldwater, 59-32 on Jan. 13.
Marshall started the season 4-0, but has been on a roller-coaster ride ever since and they finished out the year with back-to-back losses to Mattawan and Sturgis. Nonetheless, Felix and his assistants have noted several times this season that Marshall has quite a few athletes and the Redhawks are not a team to take lightly.
As Felix said, he’s not taking anything at less than face value in the postseason.
“We feel like we can win the district and we’ve got to play better than we have the last few weeks,” he said. “Even back against Leslie and Harper (Creek) we hit 12 and 13 threes those nights, but as far as our game goals were concerned, they were a little low, so I was a little red-flagged because we weren’t playing all that well, just shooting well. Sometimes you hit 12 or 13 pointers and it can mask other stats and Albion got us and Stockbridge got us.”
Editor’s pick to make the finals: Jackson Lumen Christi and Hillsdale

District No. 67 at Bronson
Hillsdale County teams: Jonesville, Reading
A trio of area teams will tangle in Bronson this week, with at least one guaranteed a berth in the district finals.
Quincy and Reading both have the luxury of first-round byes, but one of them will be going home after the two teams meet in the semifinals Wednesday.
Jonesville on the other hand will go up against the host Vikings at 7 p.m. Monday, where a victory would earn them a date with Union City two days later.
Records alone would tell you this is Quincy’s district to lose, but both Jonesville and Reading have two variables that could very easily propel them to a district crown — a go-to outside shooter, who can bury 3-pointers in tight situations, and a post presence who can cause a little havoc, especially when they’re playing against guys their own size.
For the Comets, guard Mitch Miller has already hit one game-winner and several other timely shots this season, and down low Logan Jenkins has been putting up double-figure rebounds and 3-7 blocks per outing over the course of the last month as Jonesville surged to a winning regular season.
For Reading, Joe Hubbard is as close to a 3-point specialist as you’ll find around here, and forward Alex Eastwood isn’t afraid to bang bodies in the paint, but he can also step out and routinely hit the 15-footer, making him a tough assignment for any defender.
Bronson has been a model of inconsistency much of the year, finishing 8-12, but they do have a road win at Quincy to their credit.
The Orioles finished near the top of the Big Eight, and seem to fare best when they can control the tempo and keep the score below 60.
Who will come out on top though is anybody’s guess and the head-to-head match-ups between some of these teams shows why.
Quincy drilled Jonesville 63-39 on Jan. 16, but the Comets paid them back with a 7-point victory just last week.
If a team has a few players get hot for a couple of games it could make all the difference.
Editor’s pick to make the finals: Bronson and Quincy

District No. 68 at Hudson
Hillsdale County teams: Pittsford
The Pittsford Wildcats can hang their hats on a 20-0 regular season, a feat that even time will not change, but the clock is now reset for all intensive purposes.
The records of some of the challengers on their side of  the Class C district in Hudson may not look all that impressive, but the fact that it’s Class C period is a challenge in itself.
The Wildcats have the minimum number of students enrolled to qualify as a Class C school, meaning they are essentially a Class D team, who has played mainly Class D competition trying to take a step up the ladder.
Pittsford head coach Mike Burger is not using that as a crux though, and quite frankly he likes the challenge his boys have ahead of them.
They have a bye Monday, before taking the court at 7:30 p.m Wednesday.
“We’ve got a good team, it’s a wide-open district, with some exceptional teams like Hanover-Horton and Clinton and we’re going to play the winner of the Hudson-Addison and they’re going to come out and fight,” he said. “If it’s Hudson, it will be their fans this time, their community and they’ll fight hard if they can get past Addison.”
The Wildcats beat Hudson 65-43 in their final game of the regular season Friday.
Addison finished well below .500 this season, but lost by only four points to a Michigan Center squad that finished 16-4 and only fell by a combined 24 points in a pair of battles with Napoleon who finished the season 20-0.
The marquee matchup in this district — prior to the championship game — is Clinton taking on Hanover-Horton at 6 p.m. Monday.
The Komets went 16-4 this year using their depth and several sharp-shooters to lead the way.
Clinton meanwhile won eight of its last 10 games and 12 of its final 15 to finish the year at 13-7.
The winner of that game will take on Manchester for a spot in the finals.
Pittsford senior guard Clark Pelham said he’s confident he and his teammates have what it takes to win a district, but if that doesn’t happen this season will still be just as meaningful to him.
“Do I want this thing to end? No, I wish it never would. But if it does, then oh well, we have something no one can ever take away from us and it’s still an amazing feeling,” he said.
Editor’s pick to make the finals: Hanover-Horton and Pittsford

District No. 100 at Litchfield
Hillsdale County teams: Camden-Frontier, Hillsdale Academy, Litchfield, North Adams-Jerome, Waldron, Will Carleton Academy
This district may be one of the biggest crapshoots of them all.
Waldron brings the best record to the table, but they have to take on Hillsdale Academy at 5:30 p.m. Monday and all three games between these two teams have been single-digit margins this season.
With a healthy Peter Sullivan in the lineup the Colts are not a team to take lightly, especially when guys like Thomas Lundberg start getting into a rhythm. Mark Long’s team on the other hand has shown plenty of promise and is at its best when playing a physical brand of basketball and attacking the rim.
Two-time Pat Paterson Holiday Tournament MVP John Martin will be one player to keep an eye on, because a loss means his career as a Spartan is over.
In another first-round matchup, Camden-Frontier butts heads with the host Terriers, two teams who have struggled to find consistency this year.
The Redskins have plenty of scoring options all over the floor, but need to rebound well to win, while the Terriers have one of the SCAA’s best post presences in Terry Lawler, to go with Jeremy Cornish on the perimeter.
The other side of the bracket should not be overlooked though.
North Adams-Jerome surprised everyone but themselves last season by winning a district title in Pittsford and Patrick Humphrey has been playing as well as anyone in the area the last month.
They take on Jackson Da Vinci Institute at 7 p.m. Monday, and a win would set them up against Will Carleton Academy Wednesday.
Will Carleton’s Greg Balcom has been putting up monster scoring and rebounding numbers the second half of the season and this is the perfect stage for him to showcase his skills.
Editor’s pick to make the finals: North Adams-Jerome and Waldron

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Albion stakes claim to SMAA title on Hornets' watch

By RJ Walters / Daily News Sports Editor

As published in the Hillsdale Daily News on Feb. 28, 2009

Living from beyond the arc proved to be a bit too dangerous and the Hills­dale Hornets ran into a hungry, wheeling and deal­ing Ablion Wildcats team Friday night.


The result — a crushing blow to the Hornets SMAA title hopes.
Albion paid Hillsdale (13­5 overall, 7-3) back for when Hornets senior Mitchell Gabriele buried the Wildcats with a long banked in 3-pointer in overtime in January with a 64-48 win at the Hive.


The victory all but guar­antees the Wildcats another league crown, with only two games remaining for each team and the Hornets now owners of three SMAA defeats.


The Wildcats controlled the boards all evening long and junior Justin Edmonds proved he was the most ath­letic player in the gym in a game Albion players have been looking forward to for weeks.


"We worked real hard to try and stay focused and not overlook anybody...we knew they would hold serve and our focus was to hold serve until this matchup and we knew it was going to be a dog fight," Albion head coach Durant Crum said. "My hats off to coach Felix and his guys, they played really hard. We're just happy to come out of here with a win."

Crum said it was his team's plan to contest every single shot Friday night, knowing Hillsdale had drained 12 and 13 3-point­ers in recent games, but right away it looked like his plan might go awry.


Just seven seconds into the game Hornets senior Mitchell Gabriele drained a 3-pointer from the top of the arc and senior Kyle MacDonald knocked one down from distance the fol­lowing possession to put Hillsdale up 6-0.


What transpired the next eight or so minutes of the contest though was what Hornet coach Brad Felix said ultimately determined the outcome.


The Wildcats put on the jets and started running- and-gunning at a frantic pace, while also dumping the ball off to Edmonds and Eoghann Stephens for easy points in the paint at an alarming rate.


The Hornets turned the ball over seven times in the first quarter and a 15­2 Wildcat run put them up 23-13 after that period. Felix said playing catch-up isn't the way to beat a team like Albion.


"Quite frankly I think the difference in the game was the run-outs early. We gave them way too many easy baskets and when you get behind they go to that spread they were run­ning... we just couldn't quite get over the hump and we missed some good shots."

Most of those good shots were from the perimeter though, with the Hornets shooting 10-for-29 from 3­point range. All nine of the Hornets second quarter points were via long balls and in the third quarter Hillsdale made three more triples to just one two-point field goal.


Scott Lantis scored all 15 of his points from a distance and Gabriele knocked down three 3-pointers en rout to 15 points, after going off for 28 in the last head-to-head.


Nonetheless, Felix said he couldn't fault his boys too much.


"We probably shot too many of them tonight, but it's really tough for us as coaches and for the kids be­cause we've playing well and shooting it well,' he said. 'And really the 3-pointers we were taking were good looks...I don't think we were forcing them. The way we've been shooting with good shot selection...they just weren't going down."

What both Felix and Crum agreed on though was the presence of Edmonds out on the floor.


The lanky forward fin­ished the night with 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists.

"He's a tough kid for us to defend out there and he plays well against us, I don't know what it is. His num­bers are average at best against everyone else in the league, but when he plays us he plays well and we can't play with him inside at all," Felix said. "He plays elbows over the rim and we've not one who can touch the net so he's a tough guard for us. He was the defensive re­bounder for them tonight too."

The Hornets grabbed only 24 rebounds, and only a handful on the offensive glass, something Felix said he was disappointed in.

Crum said Stephens played well inside, but it was Edmonds who really shifted the momentum in his team's favor.


"When he's playing well and he's focused he's a hard matchup — he's got speed, he's got size, he leaps well, he handles the ball pretty well and when he's on target he's a load. He really showed up big for us tonight," Crum said.


Helping Edmonds out was Ryan Hopson, who scored 20 points, including two huge 3-pointers and Stephens who totaled 10 points, seven boards and four blocks.


Felix was complimentary about Albion's performance, but not ready to say the bet­ter team necessarily won Friday.


"Based on one game, one night they played a little bet­ter, but I'm not going to dis­credit my kids by saying they're the better team. Tonight they were better, in January we were better," he said. "To be honest with you coming into the season we felt like if we split with Al­bion we'd be doing well. It's the couple other losses that are kind of setting us back right now."

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Hornet boys jump right into SMAA title race

[caption id="attachment_158" align="alignright" width="500" caption="Hillsdale senior guard Scott Lantis hit three 3-pointers and used strong drives toward the hoops like this one to score 17 points Friday. Photo by Nick Sarles, Daily News."][/caption]

By RJ Walters / Daily News Sports Editor

As published in the Hillsdale Daily News on Feb. 14, 2009

The Hillsdale Hornets certainly learned a thing or two from losing to Western last month and now tough lessons have become happy smiles as Brad Felix’s team controls its own destiny.

The 3-point line was the land of good and plenty for the Hornets (10-4 overall. 5-2 SMAA) Friday and the charity stripe was equally generous as Hillsdale carried a 14-5 first quarter margin to a 62-54 conference win over the Panthers (6-8, 5-2).

When the two teams played at Western on Jan. 9 the Panthers hit 15 straight free throws at one point and cruised to a double-digit victory. On Friday Western didn’t even attempt a single free throw, while Hillsdale went 15-of-26.

And 35 days ago no one stepped up to help when Mitchell Gabriele was smothered by Panthers defenders. This time Nick Kelley and Scott Lantis pitched in 17 points apiece and Kyle MacDonald added 11, while Gabriele was held to 10. It also helped that the Hornets drained eight 3-pointers.

“They were guarding up Gabs pretty good, just like they always do, they were all over him and coming in we knew Kelley and I had to step up and MacDonald also hit some big shots and it was good to see everybody contributing,” said Lantis, who hit three 3-pointers in the contest. “We control our own destiny and we’re really going to make a run at this thing and try and sweep the second half and go for it. This is a big momentum builder for us, a big win and it was a lot of fun.”

For the fun to continue the Hornets must keep winning. If they win out, including a second victory over Albion who has just one league loss to this point, they are guaranteed an SMAA crown.

It was Lantis who got the ball rolling early, with seven points in the first quarter and he picked up the slack late with a triple to put the Hornets up 42-41 with 6:46 left.

Felix said he is thrilled to see his senior playing so well the past few weeks after a January slump.

“I used a baseball analogy with him since he’s a baseball guy,” Felix said. “When he was in a slump I simply told him, ‘What would you do if you were not hitting the ball?’ and he said, “Well, I’d keep swinging.’ So I said, then keep shooting until I tell you to stop and we keep on working on it.”

Western coach Lee Ingles thought Lantis was half the reason the Hornets prevailed, with the other piece being Kelley.

“They really stepped up tonight, especially Kelley on the boards,” he said. “I thought he had a great game and that bothered us.”

Ingles relied on a stellar senior of his own to keep things close at The Hive. Leading scorer Nate Scholten had just five points at the half, but finished with 22 with a nice array of long shots and hard drives to the basket.

Ingles called Scholten a “gutsy guy who loves to play and wants to do good things”, but admitted even he couldn’t get the job done late.

When asked about his team not getting to the foul line all evening Ingles said it surely helped the Hornets cause, but it was not an unfair advantage.

“It’s almost a reverse from last time since we didn’t have any free throws in the fourth quarter this time and some of that’s home court, but I thought it was a well played game and the officials did a good job,” he said.

Felix said part of the free-throw discrepancy was from how the Hornets attacked defensively, but even Felix grinned at the final stat-line.

“We knew we had to play defense without fouling them because we know what happened last time and we had that on the board....so that was a big key,” But oh, hell I didn’t even know that. I don’t want to talk about it then, I didn’t know it was that bad. That was a big part of our win obviously with the way those guys shoot free throws.”

Gabriele added six boards and five assists in the win and Lantis pulled down six rebounds.

Nick Eddy scored 10 for Western and Conner Clark put in eight points.

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Senior stars and solid defense equals a 'W' for Hornet boys

[caption id="attachment_142" align="alignright" width="189" caption="Hornet senior Mitchell Gabriele was good for 15 points and nine assists on an off-shooting night Tuesday. Photo by Nick Sarles, Daily News."][/caption]

By RJ Walters / Daily News Sports Editor

As published on Feb. 11, 2009 in the Hillsdale Daily News


Nick Kelley didn’t like the taste last Friday’s road loss to Lansing Christian left in his mouth — so he decided to take action.

Despite picking up two fouls in the first two minutes Tuesday the Hillsdale senior was efficient and consistent all night long in the post, helping anchor the Hornets 74-52 non-conference win over Onsted.

Kelley struggled to contain Lansing Christian’s 6-6 star Mickey DeVries Friday, but Tuesday he pulled down 14 rebounds and scored 11 of his 17 points in the second quarter to help his team.

“At the Lansing Christian game I played terrible and I actually texted all my teammates and told them I was really sorry for losing game and I was going to work hard so it didn’t happen again,” Kelley said. “I took a personal challenge that I was not going to get out-worked by a center again. It was kind of my whole weekend ruined.”

Tuesday could have been ruined, when the Hornets let the Wildcats cut a 20-point lead to seven by the end of three quarters, but Kelley and fellow senior Mitchell Gabriele amped up the intensity once more in the final quarter to seal the deal.

Hornet head coach Brad Felix was extremely pleased with Kelley’s play.

“I thought he played one of his best games of the year tonight, just for the fact he finished shots. I’m sure he’s had as many points as he had tonight another time this year but he got them on a lot less shots. I thought he did a good job of playing in the second quarter,” he said. “We put him at the eight-minute mark and we were hoping he could get to the two-minute mark without fouling and making a difference on the offensive end. He did just that.”

Onsted had a post-presence of their own at The Hive as Braxton Southwell scored 17 points (13 in the second half) and added 10 boards and five blocks, but the two big guys weren’t matched up for a lot of the evening.

Out on the wing Hornet senior Scott Lantis made a difference, draining four 3-pointers en rout to a game-high 20 points, and he seems to have kicked his little bout of shooting woes from January aside.

Gabriele struggled a bit with his shot, but started finding teammates more and more as the game wore on. Felix said his leader needs to learn how to do that for entire contests.

“We keep chirping at him and he needs to realize the defense is going to collapse around him because of the type of player he is this year,” he said. “He needs to realize he makes our other guys so much better with his drive-and-kick. When those guys start hitting those shots then he’ll get his.”

Gabriele finished the evening with 15 points and nine assists.

What made more of a difference than anything in Felix’s opinion was the Hornets high-pressure full-court defense. They forced 20 turnovers on the evening, which helped them jump out to a 17-4 first quarter lead and made it difficult for the Wildcats to run plays from their half-court sets.

“For once I thought our pressure gave us some points and we got some deflections,” Felix said. “Onsted had some nice set plays that we saw on film that quite frankly we couldn’t run, until they did a little bit in the second half.”

The second half was when the Wildcats drew close, with the help of three 3-pointers from guard Carl Reams, but Felix called a timeout out, reamed his guys out for their poor man-to-man defense and everything settled down.

“In the fourth quarter we righted the ship though, we got better. Baby steps, and hopefully by March we’ll be playing defense more consistently,” Felix said.

The Hornets now have two days to get ready for a home game against league foe Parma Western, a team that beat them by double-digits just a few weeks ago.

Kelley said the guys are hungry and everyone knows this game is vital to their goal of winning a league championship.

“We’re just going to work on that Wednesday and Thursday by playing some 6-on-5 and working on taking care of the ball and do smart passes,” he said referring to Western’s high-pressure man-to-man scheme. “We have some mismatches and we need to exploit that, kind of unlike we did last game.”

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Hornets fly past Orioles at The Hive

[caption id="attachment_107" align="alignright" width="197" caption="Hillsdale guard Kyle MacDonald attacks the Quincy defense in the first half Tuesday night. "][/caption]

By RJ Walters / Daily News Sports Editor

As published in the Feb. 4, 2009 edition of the Hillsdale Daily News

Quincy likes to walk the ball up the court, while Hillsdale is obsessed with running the ball up the floor, making the opposition pay for costly turnovers.

Tuesday night the Hornets were the ones actually turning the ball over more often than not, but they kept running and gunning and Quincy couldn’t keep up.

Senior point guard Mitchell Gabriele turned in his usual stellar performance with 30 points, 10 assists and seven steals and the Hornets overcame 24 turnovers in an 86-55 rout of the Orioles.

Usually an easy win to improve to 7-3 on the season would cause for celebration, but not in the Hillsdale locker room, where they have their sights set high this season.

“You would’ve thought we got beat in the locker room. The guys realize as much as the coaches do that we really didn’t play very well defensively. Our containment was bad, I thought we gave up too many layups and too many offensive rebounds and that’s a concern for us,” Hillsdale head coach Brad Felix said. “Obviously we’re scoring points, I’m just concerned that when we get against a team that can stop you from scoring 60-65 you’ve got to win with your defense and we’ve struggled all season long.”

Struggle is a relative word though and the Hornets hardly struggled on offense. They used a 12-0 run to start the game and 8-0 burst right out of halftime to give them a majority of their cushion.
On the evening the Hornets shot 53 percent from the field and drained eight 3-pointers and Felix admitted that shooting has been something he’s been stressing more of late.

“I don’t want to take credit but I have to say I’ve committed more time to shooting in practice then I probably have ever done in my career,” he said. “You’re always ‘X’ing and ‘O’ing in practice and kind of get away from just shooting the ball a little bit.”

Senior Nick Kelley scored 17 points, mostly on bunnies that he has had a tendency to miss as of late, and pulled down a game-high 15 rebounds.

Scott Lantis pitched in 10 points, Kyle MacDonald put in nine, including two 3-pointers and Kurtis Condon scored seven.

For Quincy, effort was never a question, but it was a constant battle to find open shots they could knock down. When they were trying to stay close in the second quarter they couldn’t finish several offensive putbacks and throughout the game their jumpers just wouldn’t stick.

Nonetheless, Quincy head coach Ritch Adams thought it was a good learning experience for his boys, especially since it didn’t count in the conference standings.

“I thought we learned a lot. I think Hillsdale plays a little bit more intense than we’re used to seeing night to night and I thought after about the first three minutes we matched them pretty well,” he said. “I thought the big difference was they lit it up from outside and we had trouble buying anything from outside.”

Adams said he was pleased with his team’s defensive effort for the most part, but admitted Gabriele was at times more than his team could handle.

“We didn’t do a very good job of stopping him, but we’re not the only ones and it’s not like he had a bunch of open layups. We had guys there and he knocked them down anyway,” he said.

Dustin Truitt had a strong outing for the Orioles with nine points and 11 rebounds and Eric Stetler led Quincy with 12 points.

“We usually run more sets and are patient offensively and against them it’s just tough to do. If you’ve got a guy in your face you’ve just got to dribble past him and make a play,” Adams said referring to his team’s performance on offense.

Felix said the Big Eight is just a different style of basketball than his team is used to seeing and despite wishing for a little more out of his defense, it was still a win to be proud of.

“We’re all talking about what we didn’t do well, but it’s not that grim, it’s still a good win for us,” he said. “They have a  winning record and are having a good season and we beat them handily. We’ve got to be happy about that.”

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Homecoming romp

By RJ Walters / Daily News Sports Editor

[caption id="attachment_80" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Hillsdale senior Mitchell Gabriele led the way with 22 points, nine rebounds and seven assists Friday night. "][/caption]

As published in the Hillsdale Daily News on Jan. 31, 2009

There was no way Hillsdale was letting Stockbridge ruin this year’s homecoming festivities.

In 2008 the Panthers rolled into the Hive and shocked the Hornets in front of a lively crowd, one of two losses Hillsdale took at the hands of Stockbridge last season, but in 2009 some inside-out domination by the Hornets turned the Panthers inside-out.

The Hornets (8-3 overall, 4-1 SMAA) out-rebounded the Panthers 59-27 on the glass and buried a season-high 10 3-pointers en route to a 77-52 conference victory.

“They did ruin (homecoming) for us last year and we did come off our loss to Western (Wednesday) but we bounced back well. We made some shots, played good ‘D’ and I’m just glad we came out on top,” said Hornet senior Mitchell Gabriele, who scored a game-high 22 points to go with nine rebounds and seven assists.

Early on it looked like the contest might be a toss up with the two teams trading baskets, but an 8-0 spurt highlighted by several steals and layups by Gabriele gave the Hornets a 21-17 cushion after one quarter.

It was more of the same early in the second quarter with Panthers forward Thomas Lovachis hitting a triple to pull his team within 24-28, but a steady flood of Hornet 3-pointers soon followed.

Kurtis Condon hit a long-ball, Kyle MacDonald drilled one from the top of the arc and Mike Bakerjian came in off the bench to drain a pair of 3-pointers, the second with 15 seconds left in the half to give Hillsdale a comfy 41-25 lead.

“It’s only one game so I don’t want to get too excited, but we’ve got guys who are capable of shooting from the outside and it’s just a matter of getting everyone clicking at once,” Hillsdale head coach Brad Felix said. “If we can get Mitchell, Mac and Lantis all shooting the ball well with Bakerjian coming off the bench...it makes our inside game all the more potent.”

The Hornets were 10-of-25 from 3-point range as a team and as Felix said, it certainly opened things up inside.

Senior Nick Kelley was a double-double machine with 15 points and 16 rebounds, despite missing a handful of shots within a few feet of the basket.

Brennan Holroyd pulled down 13 boards and the Hornets more than doubled up its opponent on the glass.

“We knew we were bigger than they were and I feel now looking at the game that we were more physical than they were and it showed. Last game we weren’t physical, but tonight we got after it,” Gabriele said.

Gabriele was pleased with the post production, but more excited about how he and his teammates lit up the scoreboard from long range.

“It’s a confidence builder shooting the 3-pointer like that. It will really get you down if you’re missing and keep missing and keep firing, but when we make those shots it gets the crowd going and pumps us up,” he said.

Felix said he was pleased with Gabriele because he told the entire team they had to move the ball more and find open teammates following the loss to Western and his point guard led the way in that department Friday night.

Gabriele said it’s all about being a smarter player and letting the game just happen.

“I’m just trying to have the game come to me,” he said. “I’ll get my points and coach sat down and talked to me about how sometimes I might force it or try to do a little too much. It was good just dishing it out tonight.”

Backcourt mate Scott Lantis pitched in with 13 points and MacDonald finished with eight.

Lovachis led Stockbridge with 15 points and despite just returning from a bout with mononucleosis Jeff O’Brien pitched in 10.

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Tale of two halves plays into Cards hands

[caption id="attachment_18" align="alignright" width="455" caption="Cameron Holicki was bonafide money Tuesday night leading Coldwater to a 73-61 win over Hillsdale by putting up 18 points and nine assists. Photo by Larry Jose, Daily News."][/caption]

By RJ Walters / Daily News Sports Editor

Published in the Jan. 21 edition of the Hillsdale Daily News

In a battle of two of the finest guards in connecting counties the quicker, calmer one came out on top Tuesday night.

Mitchell Gabriele led Hillsdale with a game-high 32 points, but Coldwater guard Cameron Holicki was by far the quickest guy on the floor and his 18 points and nine assists helped the Cardinals (7-4) overcome an 11-point second quarter deficit to down the Hornets 73-61 at The Hive.

"We couldn't contain (Holicki), he just killed us. He penetrated us to death," Hillsdale head coach Brad Felix said. "I could really give a rip on how many points anybody else had on that team, I guarantee you they were a result of Holicki. Either him penetrating and dumping it or penetrating and shooting it, where we helped and were out of position for the rebound and they got cheap ones off the glass."

Combined with 19 points and 16 rebounds from forward Jacob Robison, Holicki's efforts were too much for a Hornets (6-2) team that got just three points from Scott Lantis and saw Nick Kelley (10 points) foul out early in the fourth quarter.

It didn't help much either that Hillsdale shot just 34 percent from the field, allowing a Cardinals team that shot 53 percent back into the contest despite 16 turnovers in the first half and 26 overall.

Gabriele had 15 points before the intermission and the Hornets got out to 28-17 lead, before Coldwater closed the gap to 33-27 by halftime.

"We just weren't playing our style of basketball. We had 16 turnovers, they had 10 offensive rebounds and in my mind that's 26 possessions that we gave them," Coldwater head coach Brian Stevens said in regards to the first half.  "So if we just cut down on those things we knew it would be a better half and that's the way it worked out."

It was better for the Cardinals, in just a number of minutes. Spensor Tanner and Robert White hit back-to-back three pointers and coupled with several Hornets miscues Coldwater had a 44-41 lead. They wouldn't trail the rest of the way.

Much of the reason was Robison who scored 14 points in the second half and had three monster blocks during the decisive final two quarters.

"We had film and scouting on him and he's another matchup issue. But again, I don't think he hurts us that much if we contain Holicki," Felix said.

Stevens said he was very pleased with how Robison and his teammate fought back, but wanted to talk more of his team's defense than offense.

"I've got to give credit to (Bobby) White because he did a great job on Gabriele. He really took a lot of shots out there...and we kind of took him out of his game so I think that was a big key," Stevens said. "It was just a matter of playing our game and the last 16 minutes I was really happy with the way we kept our composure and played our kind of basketball."

Gabriele was 10-of-25 from the field, including 2-of-9 from beyond the arc and back-court mate Lantis was just 1-for-11 from the field.

Felix said he knows his guys have better efforts in them and in the in the big picture this game doesn't worry him.

"It's a non-league game, it's a good measure-up for us at districts, but I don't think we can't beat that team. We learned some things from it, we take some notes and move on, it's that simple," Felix said. "We need to play teams like that and it gives us a bit of a gauge of where we're at if we want to win a district championship."

To go along with his 32 points Gabriele notched seven boards, six steals, three assists and two steals.

Kyle MacDonald pitched in eight points, including two triples for Hillsdale.

Tanner finished with 11 points for Coldwater and White added 10.

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