Detroit, MI

Cass Tech holds on late to beat Detroit Renaissance, 72-70, in Public School League final

Published

2 years ago

February 18, 2024

Cass Tech holds on late to beat Detroit Renaissance, 72-70, in Public School League final

It wasn’t always pretty, but Cass Tech withstood a late run from Detroit Renaissance to remain the top team in the city, as they held on to win, 72-70, in the Public School League title game at Wayne State Fieldhouse on Sunday.

Cass Tech held a 14-point lead near the midway point of the fourth quarter, but surrendered a run that cut the lead to three points with a minute remaining, in part because of turnovers against the full-court press and missed free throws. After four straight misses at the line, however, sophomore Corey Sadler and senior Derrick Miller stepped up back-to-back to split a pair from the charity stripe in front of an ear-splitting crowd, which proved to be enough to hold on to their second consecutive PSL title.

“Sometimes, teams go on runs, basketball is about runs,” Sadler told the Free Press. “So, we stuck together, stayed composed and came out with the win.”

The defending Division 1 state champions were led by both Miller and Sadler, who both had 18 points, along with Lee Harris, who also had 18. Sadler was consistent, with three quarters in which he had six points, while Miller exploded for 11 in the third to help Cass Tech build a 16-point lead. Turns out, they ended up needing that margin. Harris got most of his points from the line, including five free throws in the final quarter.

A big reason why Cass Tech could build that lead is because of the defense in the third quarter, holding Renaissance to 10 points. After giving up 14 points to Renaissance junior Lance Stone, who was named Mr. PSL at halftime, in the first two quarters, they held the league’s best player to five points in the third, and just three in the fourth, for a total of 22. Sophomore Jordan Sigmon had 17 points, including nine in the fourth, and sophomore Marcellus Phelps had 12 points.

GIRLS PSL FINAL: Detroit Renaissance thumps Cass Tech, 66-27, in girls PSL championship game

Cass Tech head coach Steve Hall said the win was one of the most gratifying yet of his career, because people outside the program didn’t have as high expectations for the defending champions. Cass Tech had to replace its entire starting five from last year’s title team and elevate players into new and bigger roles. Despite that, they were still lifting the trophy at the center of Wayne State Fieldhouse, not skipping a beat.

“The sentiment was there wasn’t enough on this year’s team to get it done,” Steve Hall said. “That’s been a motivator to us. … I’m very proud of this team and this one feels real good.”

Cass Tech built a lead in the first quarter after the teams were even through the first four minutes of the game. A steal by Stevie Hall led to two free throws for Harris, which Stone answered with a 3 on the move in front of Cass Tech’s bench. After the 3, Renaissance coach John D. White received a technical foul for “unsportsmanlike conduct” on the other end, which led to a four-point possession for Cass Tech to push the lead to 15-9. The Technicians led 22-14 at the end of the first quarter.

Stone continued to pace Renaissance with a layup and a three-point play at the start of the second, sandwiched around a Miller 3-pointer for Cass Tech, to cut it to 25-19. The lead was cut to four points by halftime after Renaissance answered a Mathieu Collins jumper and Harris free-throw with a 6-0 run of all layups to make it 34-32. Miller added a layup in the final 10 seconds to make it a two-possession game. Harris was Cass Tech’s leading scorer in the first half with 11.

“Our standard and those letters across our chest are the same,” Steve Hall said about replacing last year’s production. “We’ve grown up a lot since December and I always said we’re shooting for late January, early February, and we are hitting our stride now. It’s very gratifying as a coach.”

Cass Tech started the second half with a 12-2 run over the first half of the quarter. Miller went on a personal 8-0 run during that stretch, converting an and-one on a floater, draining a 3 and adding a layup. Cass Tech built their biggest lead, 16, heading into the fourth, after Miller finished the quarter with another layup in the final seconds.

Miller said he focused on being more patient in the second half, which was a message also relayed by Hall, who told him his shots will come because the offense runs partly through him.

“In the first half, I was forcing my shots,” Miller said. “So in the second half, I just let ’em come to me. I let the game come to myself.”

However, Cass Tech couldn’t maintain its dominance in the last quarter as Renaissance stormed back. The Technicians led, 68-54, with over three minutes remaining but didn’t score again for the next two minutes as the Phoenix went on a 10-0 run to cut it to 68-64. Sadler went to the free throw line and split the pair, ending a streak of five straight missed free throws, to make it 69-64. Sadler wasn’t happy with himself over his free throw woes after, promising plenty of practice before the state tournament.

“We were just sticking together — being brothers,” Sadler said. “Our teammates know each other well, we fight for each other, and defend each other. (We) just stayed together and stayed composed.”

Renaissance freshman Alphonso Harris responded with his first bucket of the game, a 3 from the top of the key, to make it 70-67 with a minute left. Cass Tech ran 30 seconds off the clock before Miller was fouled, splitting the free throws, followed by a defensive stop and another Sadler free throw to ice the game to repeat as PSL champions.

“Our program is at the point now where there’s an expectation,” Hall said. “There’s pressure on the current group to achieve what the groups before them have. It’s a good pressure, but nonetheless, that’s the expectation that there’s pressure. We’ve had several close games this year and guys have stepped up.”

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Detroit, MI

Detroit Red Wings blank Montreal Canadiens behind John Gibson

Published

53 minutes ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Detroit Red Wings blank Montreal Canadiens behind John Gibson

MONTREAL — The atmosphere at Bell Centre never disappoints, especially when two Original Six rivals meet on a Saturday night.

The Detroit Red Wings tuned out the “Go Habs, Go,” chants and turned in a fine road performance, avenging an opening night loss and evening the season series. The Wings came away from their only visit of the season to the home of the Montreal Canadiens with a 4-0 victory on Saturday, Jan. 10, in the second of three meetings.

Alex DeBrincat added a goal to his night when he was left wide-open to rip Patrick Kane’s pass into Montreal’s net 34 seconds into the third period. Andrew Copp added an empty-net goal with 1:07 to play.

The Habs, who schooled the Wings, 5-1, back in the season opener in October, were denied on 27 shots by John Gibson as he earned his third shutout since Dec. 8.

Red Wings playoff position

The two points earned lifted the Wings (27-15-4) into first place in the Atlantic Division, a point up on the Tampa Bay Lightning (who have played three fewer games). Next up, the Wings host Metropolitan Division leader Carolina on Monday (7 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network Detroit), with the Hurricanes visiting on the night the Wings will retire Sergei Fedorov’s No. 91.

Rough stuff in Montreal

The Wings incurred some bumps along the way, especially Mason Appleton, who took one stick near the eye area and another – by teammate Elmer Söderblom – to the lips. At one point in the third period, Gibson had to check his helmet for damage after getting dinged by a puck.

But what a win.

The Wings came out with good pace, and there was a good deal of back-and-forth early on. The Habs shot wide on Gibson until more than five minutes in, when Ivan Demidov set up Oliver Kapanen just outside the crease. Kapanen’s shot slid into the paint, but Gibson was able to glove it before it crossed the goal line.

The Wings went on a power play seven minutes in, and the unit of Moritz Seider, Dylan Larkin, James van Riemsdyk, Lucas Raymond and DeBrincat had such control of the puck they were out the entire two minutes – but the Canadiens did a good job getting in lanes to block shots.

Another man advantage materialized around the midpoint when Brendan Gallagher high-sticked Appleton in the face, but again the Habs prevented the Wings from generating shots on net.

Putting it in the net

Ninety-one seconds into the second period, the Wings were back on a power play. Larkin forced a save from Jacob Fowler on a doorstep shot, but the game was back at even strength when they made it 1-0.

Jacob Bernard-Docker had the puck at his own goal line when he sent a pass to van Riemsdyk (who arrived at Bell Centre dressed as Batman, for his 4-year-old son) along the boards. By the time he got to the red line, van Riemsdyk had two defenders on him, so he dumped the puck deep. But instead of going around the net, as Fowler thought it would as he skated behind his net to play it, the puck bounced off the end boards and out front, where Raymond turned it into his third straight five-on-five goal in the last three games.

The Wings built on their momentum just past the midpoint of the game when they converted during their fourth power play. Seider had the point up top and found DeBrincat along the left boards. DeBrincat made a short pass to Larkin, who took advantage of van Riemsdyk getting in Fowler’s line of vision to one-time a shot that gave the Wings a 2-0 lead.

Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com.

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Detroit, MI

Detroit Lions score 4 players with AP All-Pro nods, including 2 first-timers

Published

13 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Detroit Lions score 4 players with AP All-Pro nods, including 2 first-timers

ALLEN PARK — Jack Campbell and Penei Sewell were named to the AP All-Pro first-team for the Detroit Lions.

It’s the third consecutive first-team nod for Sewell, 25, who was also named Pro Football Focus’ protector of the year earlier this week. PFF graded Sewell as the top offensive lineman, and not just tackle, in the NFL this season. He allowed only two sacks and 19 pressures across 601 pass-blocking snaps as the top-ranked pass-blocking offensive lineman.

For all the focus on the offensive line and what needs to happen this offseason, Sewell’s presence gives them a cornerstone, blue-chip piece to build around.

Campbell earned his first Pro Bowl and All-Pro nod this season, putting the bows on a true breakout campaign for the former first-round pick. The 25-year-old joins Chris Spielman and Joe Schmidt as the only Lions linebackers ever to make the All-Pro first-team.

The linebacker finished the season by playing all 17 games for the third straight season, posting career highs in tackles (176), sacks (five), forced fumbles (three), fumble recoveries (two) and tackles for loss (nine). Campbell did all this while taking over the green dot for the first time, and playing more snaps than any other teammate — offense, defense or special teams.

The third-year linebacker finished the season as PFF’s second-best overall linebacker, trailing only Fred Warner of the San Francisco 49ers. Campbell’s 176 tackles were the second-most in the league in 2025.

“He’s extremely valuable,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said of his linebacker last month. “He’s taken more reps than anybody on this team. He plays on kickoff for us, and he’s an asset on kickoff and then everything you see on defense. He doesn’t come off the field; he’s our bell-cow, green-dot. And he does –, and the guy is smart, and he’s instinctive, and he is snap-to-whistle all-out, all the time, in practice too. And he doesn’t take plays off, he doesn’t take days off, he goes after the football, he’s a ball guy.

“So, he’s invaluable.”

Amon-Ra St. Brown, who had made the first team in consecutive years, was named to the AP’s second team this time around. St. Brown finished the season fifth in receptions (117), fifth in yards (1,401), tied for second in touchdowns (11) and seventh in yards after the catch (570).

The star wideout became the first player in league history to have at least 90 catches through a player’s first five seasons. St. Brown has at least 100 catches and 1,000 yards in four straight seasons, and has caught double-digit touchdowns in the last three.

Aidan Hutchinson joined in on the fun this year, too. Hutchinson earns his first AP All-Pro team nod, landing a second-team spot this season. Not too shabby for someone returning from a season-ending leg injury, and his return served as quite the response.

Hutchinson, who got his big extension this year, played every game and set a new career-best mark with 14.5 sacks and 35 quarterback hits. He also scored his second Pro Bowl appearance this year, as well. Since PFF started tracking pressures, there have been six players to reach the 100-pressure mark. Hutchinson is the only one on that list to have done it twice.

The pass rusher led the NFL in pressures created, finishing the campaign with a clear 100. The next closest player was Jacksonville’s Josh Hines-Allen, who had 95.

“The number of things that he’s able to do for us in the run and the pass game,” Dan Campbell said of Hutchinson earlier in the season. “Man, it takes up — he pulls a lot of slack, man. You talk about pulling your weight, he pulls his weight and then some. He requires a lot of resources offensively, which helps everybody else out. Guys like him, he’s in that rare world of man, you don’t get the easy way out. He’s got to beat the nudges, he’s got to beat the back chip, then the tackle’s on him. Or he’s got to beat the nudge, sometimes the back, the tackle, and the slide’s coming to him with the guard also.

“So, sometimes you may have to beat three, sometimes four. But if that’s the case, somebody else is winning. They’ve got to win. So, what he does is not easy, and I go back to this. He is a complete football player; he does it all. And he’s disruptive, he’s violent, he’s high motor, he’s crafty, he’s explosive, he’s tough, he’s competitive. And he does it all. He does it all.”

For a full look at the AP’s All-Pro voting results, click here. Of note, longtime former Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford earned the first All-Pro first-team nod of his career this year. Stafford remains in the MVP hunt, and this honor usually leads to that.

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Detroit, MI

Vigil, protest held for Renee Nicole Good at Detroit’s Clark park

Published

1 day ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Vigil, protest held for Renee Nicole Good at Detroit’s Clark park

The name Renee Nicole Good bounced off the buildings of southwest Detroit as hundreds marched on the evening of Friday, Jan. 9, following Good’s fatal shooting by an immigration agent in Minneapolis earlier in the week.

A candlelight vigil was held at 6 p.m. at the city’s Clark Park in memory of Good, before attendees took off marching down Vernor Highway.

As of 7:30 p.m., the mass crowd had reached Cavalry Street, about half a mile away from the park, and turned, yelling “What do we want? Justice ” and calling for ICE’s ousting from communities.

Good, 37, was in her car when she was shot in the head on Wednesday, Jan.7, by a federal immigration officer in south Minneapolis. She leaves behind three children, ages 6, 12 and 15.

The shooting was recorded by witnesses and heightened political and community tensions over federal immigration enforcement as part of President Donald Trump’s nationwide immigration operations. The Trump administration has since said the shooting was done in self-defense, USA TODAY reports.

Protests have occurred in cities across the U.S. since Good’s death, including gatherings in Michigan, and additional demonstrations are scheduled throughout the weekend.

This is a developing story.

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