BOYS BASKETBALL: Rochester Hills Christian wins third MACS state championship
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
SAGINAW — Rochester Hills Christian is back on top.
The second-seeded Eagles toppled No. 4-seeded Midland Calvary Baptist, 64-58, in the Michigan Association of Christian Schools Division I state championship game Saturday at Saginaw Swan Valley High School.
“We have been to the state championship game seven years in a row and we really wanted to win it this year. We’ve been runner-up the last five seasons,” said Jon Bronsing, RHC’s coach for 16 non-consecutive seasons. “I don’t know the last time another school reached the finals seven straight years. But we only won it twice (in that span). Losing the past five years — we didn’t want to go through that again. We really wanted it this year.”
Rochester Hills Christian captured its third Michigan Association of Christian Schools state championship Saturday with a 64-58 victory over Midland Calvary Baptist.
Courtesy Photo
The Eagles last won a state title in 2013 and once before back in 199, and that was in MACS Division II. Rochester Hills Christian finished as the state runner-up in 1993, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Rochester Hills Christian, which recorded a school record with 26 wins this season, defeated Midland Calvary three times this winter, including 74-48 in mid February in a non-conference game. But the Kings provided a much stiffer challenge in the third meeting.
“The first time we played them their best player (Mark Dickerson) didn’t play and the last time we played them he had foul trouble early and missed a lot of the game. We knew if they were at full strength that they would give us everything we could handle,” said Bronsing. “They did. We pulled away late in the game.”
Calvary Baptist (10-10) upset top-ranked Clinton Township Faith Christian 64-51 in the state semifinals 24 hours earlier, while Rochester Hills escaped some intense moments in defeating No. 3 Davison Faith Baptist, 56-54, in its semifinal clash.
Rochester Hills Christian led by a narrow 18-15 margin after the first quarter and 29-26 at the half.
Freshman guard Evan Patton clips down the nets following Rochester Hills Christian’s state championship. Courtesy Photo
Dickerson scored eight and aided an 18-13 surge in the third quarter, as the Kings took a 44-42 advantage into the fourth frame. Rochester Hills Christian (26-2) closed with a 22-14 fourth-quarter run to stake claim to its first state title in six years.
Much like being the hero in the Eagles’ MACS Division I state title win over Midland Calvary in boys soccer back in late October, senior guard Adam Patton was brilliant down the stretch of the season.
The 6-foot-1 Patton, who is being courted by some Division II, Division III and NAIA schools, scored a game-high 25 points, including four 3-pointers, to go along with 12 rebounds and four assists to lead the Eagles. He made six free throws in the fourth quarter and finished fourth on the school’s all-time scoring list with 1,315 career points.
Dickerson swished a jumper with 1:48 to go that cut Rochester Hills’ lead down to 57-51. Calvary could not keep the Eagles at bay down the stretch. Rochester Hills Christian converted 7-of-8 free throws in the final 1:30 to seal the deal.
Kaloh Holmes
Rochester Hills Christian
Junior Guard
Junior guard Kaloh Holmes, added 24 points and four rebounds. Senior Alex Coury, a 6-6, 280-pound center, recorded seven points and 17 rebounds, while sophomore guard Devin Burrick scored six for the Eagles.
Rochester Hills Christian finished the night by making 16-of-27 free throws while shooting 22-for-51 from the floor. Calvary Baptist was held to 24-for-64 shooting and 7-for-11 from the foul line.
Celebrate good times: Rochester Hills Christian’s boys basketball team rushes the floor following its MACS Division I state title run Saturday. Courtesy Photo
Dickerson, a senior guard, scored 19 with seven rebounds and four assists for Calvary Baptist. Senior forward Adam Chrysler scored a team-high 21 points in the loss, while 6-4 senior center Jude Barclay scored six with nine rebounds and Toby Stauffer had six points and five rebounds for the Kings.
Thrill of victory: Rochester Hills Christian senior center Alex Coury raises the trophy high following the Eagles’ 64-58 triumph over Midland Calvary Baptist in the MACS Division I state finals. Courtesy Photo
“This team played for each other. They got along so well all season and you could see it on the court,” said Bronsing. “And in crunch time, our best players stepped up.
“It was such a trying season, too,” added Bronsing. “Adam and his younger brother, Evan, lost their mom to cancer last summer. We wanted to lift them up and win this in her honor. She was such a big fan. We wore a patch on our jerseys and it was in our minds the whole season.”
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