Students and advisers from MIPA member schools were invited to take part in a Media Day with the University of Detroit Mercy Titan Basketball Women’s and Men’s teams. Here are some of the stories the student delivered from the event.
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By: A’Sha Jones ’15
Sports Editor – South Lake High School
and
Khadajah Williams ‘16
Staff Reporter – South Lake High School
Gamechanger? An Inside Look at Detroit Mercy
Our experience at University of Detroit Mercy was great. Not only were we able to experience realistic journalism we were also able to grow as story tellers.
This was my first time going to a college basketball game. To have the pleasure of being able to interview college players as if I was an actual reporter was just the 3 pointer. I don’t think the experience could get any better.
While interviewing new faces to the Titans we talked about their experience as academic athletes. We found out that it’s nothing like high school. According to freshman Paris Bass, managing time is the most difficult part of a college athlete’s life. Compared to high school, life is more hectic considering academics, social life, practice and travel.
We are not only journalists, we are athletes as well. This experience really showed us that it’s more than bouncing a ball around; you have to give everything you got to the sport and school you love.
Although I love the boys games but the girls is where my heart is. It was a defining moment when I was able to interview Elisha Crosby, junior at Detroit Mercy and to hear her perspective as a female athlete for a very established team.
Detroit Mercy opened their doors for us to see the life of a Titan. May we say, it was one of the best inside looks we ever had. This real life experience is better than what you could get from watching it on tv. It reels you in and makes you want to be a part of their team; not just the sports, but the school as a whole. Detroit Mercy is a school we will definitely keep in mind after graduation.
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By Nick Stanzolia, Fraser High School
Season opener at home for the Titans.
If there were anything that could lift the Titans’s spirits up, it would be an easy win over a division 2 team that proved to be some good early competition before proceeding to blow them out.
The Titans easily beat U of M-Dearborn at Calihan Hall on November 11, winning 106-51 with a double-double from leading scorer Juwan Howard, Jr, and 21 points from Guard Anton Wilson. The scoring was quite divided and unstoppable as more than half of the team (6 of 10, to be exact) would end with double digit points although the most points any one scored other than the 2 named above was 12. However not all of the starters and main scorers were so lucky, as shooting guard Carlton Brundidge was 1 for 6 from the field and also committed 3 turnovers as his backup, Matthew Grant, scored 10 points and 7 assists, compared to Brundidge’s 3 points and 1 assist. Patrick Onwenu also came up big off the bench, almost getting a double-double with 12 points and 9 rebounds, providing a huge spark with big dunks on the fastbreak and forceful drives to the basket. U of M-Dearborn had 2 players with double digits, Guard Jamiel Strickland who led the scoring with 18 points, and Small forward Gage Throgmorton who caught fire from beyond the arc, as all 5 of his made field goals came from downtown. A performance that could get him some added playing time if his shot stays as hot as it was in this game. Detroit dominated the fast break as they scored 20 points of fast breaks compared to Dearborn’s 4. Detroit never trailed during the game although The Wolverines did scare the Titans a little by pulling within 1 early in the game, but were outscored 96-42 the rest of the way.
Detroit would hit the road on Thursday to take on #19 Connecticut and their dangerous backcourt of Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright and also the emergence of sophomore guard Omar Calhoun, where they would be blown out in a score similar to their blowout over Dearborn losing 55-101. The Titans remain on the road as they travel to Virginia to take on James Madison to try and get their first win against a division 1 team this year.
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Robert Swetlic ‘16 & Gabrielle Pruitt ‘15
Managing and Feature Editors – South Lake High School
Student journalists invited to Titan’s game, press conferences
“Well you’re just trying to get all of my secrets!” exclaimed coach Autumn Rademacher as the student journalists hammered her with questions about the new defensive tactics for University of Detroit Mercy’s Titan’s women’s basketball team. On Nov. 11th, 2013 Titans scored a win against Lawrence Tech 84-60.
Student journalists from South Lake, Fraser, and Rochester took advantage of an invitation to attend both men and women’s basketball games as well as attend the pre and postgame press conferences.
Although not able to watch the games in their entirety, we were able to interview of their men’s freshman guard /forward Paris Bass and women’s junior guard Elisha Crosby as well as Rademacher and assistant coach Joel Machota. After student journalists interviewed with the athletes, Athletic Director Robert Volwes came and spoke with our reporters as well as those from other attending schools,
Later that night the boys too walked away with a win of 106-51 against University of Michigan Dearborn. “We really think some freshmen out here can change the game,” said Machota, “we definitely want to get some of them off the bench and on the court as soon as possible.”
“It definitely gives us a good feeling in the locker room on Saturday knowing we’re going in with a win.” said Rademacher. On Saturday, November 16, the girls will face Michigan on their home court. Rademacher said the team is working to improve the defensive line in addition to focusing on getting shots that make it.
Both and the Men’s and Women’s teams are off to 2-2 starts.
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By: Zach Libby
The University of Detroit Mercy men’s basketball team blew past U-M Dearborn in the team’s home opener on Dick Vitale Court. Monday marked the 61st home opener at Calihan Hall for the Titans.
Six players from U-D Mercy finished the night in double figures, as well as grabbing a team record 52 rebounds, the most in the program’s history since Nov. 7 when the Titans faced Southern Alabama when they record 51 rebounds.
Sophomore guard Anton Wilson had a career night, shooting 4-of-5 from downtown and scoring an all-time high 21 points.
“My teammates told me to come in and stay confident with my shot after a poor shooting in South Alabama,” Wilson said. “At first I looked to pass the ball, but after I made my first shot I knew I was in the zone.”
As a team, the Titans shot 52.3% (34-of-65) from the field, as well as 43.5% (10-23) from the three-point mark, an improvement from South Alabama where Detroit was held to 28.9% (22-76) shooting overall.
“We have a lot of guys that can make a basket,” Titans’ head coach Ray McCallum said during Monday’s postgame conference. “I thought Anton’s [Wilson] performance on both sides of the ball was very good. It was a good sign for a young sophomore to play a focus game and shoot the ball with confidence.”
Junior forward Juwan Howard Jr. lead the Titans with his second straight double-double, scoring a career-high 22 points, as well as recording 10 rebounds and four assists.
“Juwan has worked as hard as anybody in college basketball on his game and on his shot,” coach McCallum said. “What you’re seeing is the hard work and dedication that he has shown. It’s been paying off and he’s playing with a lot of confidence.”
As for U-M Dearborn, Junior Jamiel Strickland finished the night with a team-high 18 points while shooting 40% from the field (8-for 20). Freshman Gage Throgmorton shot 5-for-10, scoring 15 points. All of his points came from the three-point line.
“They had some really good shooters,” coach McCallum said. “We were able to limit them on the shots they took and we made them make bad decisions on the floor.”
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By Kane Walenciak, Fraser High School
Game Summary – Hard NewsBrief
The Detroit Titans blew out the University of Michigan-Dearborn team with a score of 106 to 51 behind the strong play of Juwan Howard Jr. and Anton Wilson.
Detroit jumped out to a quick lead in the opening minutes due to their tough defense. Leading their defense was Evan Bruinsma, a senior captain, and Anton Wilson, a sophomore, both having four steals. Ugochukwu Njoku also had a great game, adding eight points, seven rebounds, five blocks, and four steals. Patrick Onwenu scored 12 points and pulled down eleven rebounds to go along with Juwan Howard’s double double with 22 points and 10 rebounds.
Anton Wilson was aggressive for the entire game and scored a career high 21 points. Detroit’s bench out-scored U-M Dearborn 40-29. Detroit’s largest lead was a whopping 55 points in the second half. Their next game is against the Huskies of U-Conn.
