Contact:
Chuck Johnson
Sports Information Director
Detroit Public Schools
chuck.johnson@detroitk12.org
313-870-5863

Southwestern's Montrel Hill

Leadership is second nature to Southwestern High’s Montrel Hill, the Detroit Public School League Proud Strong Learner of the Week.
The 6-3 senior forward is the basketball team’s captain. He is the team’s leading player, averaging 17 points and 15 rebounds a game. He’s also a first lieutenant in Southwestern’s JROTC and is the senior class Valedictorian with a 3.57 grade point average, including a 4.0 last card marking.
Still, in keeping with his leadership qualities, Hill is far from full of his worth and is mindful to credit others.
 ”In a way, I’m surprised to receive this award,” he said. “I’m honored and proud of myself and proud of my teammates for putting me in this position. I want to thank everyone involved.”
    Modesty aside, Hill had three strong performances on the court last week to set him apart. He scored 16 points and grabbed 18 rebounds in a 48-46 victory against neighboring rival Western, followed that with 24 points and 20 rebounds in a 57-22 win against CMA and, despite a loss to Central, he still shined with 18 points and 16 rebounds.
     “Montrel is just an exceptional athlete,’’ said Southwestern track coach Windell Hall, noting that Hill is an All-City long jumper as well.
     “I’ve known him for four years and even though he’s made mistakes, he’s always recovered and learned from them and gotten stronger. Other athletes see him as a role model and inspiration. His sportsmanship and his hard work in everything he does, in the classroom and in athletics, are values that are instilled in him and they show his mother raised a great son.”
     With a commitment to community service through JROTC, Hill is involved in several  projects, including visiting senior citizens and military veterans in the hospital.
    “We owe the community for looking out for us,’’ he said. “When you’re doing well, you have to return the favor and give back to your community.”
      According to Southwestern’s athletic coordinator, Hill  is one of just three PSL players in the running for the  Michigan High School Athletic Scholar-Athlete award and demonstrates “the effort, respect and discipline it takes to be a PSL Proud Strong Learner,” Mark Gniewek said.
    Hill says his experience of attending Southwestern and competing in the PSL has prepared him for the next level. He’s hoping to earn a scholarship to play college basketball.
     “I’ve talked with a couple of schools who are interested in me,” he said. “I would love to play college basketball and study to become a lawyer.
    “At Southwestern, I’ve learned how to stay focused on what I’m going for and I’ve received a lot of love and support from everybody. I just want to go even harder as a way of thanking the people who’ve helped me out.”

The Detroit Public School League Proud Strong Learner of the Week Award is representative of the league’s top boys’ and girls’ athletic performers and is sponsored by local Detroit area McDonald’s owner-operators

Contact:
Chuck Johnson
Sports Information Director
Detroit Public Schools
chuck.johnson@detroitk12.org
313-870-5863

Renaissance meets Southeastern at 11 a.m. and Cass Tech plays Pershing at 1 p.m. Saturday at King High School in the Detroit Public School League junior varsity boys’ basketball  semifinals.

The winners will meet Monday at 6 p.m. at Western High School for the championship.

Contact:
Chuck Johnson
Sports Information Director
Detroit Public Schools
chuck.johnson@detroitk12.org
313-870-5863

     The Detroit Public School League Big D boys’ basketball tournament tips off Friday with four first-round games setting the stage for next Tuesday’s second round.
      Friday’s 4 p.m. openers include Kettering at Northwestern, Central at Western, Southwestern at Finney and CMA at Osborn.
      Pershing, unbeaten in the East, and Renaissance, unbeaten in the West, are the No. 1 seeds. The top six teams from each division automatically advance into the second round, which will pair teams from opposite divisions.
    Next Tuesday’s second-round games, all 4 p.m. starts, include the Northwestern-Ketttering winner at Crockett, Denby at Ford, Cody at King, Central-Western winner at Renaissance, Finney-Southwestern winner at Cass Tech, City at Southeastern, Douglass at Mumford, and the CMA-Osborn winner at Pershing.
     Quarterfinal games are Friday, February 10 at King High School and Cass High School, and the semifinals are Tuesday, Feb. 14 at Renaissance High School. The tourney concludes Thursday, Feb. 16 at University of Detroit’s Calihan Hall with the Big D boys’ championship game for the PSL title (7:30 p.m.).

Big D boys' basketball tournament bracket

Contact:
Chuck Johnson
Sports Information Director
Detroit Public Schools
chuck.johnson@detroitk12.org
313-870-5863

The result of hard work, guidance, discipline and talent was in evidence Wednesday at Marcus Garvey Academy’s Harambee Center where beaming parents, proud coaches and loyal Detroit Public School League supporters celebrated 29 PSL scholar-athletes’ acceptance of scholarships on college football’s National Letter of Intent Signing Day.

With print and broadcast media on hand to document the occasion, each scholarship recipient ceremoniously signed a poster bearing their college’s name and mascot, then posed for pictures and answered questions from the press.

To much fanfare, King High running back Dennis Norfleet, who previously had a verbal commitment to Cincinnati, instead chose to sign with the University of Michigan. In all, the PSL’s 2012 football scholarship recipients chose 17 different colleges.

Michigan also landed Cass Tech linebacker Royce Jenkins-Stone and cornerback Terry Richardson, although both players had to miss Wednesday’s program due to a scheduling conflict. They’re in Texas preparing for a weekend prep All-Star game.

Nonetheless, the Division I state champion Technicians were represented by Coach Thomas Wilcher and five other players who accepted scholarships, including linebacker Laron Taylor (Iowa), wide receiver Ruben Lile (Iowa), defensive back Brandon Berry (Buffalo), defensive end Louis Palmer (Central Michigan) and defensive back Will Rembert (Buffalo).

Quarterback Brian Blackburn of PSL Division I champion Crockett signed with Toledo, while Rockets’ wide receiver defensive back James White chose Bowling Green, wide receiver-safety Nicholas Tripp signed with Northwood and fullback-middle linebacker Marcellous McElrath chose Wayne State.

Finney High had eight scholarship recipients, including linebacker Kenyatta Forbes, running back-safety Anton Carter, running back-linebacker Antoine Jackson and defensive back Jovantae Turner, who all signed with Virginia University of Lynchburg. Quarterback Kendrick Mingo (Langston U. in Oklahoma), wide receiver Sean Washington (Graceland U. in Iowa), wide receiver-cornerback Rodney Underwood (Lakeland U. in Wisconsin) and wide receiver-safety Larry Jones (Lakeland) also signed from the Highlanders.

Renaissance’s defensive tackle Jabari Dean (Central Michigan), defensive back Chris Norris (Northwood), offensive lineman Thor Hicks (Robert Morris) and defensive back DeMario Burton (Central State) also signed.

Other signees included King High wide receiver Brandon Tinsley (Wayne State), Douglass High linebacker Marquis Steward (Siena Heights), Mumford offensive lineman Daron Brown (Northern Illinois), Ford quarterback Victor Edge (Northwood) and Ford defensive back Kim Spurlock (Central Iowa).