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

Douglass High's Martez Asberry

As the only senior in Douglass High’s starting lineup, Martez Asberry is like having another coach on the basketball court and the biggest reason the Hurricanes have been a force this season in the Detroit Public School League.
“He’s probably done more for us than any kid I’ve had here at Frederick Douglass,’’ head coach Nkwane Young said of Asberry, the PSL  Proud Strong Learner of the Week.

“We start four sophomores with him and, as the senior, he’s playing under control and trusting his teammates.  For us to win, I tell him ‘it starts with you.’ The thing I respect most about him is the way he dictates our game by staying within the team concept.”
Asberry, who averages 14 points, eight rebounds and six assists a game, is primarily the Hurricanes’ 6-2 point guard. But “he can play the one through the five,’’ Young said. Or as Asberry says about his role, “I can do everything my team needs me to do.”

Entering Friday’s Big D quarterfinals game against top-seeded Pershing, Asberry was optimistic about the Hurricanes chances of pulling off the upset. In an early-season home game, they played Doughboys tough before losing a thriller and have been formidable opponent all winter for the league’s top tier teams.
“In the beginning of the season our inexperience was hurting us because a lot of guys were playing for the first time,’’ said Asberry, a three-year varsity starter. “In the second half of the season, I feel we’ve really turned it around and have been playing well.”

Boosted by a 3.4 grade point average last card marking, Asberry has attracted interest from college recruiters. They like his ability to shoot, handle the ball and penetrate and also his toughness as a defender. He’s still deciding where he’ll compete in college, and plans to major in sports management with an eye on a career as a sports agent.
As with most talented players, Asberry dreams of competing in the NBA. “Kobe Bryant is my favorite player,” he said. “When I watch him play, it motivates me to play like him. I try to do what he does.”

Whatever his future holds, Asberry realizes the key to continued success will be hard work.
“It’s been a fun ride playing here at Douglass,’’ he said. “I played with a lot of bigs my sophomore year and I didn’t think I would play that much.  But I kept working and working and I outworked everybody. I had a good sophomore year and a good junior year and I’m still working hard. With this being my senior year, I’m looking to finish strong.”

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@detroitk12org
313-870-5863

The Detroit Public School League Big D boys’ basketball tournament enters the quarterfinal round Friday with doubleheaders at Cass Tech High School and King High School offering promise for an exciting “Great Eight.”

At King High, Cass Tech plays Southeastern at 4 p.m. followed by unbeaten East top seed Pershing against Douglass at 5:30 p.m. At Cass Tech, Crockett plays Ford at 4 p.m. followed by West top seed and league unbeaten Renaissance against King at 5:30 p.m.

The winners advance to the semifinals at 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tuesday at Renaissance High School, culminating with the Big D championship game for the PSL title Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the University of Detroit Mercy’s Calihan Hall.

Second-round scores from Tuesday: Pershing 89, Osborn 41; Ford 67, Denby 50; Cass Tech 71, Finney 47; Douglass 45, Mumford 31; King 52, Cody 36; Renaissance 62, Central 45; Crockett 51, Kettering 41; Southeastern 63, City 22

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

Tre Jordan tops the pileup celebration for Renaissance

Sophomore Tre Jordan, a 6-3 forward-center, scored 26 points and sophomore Ed Bauman and freshman Corey Wheeler added 16 and 13 points, respectively, to lead Renaissance past Pershing 71-66 Monday in the Detroit Public School League boys’ junior varsity basketball championship game at Western International High School.

Sophomore Kevin Clemens’ nine points added to the balanced attack of Coach Yusuf Sabree’s Phoenix.

Renaissance -- 2011-12 PSL boys' junior varsity basketball champions

Pershing, which reached the finals after Cass Tech forfeited a 70-61 semifinal victory because of an ineligible player, was led by sophomore Daniel Dwywer with 17 points.

Sophomore Kameron Barden had 11 points and sophomore Marion Campbell 10 for the Doughboys.

Pershing -- 2011-12 PSL boys' JV basketball runners-up

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

The Detroit Public School League Big D boys’ basketball tournament heats up with eight second-round games Tuesday at 4 p.m. They include:

Kettering at Crockett; Denby at Ford; Cody at King; Central at Renaissance; Finney at Cass Tech; City at Southeastern; Douglass at Mumford; and Osborn at Pershing.

Tuesday’s winners advance into Friday’s Great Eight quarterfinal round, with 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. games at both Cass Tech High School and King High School.

The semifinals are slated for 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14, at Renaissance High School, culminating with the Big D title game for the PSL boys’ basketball championship Thursday, Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the University of Detroit Calihan Hall.

The top six seeds in each division automatically advanced to the second round, including top seeds Pershing in the East and Renaissance in the West.

In Big D boys’ first-round games Friday, Kettering beat Northwestern 63-38, Central defeated Western 68-50, Finney beat Southwestern46-38, and Osborn defeated CMA 58-51.

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

Pershing will play Renaissance in today’s (Feb.6) 6 p.m. Detroit Public School League boys’ basketball junior varsity championship game at Western International High School.

Due to an ineligible player, Cass Tech forfeited a 70-61 victory against Pershing in Saturday’s semifinals at King High School. Renaissance advanced with a 59-53  victory against Southeastern.

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