Boys Basketball: Dundee and Ida to meet in final; SMCC, Summerfield advance

DUNDEE − Dundee has one of the best 3-point shooting boys basketball teams in the Monroe County Region this season.

So, limiting the Vikings chances from beyond the arc was critical for Airport heading into Wednesday's Division 2 District semifinal.

The Jets won that battle but lost the war as Dundee made the necessary adjustments to defeat Airport 57-50 and advance to the District championship.

"We set out for the evening with a solid defensive game plan to heavily defend a good 3-point shooting Dundee basketball team," Airport coach Jason Ruhlig said. "... Unfortunately, what we were not able to successfully do was stay in front on their drives to the bucket."

Dundee's biggest long range threats − Matt Atkinson, Ethan Layton, and Drew Bolster − were stifled from 3-point range but found other ways to contribute. Layton finished with 14 points and Bolster had 8.

Braiden Whitaker was the biggest difference.

Whitaker scored 9 of his game-high 23 points in the third quarter to flip the scoreboard. Airport led 25-23 at halftime, but the Vikings dominated the third quarter 19-6 to take control.

"We really executed well in the third quarter," Dundee coach Jay Haselschwerdt said. "It got close at the end, but we hit our free throws."

There were plenty of heroes for the Vikings.

“Braiden Whitaker had a huge game, so did Ethan Layton,” Haselschwerdt said. “He kind of iced it at the end. Gabe Daniel played great defense to help us win that game.”

Whitaker finished with a game-high 23 points.

Dundee was 22-for-32 shooting from 2-point range. Ben Hatkow was the only Viking to hit from distance, making two 3s to finish with 6 points.

"The third quarter, which has been a nemesis for us all season, haunted us again tonight," Ruhlig said. "Offensively we got stagnant and just could not execute."

Brett Moore (14 points), Brandon McComas (12), and Joel Westaway (11) reached double figures for Airport, and Cooper Nye added 6 points and 10 rebounds. The Jets finished the season 10-13 overall.

"We did all the things to win a game tonight by out-rebounding them 30-23, taking care of the ball with only nine turnovers, shooting 71.4 percent from the free-throw line," Ruhlig said. "I couldn’t be prouder of our guys' effort. We just could not overcome the overall 52.2 percent shooting effort of Dundee.

"Some days you can play well and still not come out on top. Credit to Dundee for a great game."

Dundee (12-11) advances to the District championship game against rival Ida at 7 p.m. Friday. Ida (16-7) won both regular season meetings against the Vikings this season.

DUNDEE: Layton 6 2-5 14, Bolster 3 2-4 8, Hatkow 2 (2) 0-0 6, Whitaker 10 3-5 23, Daniel 2 0-0 4, Spare 1 0-0 2. Totals 24 (2) 7-14 57.

AIRPORT: Nowak 2 (1) 2-2 7, Westaway 4 3-6 11, Moore 5 (2) 2-3 14, McComas 4 (1) 3-3 12, Nye 3 0-0 6. Totals 18 (4) 10-14 50.

Ida 60, Milan 45

DUNDEE − Ida held off a feisty Milan team to advance to the Division 2 District final at Dundee.

Ida locked down defensively in the second half to earn some breathing room after a tight first half. The Blue Streaks held a narrow 31-28 lead at halftime and held Milan to 17 points the rest of the way.

"We came out the gates swinging and then let Milan keep it close at the half," Ida coach Jared Karner said. "Credit to Milan who played tough. You could tell they didn’t want to go home. (Tyler) Denham hit some tough shots with hands in his face."

AJ Schrader had 8 points in both the first and third quarters and finished with 24 points to lead Ida. Ty Robertson added 16 points and Kirby Carsten scored 12.

Denham led Milan with 16 points. The Big Reds finished the season 5-19 overall.

Ida takes on rival Dundee for the District crown at 7 p.m. Friday.

"Dundee vs. Ida for the District championship. The way it should be," Karner said.

IDA: Robertson 4 (1) 7-9 16, Miller 3 0-0 6, Gelso 1 0-0 2, Schrader 8 (5) 3-4 24, Diedrich 0 0-1 0, Carsten 5 2-4 12. Totals 21 (6) 12-18 60.

MILAN: K. Ballard 1 (1) 0-0 3, Denham 6 (4) 0-0 16, Raasch 1 0-2 2, C. Ballard 4 (1) 0-0 9, Beck 1 0-2 2, Walline 2 1-5 5, Dessellier 3 2-2 8. Totals 18 (6) 3-11 45.

SMCC 52, Erie Mason 43

ERIE – St. Mary Catholic Central sputtered down the stretch, losing its final three games of the regular season.

But coach Randy Windham kept saying his team was close to putting it all together.

Then the Falcons opened the Division 3 District at Erie Mason Monday by avenging an earlier loss to Blissfield in a 27-point victory.

SMCC provided further evidence that Windham was right Wednesday by toppling the No. 1 seed in the District.

SMCC is just starting to hit its stride.

“I think in basketball, kids have to understand their roles,” Windham said. “It took this group a little longer to understand that.”

The Falcons led 11-10 after one quarter, 20-18 at halftime, and 36-28 after three periods.

Buddy Snodgrass scored 14 points to lead the winners and Patrick Lipford fired in 12.

Carson Brown (17) and Alex Langenderfer (16) combined for 33 points for Mason, which finishes with a 16-7 record.

“They were going to get theirs,” Windham said of Langenderfer and Brown. “We did a pretty good job defensively.”

The Eagles will lose those two along with Casey Brown and Trent Herrera to graduation.

"Our lack of consistency from the arch caught up to us tonight," Mason coach Kevin Skaggs said. "CC played with great effort and poised. Xavier Wise and Trent Herrera both need to be commended for trying to play through a dislocated shoulder (Wise) and broken nose (Herrera). "

SMCC (12-12) will take on Riverview Gabriel Richard (16-4), a 57-44 winner over Ypsilanti Arbor Prep Wednesday, for the District title at 7 p.m. Friday.

SMCC: Foster 1 (1) 0-1 3, Snodgrass 6 2-3 14, Kinsey 4 (1) 0-0 9, Lipford 4 (1) 3-4 12, Laboe 2 (2) 2-3 8, Boberg 2 (2) 0-0 6. Totals 19 (7) 7-11 52.

ERIE MASON: Langenderfer 6 (1) 3-5 16, Car. Brown 6 (5) 0-0 17, Cas. Brown 0 2-2 2, Knopp 1 0-0 2. Totals 15 (8) 5-7 43.

Summerfield 56, Inkster American 41

PETERSBURG − Summerfield set the tone and took advantage to defeat Inkster American International Academy in Wednesday's District semifinals.

The Bulldogs led 19-6 after the first quarter.

"We started fast tonight which really sent the tempo for us," Summerfield coach Phil Schiffler said. "That's a very long and athletic team we played and we were able to be competitive in the turnover and rebounding categories."

Tyler Dafoe scored 17 of his game-high 20 points in the first half to stake Summerfield to a 33-20 lead. The Bulldogs outscored Inkster 14-10 in the third quarter to open a 17-point lead.

Teddy Gault added 19 points, Brody St. John and Dafoe combined for 9 steals, and Brendan Myshock had a huge night on the glass.

Summerfield advances to the District championship 6 p.m. Friday against Taylor Trillium Academy.

SUMMERFIELD: LaRocca 0 1-3 1, Gault 7 (3) 2-2 19, Kalb 0 2-2 2, St. John 2 (2) 2-4 8, Dafoe 6 (3) 5-6 20, Myshock 2 0-0 4, Stambaugh 1 0-0 2. Totals 18 (8) 12-17 56.

INKSTER AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY: Gatewood 7 (2) 1-2 17, Lockhart 1 (1) 0-0 3, Smith 3 (3) 0-0 9, Clark 2 0-0 4, Davis 3 0-0 6, Stafford 1 0-0 2. Totals 17 (6) 1-2 41.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Boys Basketball: Dundee and Ida to meet in final; SMCC, Summerfield advance