By Robert Tomlinson
News Director
PORTAGE — It has been a historic year for Colon’s boys’ basketball team, reaching the state rounds for the first-time ever as a program.
However, it came to an end in Portage Tuesday night, as the Magi lost a close 49-41 contest to ninth-ranked Concord in the MHSAA Division 4 state quarterfinals at The Igloo at Portage Northern.
“I’m super proud. Concord is a good team, and by God, we’re a good team too. I expected it to come down to the end, I really did,” Colon head coach Steve Vinson said. “We knew we could compete tonight, and we did. We just came up a little short at the end. I’m proud of the guys.”
Neither team had a double-digit lead the entire game, with the game being a close affair throughout. After Colon got out to an early 5-3 lead with a Quincy Blair bucket and a Brennan Morrell three-pointer, Concord went on an 8-2 run to end the first quarter to go up 11-7. Both teams would score 11 points apiece in the second quarter to go into the half with the Yellowjackets up 22-18.
Concord would keep the Magi at a distance, increasing their lead to 30-22 with three and a half minutes to go in the third quarter. However, Colon would get back in it with a bucket and free throw by Blair, followed by a bucket off a turnover by Dylan Smith to get the Magi back within three points, 30-27. After a bucket by Concord’s Darrell Dean Jr., the Magi would get right back to within three points a couple possessions later, when Blair hit a baseline floater to make it 32-29. Concord’s Zack Stevens would hit a free throw with 35 seconds left in the quarter to make it a four-point game, and then Dalton Williams would hit a three-pointer for Colon to make it 33-32 with 11 seconds left. Concord’s Jett Smith would get a last-second heave from inside the arc just before the quarter buzzer to make it a 35-32 Concord lead going into the final stanza.
Connor Stevens got the fourth quarter started with a free throw for the Yellowjackets, but then Colon would get back-to-back buckets by Williams to tie the game at 36-36 with six minutes to go. Dean scored on a near alley-oop for Concord to give them the lead right back, but a couple minutes later, Blair would drive into the paint for a basket of his own to re-tie the game at 38-38.
Concord would hit just one more field goal the rest of the way, as Colon tried to stay in the game offensively by sending the Yellowjackets to the free-throw line. However, Concord nine of its final 12 free throws the rest of the way to seal the deal. Morrell had a three-pointer with just over a minute left to get it to within 43-41, but Concord’s free throw shooting and some missed desperation shots by the Magi against what was a strong and stingy Concord defense left no more doubt, as the Yellowjackets moved on to the Breslin Center with the win.
“We battled back, we tied it up at one point late, we gave ourselves a chance, which is where we had to be. I thought we did that at the end of the game, and it slipped away from us in those last couple possessions,” Vinson said.
Williams led the way for Colon with 15 points, two rebounds and two assists, followed by Blair with 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Morrell had 11 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals, and Dylan Smith rounded out the scoring with two points and a steal. Colin Trattles added four rebounds and two assists, and Jeremiah West had two rebounds and two assists without getting into the scoring column.
Despite the loss, Vinson said there was a lot to be proud of, and a lot to look forward to in the future for the program.
“We talked a lot about legacy and building our legacy. From the beginning of the season, we knew we were gonna have a pretty good team, and we happen to have a couple good teams in our district and our league,” Vinson said. “Mendon was a good team, and we were able to do what we needed to do to win districts, and then we’re able to pull out a regional against St. Phil. We’re building our legacy one game at a time, and these guys have paved the path for all the future Magi guys. Now they know it can be done, this isn’t something that has to be 140 years in the making, it can be done.”
Jett Smith of Concord led all scorers on the evening with 19 points. The Yellowjackets advanced to the Breslin Center on Thursday, taking on Wyoming Tri-Unity Christian in the state semifinals.
Schoolcraft eliminated in quarterfinals
KALAMAZOO – Across town, Schoolcraft’s boys’ basketball season ended in the MHSAA Division 3 state quarterfinals with a 70-47 loss to Pewamo-Westphalia Tuesday night at Loy Norrix High School.
No stats were reported for the game.
