2B | SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 2021 | DETROIT FREE PRESS THE BUZZ

WHAT TO h Take notes, Spartans and Wolverines: It’s a rematch of the CFP title game this afternoon! Well, not exactly, but, just like in January, we can watch Ohio State be competitive early WATCH and Alabama act like it’s the only team on the field for the final hour. Yes, it’s spring game season, and the CFP finalists take the field starting at noon. First up, Ryan Day’s squad Detroittakes theFree field atPress the Horseshoe - 04/17/2021 in Columbus on Big Ten Network. Then, at 1 p.m. on ESPN, it’s Nick Saban’s squad’s turn in Tuscaloosa. Page : B002

THE SCHEDULE Red Wings Tigers Little Caesars Arena, Comerica Park, Detroit 2021 Michigan Mr. : Detroit VS. TIME TV VS. TIME TV Today @OAK 4:10 BSD+ Tonight CHI 7:00 BSD Sunday @OAK 4:10 BSD Monday @DAL 7:30 NBCSN Tuesday PIT 6:40 BSD Tuesday @DAL 8:30 BSD+ Wednesday PIT 6:40 BSD Detroit Douglass’ Pierre Brooks II Thursday DAL 7:30 BSD Thursday PIT 1:10 BSD April 24 DAL 7:00 BSD Radio: WXYT-FM (97.1). Radio: Games on WXYT-FM (97.1) or Michigan Mr. Basketball WWJ-AM (950). High Schools Insider BSD/BSD+ = formerly Fox through the years Sports Detroit and FSD+ Pistons Mick McCabe Little Caesars Arena, Detroit VS. TIME TV Special to Detroit Free Press Here are the 41 winners of the Hal Schram Mr. Tonight @WAS 8:00 BSD USA TODAY NETWORK Basketball Award: Follow us! Monday CLE 7:00 BSD Facebook: 2021: Pierre Brooks II, Detroit Douglass (Michigan facebook.com/freepsports Wednesday @DAL 8:30 BSD+ Twitter: @freepsports Thursday @SA 8:30 BSD+ State) Instagram: April 24 @IND 7:00 BSD+ It was Wednesday evening, four days after Instagram.com/freepsports Radio: Games on WXYT-FM (97.1), father and son had helped Detroit Douglass 2020: Carlos (Scooby) Johnson, Benton Harbor WWJ-AM (950) or WOMC-FM (Butler) (104.3). claim the Division 4 state championship when Pierre Sr. and his wife, Inger, called a 2019: Romeo Weems, New Haven (DePaul) family meeting. 2018: Foster Loyer, Clarkston (Michigan State) Pierre Brooks II and his younger brother, Joshua, 11, and sister, Laila 7, sat down in the 2017: Isaiah Livers, Kalamazoo Central (Michigan) living room and waited for their father to ad- 2016: Cassius Winston, U-D Jesuit (Michigan State) TODAY’S TV HIGHLIGHTS dress them. “You’re about to have another little sister,” 2015: Deyonta Davis, Muskegon (Michigan State) he told them. COLLEGE FOOTBALL 2014: DeShaun Thrower, Muskegon (Stony Now that caught everyone by surprise. Pierre Brooks II with the Hal Schram Mr. Brook/Ferris State) 11 a.m.: ACCN — Miami Spring Game “Pierre was pretty mad about it,” Brooks Sr. Basketball trophy on Friday at Detroit 2013: Monte Morris, Flint Beecher (Iowa State) 12 p.m.: BTN — Ohio State Spring Game said, “but my baby girl was pretty excited to Douglass High School. KIRTHMON F. 1 p.m.: ESPN — Alabama Spring Game have a little sister. Pierre probably thought he DOZIER/DETROIT FREE PRESS 2012: Matt Costello, Bay City Western (Michigan 2 p.m.: CBSSN — Patriot League Championship: State) Holy Cross at Bucknell was going to have to babysit or something.” 2:30 p.m.: NBCSN — Bayou Classic: Grambling But Pierre Sr. couldn’t keep a straight face 2011: Dwaun Anderson, Suttons Bay (Wagner) State at Southern U. for long. Count ’em up 7:30 p.m.: ESPNU — Alabama A&M at Alabama “No,” he said, laughing. “You’re Mr. Basket- 2010: Keith Appling, Detroit Pershing (Michigan State) State ball.” Here are the results of the 41st annual Hal Schram Mr. Basketball award, given by the MEN’S COLLEGE GYMNASTICS Pierre II, 6 feet 6, leapt off the couch and 2009: Derrick Nix, Detroit Pershing (Michigan State) Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan. gave his father, also 6-6, an enthusiastic 2008: Brad Redford, Frankenmuth (Xavier) 8 p.m.: BTN — NCAA Championships: From Minne- chest bump that may have registered a 5.0 on Only BCAM members are permitted to vote: apolis the Richter scale. RK PLAYER SCHOOL PTS 2007: Corperryale (Manny) Harris, Detroit Redford WOMEN’S COLLEGE GYMNASTICS (The house suffered no apparent structur- 1 Pierre Brooks II Detroit Douglass 2,889 (Michigan) al damage.) 2 Foster Wonders Iron Mountain 2,573 2006: David Kool, Grand Rapids South Christian 3:30 p.m.: ABC — NCAA Championships: Final, Fort 3 Kobe Bufkin Grand Rapids 2,143 Worth, Texas “We shared a lot of emotion,” Brooks II (Western Michigan) said. “It feels like the state has recognized me Christian 4 Julian Roper II Orchard Lake St. 1,668 2005: Wilson Chandler, Benton Harbor (DePaul) COLLEGE SOFTBALL in a great way. We were both amazed.” Mary’s 2004: Drew Neitzel, Wyoming Park (Michigan State) 2 p.m.: BTN — Maryland at Michigan Brooks was introduced Friday as the 41st 5 Legend Geeter River Rouge 1,410 winner of the Hall Schram Mr. Basketball 2003: Dion Harris, Detroit Redford (Michigan) GOLF award, given annually to the state’s top senior Votes are awarded on a 5-3-1 basis. 2002: Paul Davis, Rochester (Michigan State) 1 p.m.: GOLF — PGA Tour: The RBC Heritage, Third by the Basketball Coaches Association of Round, Hilton Head, S.C. Michigan. 2001: Kelvin Torbert, Flint Northwestern (Michigan 3 p.m.: CBS — PGA Tour: The RBC Heritage, Third A Michigan State signee, Brooks compiled that we wanted to succeed on the Nike circuit. State) Round, Hilton Head, S.C. 2,889 points, edging Iron Mountain’s Foster The highest level was important, so going back 3 p.m.: GOLF — PGA Tour Champions: The Chubb 2000: Marcus Taylor, Lansing Waverly (Michigan Classic, Second Round, , Naples, Fla. Wonders (2,573 points), Kobe Bufkin of to the Family and not giving up was the best State) 7 p.m.: GOLF — LPGA Tour: The LOTTE Champi- Grand Rapids Christian (2,143), Julian Roper option.” 1999: Jason Richardson, Saginaw Arthur Hill onship, Final Round,Kapolei, Hawaii II of Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (1,668) and River Brooks made the Family team that year and (Michigan State) Rouge’s Legend Geeter (1,410). he has been a big-time player ever since, giving MLB Of the 1,187 votes cast before the semifi- his father the idea that he may be coaching a 1998: Dane Fife, Clarkston (Indiana) 1 p.m.: MLBN — Tampa Bay at NY Yankees OR nals, Brooks accumulated 383 first-place future Mr. Basketball. 1997: Shane Battier, Birmingham Detroit Country Arizona at Washington votes and Wonders had 339. “I want to say we thought he’d have shot at it Day (Duke) 4 p.m.: BSD — Detroit at Oakland In a spectacular senior season, Brooks av- in his ninth-grade year,” his father said. “It was 4 p.m.: FS1 — Chicago White Sox at Boston eraged 33.1 points and 9.3 rebounds in leading based on his playing AAU with all of the top 1996: Winfred Walton, Detroit Pershing 7 p.m.: MLBN — San Francisco at Miami (joined in (Syracuse/Fresno State) progress) Douglass to the state title. players who were on that team. He always kind 9 p.m.: FS1 — Minnesota at LA Angels He began the season ranked the No. 1 play- of established himself as one of the top players 1995: Robert Traylor, Detroit Murray-Wright er in the state, but a few years ago it would once he got to school.” (Michigan) NBA have been difficult for anyone to watch But there are a lot of players who mature 1994: Willie Mitchell, Detroit Pershing 4:45 p.m.: ESPN — Utah at LA Lakers Brooks play and imagine they were looking at early and are phenoms as freshmen and soph- (Michigan/UAB) 8 p.m.: BSD — Detroit at Washington a future Mr. Basketball. omores. More often than not, they eventually 8:30 p.m.: ABC — Golden State at Boston And the younger Brooks would have hit a plateau in their improvement and are 1993: Jon Garavaglia, Southgate Aquinas (Michigan State) NHL agreed with them. caught by other players in their class. “Here’s the thing,” he said, cutting to the That never happened with Brooks, whose 1992: Kenyon Murray, Battle Creek Central (Iowa) 12:30 p.m.: NHLN — Washington at Philadelphia 3 p.m.: NBC — Pittsburgh at Buffalo chase. “My sixth grade year I wasn’t really development has been steady throughout high 1991: Chris Webber, Birmingham Detroit Country 7 p.m.: BSD+ — Chicago at Detroit good. I was more of a strictly shooter. All I did school. Day (Michigan) 10 p.m.: NHLN — Edmonton at Winnipeg was shoot the basketball. I didn’t really have “His level of improvement every year, he got any physical tools.” better at something each year,” his father said. 1990: Anthony Miller, Benton Harbor (Michigan MEN’S SOCCER Brooks was playing for the Family at the “His ninth-grade year, he was a little immature State) 7:30 a.m.: NBCSN — Premier League: West Ham time, the highest profile AAU team in the on the basketball court and would get frustrat- 1989: Michael Talley, Detroit Cooley (Michigan) United at Newcastle United state. ed real easy. We really worked on that in terms 11:55 a.m.: ESPN2 — Serie A: Fiorentina at Sassuolo 1988: , Grand Rapids South Christian During the tryout phase, one coach was of being mentally tough, mentally strong and (Michigan State) 6 p.m.: FOX — MLS: Austin FC at LA FC blunt with Brooks. taking coaching. “Man, go play with the younger kids,” he “Going into his 11th grade year we wanted 1987: Mark Macon, Saginaw Buena Vista (Temple) said. “You’ll get some more run with them.” him to get faster, stronger so he really dedicat- 1986: Terry Mills, Romulus (Michigan) Making it worse, the coach said it in front ed himself to going into the weight room, run- 1985: Glen Rice, Flint Northwestern (Michigan) of his teammates and their parents. ning on the track. This year, he was just self- NATION + WORLD Brooks was heartbroken and he wasn’t motivated. It was not having to tell him it was 1984: Demetreus Gore, Detroit Chadsey (Pittsburgh) alone. He loved playing basketball, but he had time to get up shots. He’s really been self-moti- 1983: Antoine Joubert, Detroit Southwestern U-M women reach NCAA finals been cut by one of the state’s better AAU pro- vated to get better and take more of a leader- (Michigan) grams. ship role.” The Michigan women’s gymnastics team “I went home crying to my dad and my Brooks had three memorable plays in the 1982: Robert Henderson, Lansing Eastern recorded its highest NCAA Championship mom,” he said. “I felt mad, frustrated.” state championship game. One was a toma- (Michigan) score in program history, a 197.8625, on Friday If Brooks was looking for sympathy at hawk dunk that he threw down with a degree of 1981: Sam Vincent, Lansing Eastern (Michigan State) in the national semifinals in Fort Worth, Tex- home, he didn’t find much. ferocity. as. U-M recorded a program-best 49.4750 on “Let’s get to work,” is all his father said, not The second was a 3-point basket from the the balance beam and a 49.6500 on the floor wanting his son wallow in self-pity. middle of the MSU logo, at nearly half court in how made a clean , keeping it a two-pos- exercise and will compete in the national fi- “On the inside, it hurt,” his father said. the final seconds of the second quarter. session game. nals on Saturday. Fortunately, Keon Henderson always And this was no desperation heave. Brooks It was nothing more than a pure all-out ef- Florida finished second in U-M’s half of the thought the younger Brooks had a lot of po- used the same shooting motion he uses on all fort play in winning time. semis, ahead of Cal and Minnesota. Oklaho- tential and after Brooks was cut, Henderson of his jump shots. “It was like a will to win,” he said. “It was just ma and Utah outscored Alabama and LSU in asked him to join the REACH Doughboys. This one was a bit deeper than any other having the presence of mind to not let the other the other semifinal session. “He really saw something in Pierre,” his fa- shot taken by anyone that weekend. team score. It’s something I do on a regular ba- U-M sophomore Sierra Brooks had the ther said. “He instilled a lot of confidence in After the game, he was asked what he will sis.” highest scores on the beam (9.9500), floor Pierre, especially with his shooting and get- bring to MSU and he mentioned shooting It has become a regular basis ever since that (9.9500) and all-around (39.650). ting his ball handling together.” range. day he was cut from that AAU team some seven But most of all, it was Brooks who took it Asked if MSU coach will allow him years ago. Wade joins Jazz ownership group upon himself to prove the Family coaches more logo shots he replied: Oh, no. No, no, no, “I still think about that when I’m playing,” wrong. no, no. Brooks said. “I’m like, I’ve still got something to SALT LAKE CITY – Dwyane Wade, the 13- “Ever since then, I wanted to work,” he “But if the shot clock is down to 1 and I’m out prove. That’s why I always play with a chip on time NBA All-Star, will join the Utah Jazz said. “The next day, I put in a lot of hours and there, I have no problems letting fly.” my shoulder.” ownership group, the announced Friday. ever since then I’ve been doing a lot of work.” Then there was the play in the fourth quar- Mick McCabe is a former longtime colum- The group is headed by technology entre- Brooks played well that summer, but then ter when Douglass was clinging to a four-point nist for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at preneur Ryan Smith, who along with his wife, did a surprising thing. He went back to the lead when one of Wyoming Park Tri-unity [email protected]. Follow him on Ashley, acquired majority interest in the Jazz Family and tried out again. Christian’s players broke into the open for what Twitter @mickmccabe1. Save $10 on his new in late 2020. Most players who were cut would avoid the should have been an uncontested layup. book, “Mick McCabe’s Golden Yearbook: 50 Wade and Smith have known each other team that cut them like the plague. But seemingly out of nowhere Brooks came Great Years of Michigan’s Best High School for several years and had discussed working “I definitely could have said that for sure,” racing down the court like a runaway locomo- Players, Teams & Memories,” by ordering right with each other in various capacities. Brooks said. “But me and my dad believed tive, sprinting toward the basket and he some- now at McCabe.PictorialBook.com. April 17, 2021 10:08 am (GMT -4:00) Powered by TECNAVIA