TRAVERSE CITY -- Shades of 2002?
McBain basketball coach Bruce Koopman certainly hopes so.
The Ramblers, who face Melvindale Academy of Business and Tech in a Class C semifinal today at the Breslin Center, are just two wins away from a state championship, a feat last accomplished in 2002.
McBain advanced with a dramatic come-from-behind 52-50 win over Manistique in a Tuesday night quarterfinal at Cheboygan.
"This team has followed a little bit of the same path," Koopman said. "We played our quarterfinal in 2002 at Cheboygan as well. The game (against Ishpeming Westwood) was somewhat similar in that we trailed for most of the game -- right until the end.
"We had some tremendous athletes on that team. There's a little less notoriety with this team."
The 23-3 Ramblers did not have a single player mentioned on the Associated Press All-State team, but the squad did finish sixth in the final AP poll.
"When we got thumped by St. Francis before Christmas I think everybody shuffled us back and thought, 'They're OK, but nothing great.' But that was a long time ago.
"We start three seniors but Caleb Sluiter was the only one who was a true starter (last season). We played St. Francis the third game of the year. It was a very talented St. Francis team and it was at their place. We lacked physical toughness at that point. We weren't as strong mentally as we needed to be."
Koopman did not panic.
"Like every season, we stay with what we do and hopefully by March we'll have things going the right way," he said.
And that's what happened. The Ramblers won their 12th district in 15 years under Koopman and then beat Charlevoix by 17 points to claim the regional.
"I thought we played tremendous defense and we rebounded," Koopman said about the win over the Rayders. "I'm pretty comfortable with what Charlevoix does. I know a little bit better how we need to prepare for them. But, again, the kids have to go out and carry out the game plan. The credit goes to them and the fact they believe in what we're doing."
On Tuesday night, McBain rallied from a five-point deficit in the final minute to beat Manistique. Trent Boeve, a 6-foot-6 center, led the Ramblers with 21 points. Garrett Sterk, a 6-4 point guard, added 18, scoring five of the team's final seven points. Boeve and Sterk lead the team in scoring at 13.5 per game each.
It will be McBain's first trip to the Final Four since 2002, and Melvindale Academy's first ever semifinal appearance. The Gators lost to Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard in the quarterfinals a year ago.
"That's what motivated us this season," Academy coach Michael Talley Jr. said. "We thought we should have made it further last year."
Talley, who played on three state championship teams at Detroit Cooley and was the state's Mr. Basketball his senior season, has led the Gators to a 65-7 record in the last three years. McBain is 65-10.
"We've been making a little bit of noise in Melvindale," Talley said.
Talley's son, Michael Talley III, has made some noise, too.
The junior guard was just named the associated Press Player of the Year in Class C for the second consecutive season.
"It's a great accomplishment," his father said. "Mike's a humble kid. He just wants his team to win. He doesn't really pay attention to the individual accolades.
"But, again, if you do the things you need to do and you get recognized for it, I think that's great as well."
Talley averages 23.5 points, 10 assists and five steals per game for the 22-2 Gators, who have won 20 in a row.
"He's been doing a great job, getting better every year," Talley said. "What we're trying to do is get him prepared for the next level. Hopefully, he'll have an opportunity to play college basketball."
Talley scored 17 points and Delance Wilson added 15 in Tuesday night's 65-61 quarterfinal win over Hanover-Horton. Senior forward Martell Wornum had nine points and 18 rebounds.
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