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Mike Eckert

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March 19, 2009

Mike Eckert: A family affair in McBain

By MIKE ECKERT

There were tears shed at McBain's press conference following Thursday's Class C semifinal basketball win over Napoleon.

Win or lose, it's probably a safe bet the waterworks will be back after today's 4 p.m. state title game against Flint Hamady.

And there's nothing wrong with it. These are tears of pride.

In McBain, basketball is more than just a game. It's a family affair.

The Ramblers are led by two-time first-team All-State senior Elizabeth Hamlet. She's joined on the court by her sister, freshman Annemarie Hamlet. And they're coached by their father, Todd Hamlet.

"God has given us an incredible peace this year," Todd Hamlet said before getting choked up in his press conference. "It's just amazing what He's done for our family and our team."

For the Hamlets, this magical season has been a long time in the making.

"Elizabeth and I have been talking about this since about 2005," Hamlet said. "The fact that Annemarie gets to join her is just a double blessing."

But make no mistake, Annemarie isn't just along for the ride. In Thursday's win, the freshman scored 22 points, second only to Elizabeth's 23.

"She's the best freshman in the state," Elizabeth Hamlet said. "I'll put it in print, best freshman in the state."

While the Hamlets have headlined McBain basketball this year, basketball has not dominated their family life.

"As far as coaching my daughters, it's been a joy," Hamlet said. "We get into it a bit, there's no doubt about that. It's tough at times, but we don't talk much basketball at home, believe it or not. We talk maybe 15 minutes after a game and then try to move on and be a family."

So does that make Todd Hamlet more of a coach or a father?

"On the floor, I'm definitely more of a coach," he said. "But I get to get away with more things, like yelling at them a little more than anyone else. But they respond well. They're floor leaders, they're generals, and it's just a blessing.

"I always tell my kids that because they're my daughters and they play for me, they've got to work harder than everybody. That way, there are no excuses when they're out there doing what they do."

The Hamlets aren't the only ones with family ties on the McBain roster. There are twin sisters Megan and Morgan VanderVlucht. Chelsi and Sarah Westdorp are cousins.

The Ramblers will now turn their attention to capturing the Class C title this afternoon. Looming is unbeaten and top-ranked Flint Hamady.

"Hamady's the real deal," Todd Hamlet said. "In my opinion they're the best team in the state. They've got two or three real sharp players, the girl (Jasmine Thomas) going to Michigan State, obviously."

Coach Hamlet likened Hamady to Class A's Kalamazoo Loy-Norris, which the Ramblers beat 52-47 during a holiday tournament.

"We're going to have to play smart," Hamlet said. "We're going to have to play under control, disciplined, we're going to have to do all of the things that we need to do. We're a defensive team, we're just going to have to battle it out. They're a great team."

If they do, it would end a memorable run.

It's a run that started with McBain losing 51-44 on opening night to defending Class D champion New Lothrop before rifling off 26 straight wins. A run that included another Highland Conference title and moved McBain's unbeaten streak in league play to 42 games. It's a run that saw Elizabeth Hamlet honored as one of the best in the state for the second year in a row and a run that could end with two sets of sisters holding a championship trophy.

When the dust settles, it will no doubt be tough for the Hamlet family to top the memories of this season. However, history could one day repeat itself, at least a few years down the road.

"I've got another one (Meredith) in sixth grade who's on the bench with us," Hamlet said. "She gets to watch right now. When Annemarie's a senior, she'll be a freshman."

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