Game 76
(1/29/10)
Macomb @ Monmouth-Roseville (Boy's Basketball)
Taking the night off from website work on Wednesday, I headed up to State Farm agent Alan Thompson's office in Macomb. He hosts card night every Wednesday and a usually large contingent of guys are in attendance. We spoke about the big matchup between the Titans and the Bombers a couple days ahead, and reminded them to wear white, since Monmouth-Roseville was hosting "White Out Night". They didn't find that too funny. I even offered to hand out white shirts to Bomber fans that needed them.
It's always fun being on both sides of this big rivalry, with many friends from both sides. The rivalry can get pretty heated on the court....and on this night, even in the stands!
Since it was a pack the place night, and Macomb travels well, there would not be an empty seat in the house. I wanted to get to the gym extra early, and take care of both pregame interviews, so I didn't have to walk all over people from my broadcast perch.
I got to the gym at about 5:15, and already there were a few fans staking claim to seats. 45 minutes before the JV game was set to tip off. As I set my equipment down, Macomb statistician Dan Rouse came up and we chatted about the Monmouth/Macomb rivalry. The two teams were meeting for the 160th team (obviously predating the consolidation with Roseville). Since Monmouth and Roseville combined, the Titans were just 3-7 against the Bombers.
Dan also said he wanted to get something going for next year at Macomb, since it will be the 100th year of Macomb High School basketball. It's a work-in-progress.
After our talk, I headed down to speak with Danny Watson. We discussed the Macomb/Orion game, and how heated the end of the JV game got. Macomb was issued a technical after a Macomb player "didn't check in". There was a big argument, and things got heated very quickly to start the varsity game. Danny said that it was probably a good thing that the weather conditions were poor that night, or it could have gotten ugly in the stands.
After our pregame talk, I couldn't track down coach Grant. I returned to my booth for the start of the JV game. By halftime of the JV game, there were few seats unattended. I managed to shimmy around several fans sitting in the bleachers below my location, and got my pregame talk with Chuck Grant over with.
At the start of the third quarter, I made my way back through the fans and prepared everything for the broadcast. During the third quarter of the JV game, my broadcast partner for the night, Sam Brooks, questioned how to get up to our perch, and he made his way through safely.
Monmouth-Roseville High School's Velocity performed the National Anthem. Velocity is under the direction of Kevin Ferry, the music director is in his first year at the school. I know Ferry back from his Avon days, as he was an assistant football coach for the B-PC/A Spartans when I broadcasted their games a few years back. Ferry also provided color commentary for my Titans football broadcasts this past fall. He was texting me to make sure I gave him a shout out, as he was out of town at a music performance.
The first quarter began in a heated battle between the two teams. Things were starting to get ugly towards the end of the first quarter. At one point, Macomb's Tyler Thorman took a hard fall, and quickly got up to retaliate. The officials made quick work to stop the exchange, and started calling the game much tighter after that. Also, during the first half, Patrick Thompson took an elbow to the nose from Macomb's Alex Heille. Thompson was whistled on the reach-in foul. This is the third nose that Heille has elbowed this season, and second this week (Tanner Williams took a shot earlier in the week). Thompson was rightfully called on the foul, and the swinging elbows were not thrown maliciously.
At halftime, the Bombers took a 29-25 lead into the locker rooms. Neither team turned the ball over too much. In the first half, Macomb coughed it up seven times, while the Titans turned it over eight times.
Monmouth-Roseville jumped out to a 40-33 lead late in the third quarter. At the 1:48 mark, Matt Gordy took a steal down the court, and was fouled by Cory Jensen in a mid-air collision. This hit sent both players hard to the floor. Gordy received the brunt of the fall, hitting the back of his head on the wall seperating the doors of the gym. After a 10-minute delay in aiding Gordy on the floor, he was sent into the locker room. His dad, Dennis Gordy, told me after the game that he received six stitches in the locker room. When Gordy left the game, his team trailed by seven points. When he returned to the bench late in the fourth quarter, his team had taken a two-point lead.
That injury to Gordy sparked the Bombers, as they went on a 7-0 run heading into the fourth quarter. Macomb didn't look back, and Monmouth-Roseville did many things to let this game slip away. The Titans shot just (7-19) from the free throw line, and of their 14 total turnovers, seven were traveling calls (mostly unforced). Macomb didn't quite help their cause at the charity stripe, going (15-26), however they were (7-13) in the fourth quarter.
Tyler Thorman led Macomb with 16 points, followed by Seth Wickert and Alex Roberts with 14 points apiece. Monmouth-Roseville got a game-high 18 points from Alex Bresnahan, and 12 points from Cory Jensen.
With the win, coupled with Sherrard's victory over Orion on this night, the Bombers jumped into sole posession of first place in the Olympic Conference. Sherrard and Orion both have two losses in the league, with Macomb just one (to Orion).
After the game, I met up with my K100 (Macomb) broadcast buddies, Kipp Jones and Kelly Sears (Macomb Football coach). Coach Sears and I made many roadtrips working on K100 broadcasts over the last few years. They both razzed me about the "Get to Know Beau" section in the Monmouth-Roseville sports programs. I asked Coach Sears why he hasn't been putting his name out there for other jobs. He was a finalist at both Hoffman Estates and DeKalb three years ago, but withdrew to stay at Macomb. Sears says he is content, so Bomber fans rejoice.
And my postgame meal was some combo meal from Burger King. A big sandwich with all the trimmings. It was one of those fast food drive-thru moments where you freeze and have no idea what you want, so I blurted out a number. Something I paid for dearly on Saturday morning.
The Quest File Notes
Game 76
Date: 1/29/10
Result: In a physical game, Macomb rallies for a 64-59 at Monmouth-Roseville
Miles: 70
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