Dietrich Lever isn't afraid to venture into the paint to take players more than a half-foot taller than him. (John Kemski photo)

Electrifying Lever is catalyst for Canton's up-tempo offense

BY ED WRIGHT
Jan. 25, 2010, 10:30 p.m.

  Leave your seat at your own risk during Canton boys basketball games.

  If you venture out of the gym only for a two-minute trip to the concession stand or a brief visit to the restroom, you're liable to miss a Dietrich Lever creation that would have forced a few "oooohhhs" and "aaaaahhhs" out of your mouth.

  "There have been so many," said Canton coach Jim Reddy, when asked about his favorite Lever sequence this season. "Just the other night against Glenn, he did this cross-over spin at the top of the key, pulled up for a jumper at the elbow, got hammered from behind and made the shot. He didn't get the call, but it was an amazing play.

  "He's done stuff like that a lot this year. The thing is, though, is that most of his best plays are usually passes."

  Watching Lever perform his magic on Tuesday and Friday nights is well worth the $5 admission price. The lanky, 5-foot-10 point guard possesses ball-handling skills that would make the great Marques Haynes proud.

  "He probably has the best ball-handling skills for a Canton point guard since Ted Docks (1995)," said Reddy.

BIG TALENT
  And once he enters the paint with the big fellas, Lever's creativity, jumping ability and heart of a lion make it a fair fight against guys six to 10 inches taller than him.

  "He's a very talented player," Reddy emphasized. "He does a great job of creating shots for other people, and he can also get in the lane and finish himself.

  "One thing Dietrich has really improved on this year -- and he will continue to work on over the spring and summer -- is his outside shot. He's dangerous now with the ball. Once he consistently starts knocking down three-point shots, he's going to be very dangerous."

  Considering the age at which Lever's passion for basketball first developed, his current skills are understandable.

  "I started dribbling a ball around the house for the first time when I was 2 years old," said Lever, whose cousin is former NBA star Lafayette Lever. "My dad put a ball in my hands real early. He's been my main source of learning about the game."

EARLY DOMINATION
  A year-round player, Lever's robust talent started to explode at the age of 10 when he averaged 22 points per game for his Redford Township Junior Athletic Association team. His point total was the second-highest in the history of the league.

  He later went on to star at Discovery Middle School, leading the Eagles to a city championship, before heading to Canton High School, where he was promoted to the varsity late in his freshman year.

  Inserted into the line-up during a district-opening game against Novi, the fearless ninth-grader tallied 12 points off the bench, giving Chief fans a taste of things to come.

  While he loves the game a lot, he doesn't sleep with a basketball cradled in his arms.

  "But I do have a basketball pillow," he said, flashing a huge smile.

  He has a lot in common -- except for the money, of course -- with his favorite NBA player. They're both small, thin, quick and capable of making any defender on the court look silly.

  "I like Allen Iverson," he said, referring to possibly the greatest sub-6-foot player to ever play in the NBA. "I kind of patterned my game after him. I like Chris Paul, too, because he passes a lot more than Iverson and I like to pass."

NEVER A DULL MOMENT
  Once after-school practice is over in Canton's Phase III gymnasium, Lever usually heads over to Canton's High Velocity Sports to polish his skills even more.

  "I work with a trainer at High Velocity, Troy Coleman," he said. "I'll usually go over there and do drills for an hour, work on my shot for an hour then maybe play a little," he said.

  Once the training is over, Lever will head home, grab a bite to eat, do his homework -- he carries a 3.5 grade-point average ("It could be 3.8 depending on how my finals go this week," he added), then play a few sports-related video games.

  Given Lever's combination of skill and work ethic, he may be featured in one of those videos some day.

  "I hope so," he said, smiling as he dribbled a basketball so fluidly that you'd swear it was attached to a string on his wrist. "I want to make it as high as I can in this sport. I have some mid-majors (colleges) looking at me now, but I'd really like to play Division 1."

  Ed Wright can be reached at (734) 453-1980 or info@plymouthcantonsports.com.