Dietrich Lever drew a foul on this third quarter foul Friday night.

A Great
Season Ends

Canton comeback comes up just short in Class A District title game

BY ED WRIGHT
March 12, 2010, 10:45 p.m.

  Trailing Novi by 14 points late in the third quarter of Friday night's Class A District final, Canton's boys basketball team was in need of an unbe-Lever-ble comeback.

  The Chiefs almost got it.

   Powered by a barrage of fourth-quarter triples -- two by Dietrich Lever and one each from Alec Martin and Kevin Weisz -- Canton  pulled to within 58-53 with 1:19 left on a deep-corner Lever triple, but the Wildcats drained five free throws during the final 56.8 seconds to hold on for a 63-55 victory.

  The triumph was extra sweet for the host Wildcats, who lost in the District final each of the past two years.

  The setback put the brakes on a sensational season for the Chiefs, who finished  with a 16-7 record and co-KLAA South Division title.

  "This is such a great group of guys," said Canton coach Jimmy Reddy. "They didn't quit all season and they didn't quit tonight. I've coached the six seniors since they were freshmen and I've loved every minute of it."

  Canton faced a daunting 51-37 deficit one minute into the fourth quarter when Justin Hopton stroked a long three from the top of the key.

  But a Kevin Weisz trey followed seven seconds later by a a steal and layup from Lever sliced the Chiefs' deficit to 51-42.

  Novi countered with a pair of free throws from Jeremy Mims and a baseline jumper by Samer Ozier to rebuild a 55-42 edge, but the resilient Chiefs answered with back-to-back triples from Lever and Alec Martin to draw to within 55-48.

  Novi's Brandon Rydzewski nailed a deep three-pointer to put his team up 58-48, but the Chiefs scored the next five points on a Brandon Duffey dunk and a Lever triple to pull to within 58-53 with 1:19 to play.

  "We lost a couple games this year because we didn't close well, but I thought our guys played very well defensively down the stretch," said Novi coach Cory Heitsch, whose team improved to 18-5.

  Canton never got within five in the final minute. The Chiefs' last gasp came with 24 ticks left when -- trailing 62-55 -- Martin's 23-foot three rolled around the rim before bouncing out.

  Lever closed out his junior season in spectacular fashion, scoring 26 points -- his third straight game of 25-plus points. Duffey's career ended with a solid 11-point night that was hampered by foul trouble.

  "Brandon played very well when he was out there," said Reddy. "He got in a little foul trouble, which has been his bug-a-boo all year. When he was on the court, he made plays."

  Novi's scoring ledger couldn't have been much more balanced. Mims and Ozier both scored 15 while Regnier contributed 14.

  Paul Baumgart paced the Chiefs' rebounders, pulling down five. Weisz and Hayatt Ali both grabbed four boards for Canton.

  Ozier, the Wildcats' 6-foot-8 forward, led all rebounders with nine.

  Canton hit 21 of 58 field goals (36.2 percent) and just six of 15 free throws (40 percent).

  Novi connected on half its field goals (21 of 42) and 18 of 26 free throws (69.2).