Transition Troubles
West Bloomfield's dragster-like
tempo helps Lakers edge Chiefs

BY ED WRIGHT
Dec. 11, 2009, 10:45 p.m.

  The pace of Friday night's Canton-West Bloomfield boys basketball game was so fast and furious that it would have made a world-class ping pong match appear as if it was in slow motion.

  Both teams raced up and down the court like men sprinting through an airport terminal, five minutes late for a departing plane.

  In the end, the Lakers' transition game proved to be just a hair better as they nipped the Chiefs, 58-57, on Spencer Parker's free throw with 3.4 seconds left.

  Canton's Kevin Weisz, who was on fire all night from beyond the arc, missed an off-balanced, desperation three as time expired.

  Canton is now 1-1 heading into Tuesday's game at Birmingham Seaholm.

 "I thought our guys competed for all 32 minutes," said Canton coach Jimmy Reddy. "We just didn't handle their transition game well enough.

  "Whether or not we made a basket or missed, they were pushing the ball down the floor. We knew they like to push the ball, but that was unbelievable."

  A pair of Chief juniors put on a show in unlikely spaces on the court. Six-foot-six Kevin Weisz was lethal from 20 feet out, nailing six triples on the way to a 22-point evening.

  Likewise, 5-foot-10 guard Dietrich Lever poured in 22, but most of his points game with slicing acrobatic moves in big-man's land.

  "They kept us in the game," Reddy said of Weisz and Lever. "They both made a number of big plays. Kevin had six threes. Dietrich shot all 11 of our free throws (making eight) and dished off eight assists."

  Canton's third-highest scorer was Yussef Bazzy, who dropped in 5 points, all within the game's first 10 minutes.

  West Bloomfield's frontcourt had the look of a bruising offensive line, but unfortunately for Canton, they were much faster and much better shooters than most offensive linemen.

  Parker registered a game-high 20 points, including several key hoops and offensive rebounds down the stretch. Larry Johnson added 12, David Poole chipped in with eight and Nick Levenitis scored six.

  Larry Johnson snatched 16 rebounds while Parker had nine.

  Canton trailed just once -- 25-23 -- in the first half, but they led at the intermission, 28-27, thanks to an and-one by Weisz.

  West Bloomfield led by as may as five in the second half, but the Chiefs stormed back to knot the game at 46-46 early in the fourth quarter on a sweet jumper by Weisz.

  West Bloomfield re-upped it advantage to 57-51 before Weisz calmly stroked back-to-back threes to tie the game with 1:32 left.

  Canton had a chance to take the lead with just over 30 seconds left, but they couldn't buy tow makable 10-footeers.

  Parker was eventually fouled with 3.4 seconds left on a strong drive through the lane. He missed the first attempt, but rattled home the second one, which proved to be the difference-maker.