For International Academy of Flint senior Damarius McMillan, just being able to be on the court for the Phoenix during the state high school playoffs this season is an accomplishment. But McMillan, who missed last season with a torn ACL, also played an integral role in International Academy holding off Bendle 59-55 to clinch a district championship on February 27.
McMillan’s activity around the basket helped International Academy hold off several Bendle runs in the second and third quarters. He had three offensive rebounds and putbacks during that stretch and also scored on a nice cut to the basket and assist from guard Darrio Felder.
“He didn’t play last year at all, so he’s been hungry to get back in the flow,” said International Academy coach Kevin Crosby. “He’s done a really good job with his rehabilitation and I’m just so proud of him. Before he got injured, he was playing above the rim, dunking the ball with two hands. So to see him go out there trusting his body, trusting the doctors saying that he’s ready to play and playing off two feet, and then also being a vocal leader, emotional leader, it makes me really proud to see him win the district before he graduates.”
McMillan’s instincts, particularly his movement without the ball and activity around the basket, helped the Phoenix even during stretches when their offense struggled with turnovers and missed shots. That ability to always make things happen with movement is something he takes pride in.
“What was really working for me tonight was being in the right spots,” said McMillan, who scored 11 points. “So when my guards get a good drive, I try to create a good, easy window for them to just dump it down. In practice we do a lot of making sure we sit in the windows. So it’s really like a second nature thing to always make sure we’re in the right spots.”
International Academy’s team is balanced, with a talented backcourt that includes Felder and fellow junior Antonio Santiago. Felder led the team with 19 points and Santiago had 15 off the bench, but when defenses pressure them to try and force turnovers or get the ball out of their hands, it makes a big difference to have a player like McMillan who excels at getting into open lanes.
“We know he (McMillan) is gonna do whatever he’s gotta do to win,” Felder said.”He just plays his role and gets at it.”
International Academy led most of the game, but turnovers and missed free throws, along with a standout performance by Bendle’s A.J. Patterson kept the Tigers in the game. International Academy entered the fourth quarter with a 45-33 lead, but Bendle chipped away at it throughout the quarter.
Bendle cut the lead to as little as four in the fourth quarter, but couldn’t get the game to within one possession because International Academy kept finding answers. A jumper by Patterson cut the lead to five with 4:10 remaining, but a layup by McMillan pushed it back to seven. Bendle cut it to five again with just over two minutes remaining, but free throws by Santiago and Brandon Jackson pushed it back up to seven with :30 seconds remaining. A three by Bendle’s Ashton Rodriguez followed by an International Academy turnover gave Bendle one more chance to cut the lead below four, but the defense held as two three-point attempts in the final seconds were off the mark.
Felder’s ability to create offense also helped. He hit back-to-back threes in the first quarter, sparking a scoring run for the Phoenix, and also quieted Bendle runs in the second half with his ability to get to the basket.
“I try to slow the game down,” Felder said. “When we get sped up, we’re gonna beat ourselves. So we just gotta slow the game down, play our style of basketball.”
Even in a game when the offense stalled at times, International Academy’s defense was strong throughout – on one possession in the first half, International Academy defended for more than a minute straight with Bendle unable to get the ball inside the three-point line. The defense, combined with their ability they’ve shown all season to make plays late in games, should have them in good shape as they continue in the playoffs.
“I think the guys just stayed believing, like we did have a little small lead, but they believed in the small incremental goals that we were giving them possession by possession,” Crosby said. “It says a lot that they can follow the plan and they don’t have to abandon structure and can still play with those instincts within the structure. So I think they proved something to themselves tonight.”
Next up for International Academy, who improved to 18-4 with the win, is a matchup in regionals against Reese at 5:30 p.m. on March 3 in Cass City. Reese is 15-10 on the season and is coming off of wins over Vassar, Millington, and Michigan Lutheran Seminary in its district. Harbor Beach and Sandusky play on the other side of the regional bracket, with the winners of those games facing each other on March 5.
“What’s key for us is just staying with the same mentality,” McMillan said. “Not being satisfied with just the district, staying locked in all the way.”
Although the team does have a goal of a deep playoff run this season and the talent to do it, Crosby also hopes they take some time to enjoy each stage, including celebrating their district title.
“Number one is enjoy this moment,” he said. “Get some rest tonight. Enjoy their families and take a day to reflect and do some homework on their own individually. We play Reese next. They know how to win as well, so we just have to wrap our minds around that and be the most prepared for that game.”
A Second Straight District Title for Flint Elite
Flint Elite, a co-op team that has students from New Standard and Madison academies, won a second straight district championship with a 78-38 win over Durand on February 27. Flint Elite also won the Genesee Area Conference championship this season with an 18-4 record. They beat Byron 69-44 in the opening round of districts.
The team is led by a balanced and experienced group that includes senior Jeffrey Turner, who recently scored his 1,000th career point. Sophomore guard A.J. Smith Jr. and senior Dei’on Wright have provided solid guard play all season and Razach Spillers, Kaydin Banks, C.J. McDaniel, and Ray Scott are also among the team’s contributors this season.
Flint Elite moves on to a tough regional matchup against Jackson Lumen Christi, which finished its season 17-6 and notched lopsided district wins over Homer and Napoleon to advance to the regional. They play at 7 p.m. on March 3 in New Lothrop, with the winner moving on to face the winner between Laingsburg and Springport on March 5.
Hamady Beats Powers Catholic to Clinch District
For the second time in three seasons, Hamady and Powers Catholic faced each other in a district final. This time, after losing to Powers in 2024, the Hawks came out on top with a 65-48 win. Jordan McClain led Hamady with 21 points.
This is the second straight district title for Hamady, who beat Owosso in last season’s district final. The Hawks improved to 16-6 on the season with the win and now advance to the regional to face a talented Frankenmuth team at 5:30 p.m. on March 3 at Owosso High School. The winner faces the winner of the Freeland-Portland game on March 5 in the regional final.
Frankenmuth beat Caro and Clio to win its district and is 23-1 on the season. The team’s only loss came against Freeland on February 13. The teams did have two common opponents this season, Goodrich and Flushing. Both beat Goodrich, with Hamady winning by eight and Frankenmuth by 27. Frankenmuth beat Flushing by one in overtime and Hamady lost to them by five.
The teams last faced each other in 2023 during the regular season, with Hamady winning 79-59.
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