East cagers earn trip to summer basketball camp

East High School basketball players Jeff Wells and Aaron Hirsh have both been dedicated to basketball since they were old enough to dribble a ball, and their hard work apparently has paid off. The two teens will spend a week this summer getting a good look from college coaches at a national competition in Ohio.

Wells, a senior, and Hirsh, a junior, were both standouts on the court this year for the Eagles. Wells, a small forward, averaged 10 points a game, and Hirsch, a point guard, averaged nine points a game and four rebounds. They will compete in the USA Junior Nationals competition July 18-24, which includes a free-throw contest, a three-point contest, and then pool play, where they will battle for a spot in the championship game.

Both qualified for the summer camp after attending a tryout of hundreds of high school players from Michigan and Canada on the Eastern Michigan University campus in early April. The competition in July will be loaded with Division II and junior college coaches and scouts, who will be looking for players to help bolster their programs.

“I went there and played not knowing if I could really make it, and in the end, I did,” Wells told a newspaper reporter last week. Wells says he is hoping this will give him an opportunity to play at the collegiate level this fall. “It’s exciting and fun,” said Wells, who also hopes the experience will earn him a basketball scholarship.

Hirsh still has a year left at East, but he also hopes that the scouts will see something they like when he takes to the hardwood at the summer camp. “It’s good to play against tougher competition. This is a lot tougher than the Metro League,” Hirsch said. The big difference: “Everyone’s a lot taller.”

The USA Junior Nationals is considered the top amateur high school basketball competition in the United States. It is viewed as an entry level to international competition and for high school athletes looking for college basketball scholarship opportunities. It is designed to serve as a gathering point for promising young players in an atmosphere of intense competition. Players who rarely are exposed to big time spring/summer competition go toe-to-toe with players of equal or superior skills.

Both students are working hard to save money for their summer trip. Each has to pay registration fees as well as transportation and lodging costs for the July competitions.

Photo caption:
Lapeer East Junior Aaron Hirsch and Senior Jeff Wells.

Lapeer West B-ball standout Anthony Sisson signs commitment with Henry Ford Community College

Lapeer West High School graduating senior and star basketball guard Anthony Sisson has inked a commitment to play at the next level for Henry Ford Community College in Dearborn next season.

Anthony averaged 13.3 points per game this season with a season high game of 25 points. A key 3-point shooter for the Panthers’ basketball team, Anthony hit 36 of 109 attempts from the 3-point stripe for a 33 percent average.

He tallied 42 steals this past season and was listed among the All Flint Metro League players. Flint Journal had a brief story today.

On Thursday, June 10, he joined his head varsity basketball coach, Andy Roberts, for a signing ceremony in the Lapeer West Media Center.

Two Lapeer West High School sports teams honored in State for classroom performance

Two Lapeer West teams were honored for performances outside of athletics.

The Lapeer West Wrestling Team was recognized by the Michigan High School Coaches Association as an Academic All-State wrestling team with a combined 3.25 grade point average. The West wrestling team is coached by Mr. Matt Nowak. A total of 14 members of the team were counted for the honor.

“Our wrestlers know that academics and team are the keys to success,” said West wrestling coach Matt Nowak.

Lapeer West’s Boys’ Basketball Team was named to the Academic All-State Honorable Mention team with a 3.396 grade point average and the 13th best grade point average among all Class A high schools in Michigan. The basketball team is coached by Mr. Andy Roberts.

Members of the West basketball team are: John Amboy, Josh Francis, Zeshawn Jones-Parker, Joe Lerma, Brian McGeary, Zach Orr, David Price, Dakota Resop, Anthony Sisson, Nate Smith and Landon Warren

"Being Academic all-state is something the players should be very proud of,” said Lapeer West basketball coach Andy Roberts. “It is a reward for their hard-work in the classroom.”

“We are proud of the work done by our students and coaches, both on the mat, court and classrooms,” said Ms. Mary Haslinger, Assistant Principal/Athletic Director at West. “We are very proud of our coaches, Andy Roberts and Matt Nowak, as well as our scholar athletes.”

Lapeer students to honor longtime teacher and coach David "KP" Kirkpatrick

For 30 years, Coach David “KP” Kirkpatrick was devoted to his students as a teacher, counselor and athletic coach.

Coach Kirkpatrick passed away last March after a battle with cancer, but his students have not forgotten the impact he made on their lives.

On Friday, February 12, the students will honor their friend and mentor with “KP Fight Cancer Night.” The varsity boys’ and girls’ basketball teams from Lapeer East and Lapeer West will dedicate their games to him. All proceeds from concession stand sales and a 50/50 drawing on that night will be donated to Katie’s Wings, a charity named after Mr. Kirkpatrick’s late daughter, Katie , that helps cancer patients. A table will be set up during the varsity games to take donations from people who would like to make additional contributions.

“On behalf of my family, thank you to the basketball teams and their coaches for the dedication of the games to KP, and thank you to those organizing the night who have invested so much of their time and energy,” Niki Kirkpatrick, the coach’s wife and a Murphy Elementary School teacher, said. “Whether in the classroom, in the counseling office or on the court, KP put everything he had into what he did. He approached his fight against cancer with the same determination and would have been so humbled by this honor and also so grateful to those supporting the cause.”

During his three decades with Lapeer Community Schools, Coach Kirkpatrick taught biology at Lapeer West and was a counselor at East and West high schools and at White Junior High School. He coached the varsity boys’ and girls’ basketball teams at Lapeer West and lower level soccer at Lapeer East. He coached junior high track at White Junior High School for years and coached youth soccer for the Lapeer Soccer Club.

Anyone unable to attend the February 12 games can still make a contribution by writing a check payable to Katie’s Wings, P.O. Box 458, Metamora, MI, 48455.

Donations can also be mailed: KP Fight Cancer Night, c/o Bill Kinzer or Andy Roberts, Lapeer West High School, 170 Millville Road, Lapeer, MI 48446