Order on the Court

“Dunk you very much,” says Warren De La Salle boys basketball star Michael Sulaka during the Division 1 state championship game vs. Grand Blanc in the Breslin Center at Michigan State University.

A memorable high school basketball season

By Steve Stein

Michael Sulaka was a big reason why Warren De La Salle won a state championship, coach Brandon Sinawi’s Detroit Catholic Central team staged a remarkable late-season turnaround, and coach Joe Sermo’s Berkley team played in an emotional game where the final score wasn’t that important.

It was quite a high school boys basketball season for the 6-foot-8, 205-pound Sulaka and the two coaches.

Sulaka and Sinawi crossed paths because their teams both are in the Catholic League Central Division. Catholic Central won two of the three games it played against De La Salle, including a Catholic League tournament semifinal.

“If we couldn’t win the (Division 1) state championship, it was great to see someone from our division win it and see Michael be such of a big part of that,” Sinawi said. “But I’m not looking forward to playing against him again next season.”

Sulaka averaged 10.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game this season. He shot 60% from the floor (111-for-185) and 76% at the free throw line (45-for-59). While those statistics are impressive, the junior was a monster in the stretch run of the state tournament as he helped steer the Pilots (20-7) to the first boys basketball state title in school history.

Sulaka scored 26 points vs. Macomb Dakota in the regional finals, 16 points in the quarterfinals vs. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, and 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting while also grabbing eight rebounds and blocking four shots in just 21 minutes vs. Grand Rapids Northview in the state semifinals.

De La Salle beat defending state champion Grand Blanc 67-58 on March 26 in the state championship game at the Breslin Center at Michigan State University after trailing by seven points in the third quarter. Sulaka had nine points and eight rebounds in that game for De La Salle, which advanced to the state semifinals for the second straight year but played in its first state title game in 40 years.

College coaches are knocking on Sulaka’s door.

“I’ve gotten offers from (Division I) Toledo and three Division II schools, and I’m talking to a bunch more schools,” he said. “I’m looking for a school with good academics and where I can help the basketball team.”

The classroom is right alongside basketball as top priorities in Sulaka’s life. He has a 4.1 grade-point average at De La Salle and is leaning toward studying electrical engineering in college.

Sulaka’s basketball skills are a work in progress. He’s fine with that.

Asked what parts of his game he needs to work on, he said, “Everything. I’m always working on getting better, whether it’s dribbling, shooting, blocking shots, being a lock-down defender ....”

Accompanying his drive to improve is a sturdy mentality. He doesn’t get rattled when he plays in a hostile environment. “I love road games,” he said.

Northview brought a big crowd to the state semifinal game vs. De La Salle. That didn’t faze Sulaka.

With the high school season in the rear-view mirror, Sulaka is playing travel basketball these days for the Grand Rapids Storm. He’ll be headed to places like Chicago, Atlanta, and Kansas City for tournaments.

Sulaka lives in Macomb Township with his parents, Larry and Ann. His older brother Matthew, 19, played basketball at Utica Ford.

Sinawi’s Catholic Central team went 2-6 in the five-team Catholic League Central Division and finished in last place. That wasn’t what was expected from a team ranked in the top 10 in Division 1 in pre-season polls.

The Shamrocks rose from the Central Division basement to make it to the Catholic League tournament championship game, win a regional championship for the first time since 2009, advance to the state quarterfinals, and finish the season 16-9. Catholic Central beat Clarkston 52-46 on March 16 at Lake Orion to end its 13-year regional title drought.

Sinawi wasn’t surprised by his team’s late-season surge. “This team was built tough,” the fourth-year Catholic Central coach said. “There were brief moments of frustration during the season, but we never wavered.

“We played a tough non-league schedule. I get it that the regular season is important, but it’s not the be all, end all. You play the best teams you can during the regular season to get ready for March.”

Sermo’s Berkley team played in the first boys basketball game at Oxford following the fatal shootings November 30 at that school. Berkley coaches and players joined Oxford coaches and players in wearing “Oxford Strong” T-shirts at the February 4 game as a sign of solidarity. Berkley won the Oakland Activities Association Blue Division game 59-48, but there were other reasons for celebrating that night.

“I always tell our kids that your win/loss record in a season will disappear through the years. What you will remember are moments within a season, like the Oxford game,” Sermo said. “It was an honor to be at Oxford that night. For a couple hours, it was all about basketball there.

“(Oxford coach) Steve Laidlaw is a good friend. He lives in Oxford. He did a great job navigating his team through this season.”

Berkley finished 13-9, 5-5 in Sermo’s sixth year as coach with a young team that showed great promise.