DAY OF GLORY: Yellowjackets claim 7th state crown

EAST LANSING -- Darnell Brown missed three free throws in the final minute of the Class B state championship game Saturday.

"I was shocked," said Darryl Nobles, Brown's teammate on the Birmingham Detroit Country Daysquad.

Surprised, definitely," added Yellowjackets forward Clayton Beard.

But those missed foul shots didn't detract from Brown's accomplishments.

He has been "Mr. Clutch" all season for Country Day, especially in the playoffs -- including the first 31 minutes of a 66-61 win over East Grand Rapids.

Country Day captured its seventh state title and its first since 1997.

Brown, a junior guard, led the Yellowjackets (22-6) with 22 points and eight rebounds, including a three-pointer with four minutes left that gave his team a 57-56 lead.

"He killed us down the stretch," East Grand Rapids guard DeMarcus Grady said. "He hit the three -- that was the turning point of the game."

And Brown also made four free throws in the final minute, including two during a one-and-one situation that gave Country Day a 64-58 lead with 55 seconds left.

"I can live with his three misses in a state championship win," Country Day guard James Nelson said. "You can't be mad at him. He's been great for us all year."

Brown scored 20 against Stevensville Lakeshore in the semis, 19 against Detroit Southwestern in the quarters, 15 against Detroit Crockett in the regional finals and 18 against Detroit Renaissance in the regional semifinals.

Brown is well known among his teammates for staying after practice, taking thousands of extra shots.

"Extra free throws, extra jump shots," he said. "And I always think in my head that we're down one, down two."

Country Day also got 14 points from Nobles, 13 points from Beard and five assists from Nelson. DaShonte Riley, a 6-foot-11 center, blocked five shots.

East (25-3) lost in the finals for the second straight year. Kelvin Grady scored 20 points, Justin Anyijong had 19 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks, and DeMarcus Grady scored 19 points.

The Pioneers stayed close until Brown's free throws made Country Day's lead insurmountable. Then, apparently, Brown relaxed.

"I had some jitters at the end," he said. "I was a little disappointed I missed the free throws, but at the same time, in the back of my mind, I knew they couldn't come back."

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