Northville boys hoops team ushers in New Year with impressive win

Northville junior post player Brody Grezak was tough to stop down low for Fenton.
If the Northville boys basketball team’s list of New Year’s resolutions included sharing the ball, playing gritty defense and displaying poise when faced with adversity, well, it’s off to a good start.
Led by 6-foot-7 junior Brody Grezak’s 20-point masterpiece — which included powerful finishing moves in the paint, mid-range jumpers and net-finding 3’s — the Mustangs outlasted feisty Fenton, 66-54, Friday night to up their record to 5-3.
Two of Northville’s three setbacks have come against heavyweights Clarkston and Dearborn.
Although it entered Friday’s showdown with a 1-6 record, the Tigers came out roaring, building a six-point first-half lead before settling for a 36-33 halftime lead.
Payne’s hustle a pain for Fenton
Northville’s Andrew Payne knotted the game at 33-33 with 2.4 seconds left before intermission with an old-fashioned three-point play after converting a layup while getting fouled (and swishing the ensuing free throw).

A Fenton player (the team’s roster is not listed online) drained a half-court shot to put the visitors up 36-33 at the half.
In addition to Grezak, the Mustangs’ double-digit-scoring club was joined by Kaden Kuban (12 points); and Nate-Isiah Imbuzeiro and Simon Sondreal, who both contributed 11.
The winner’s top reserve was senior Bennett Watson, who added seven points.
Mustangs own 4th quarter
Northville built a 48-42 lead after three periods before breaking the game open over the final eight minutes with near-flawless shooting that was the result of crisp ball movement.
The Mustangs were relentless on the boards. Among its top rebounders was Marcus Hudson, who secured four offensive caroms to help re-start the hosts’ offense.
If Grezak had a weakness Friday night, it would have required a microscope to find. He frustrated Fenton with strong moves to the hoop — twice getting fouled while converting close-range buckets — mid-range turn-around jump shots and a pair of long-range triples.
Kuban’s putback huge
Kuban played his customary lock-down defense on Fenton’s most-dangerous scorers and scored close to the basket and from three-point-land.

Kuban’s most-impressive two points came in the third quarter — with the game still tight — when he out-willed a pair of taller Fenton defenders for an offensive rebound and muscled it into the cylinder with two Tigers close enough to him to smell his brand of deodorant.
Tyson Ballard was a menace for the Mustangs to contain, scoring 16 points on a series of scoop-and-score shots.
Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.
