Home / News & Publications / Michigan Catholic News / 2009 / St. Mary's Prep roots for its own in NCAA tourney
St. Mary's Prep roots for its own in NCAA tourney
by Joe Kohn of The Michigan Catholic
Published Online April 3, 2009
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Photo by Gregg McIntosh
Kalin Lucas, who now wears No. 1 for the Michigan State Spartans, just two years ago helped lead St. Mary's Preparatory in Orchard Lake to a Catholic League Championship. |
Detroit -- When the Michigan State Spartans take the court at Detroit's Ford Field for NCAA's Division 1 championship tournament this weekend, they'll be led by none other than a Catholic High School League alumnus.
MSU point guard Kalin Lucas, named last month as the Spartans' MVP, is just two years removed from helping lead St. Mary's Preparatory in Orchard Lake to the 2007 Catholic League Championship. And those at St. Mary's will be watching the Sterling Heights native in the Final Four with an added sense of pride.
"He was such a well-liked young man and everybody's happy for him and for Michigan State," says George Porritt, athletic director and Lucas's former basketball coach with the St. Mary's Eaglets. "He remembers the Catholic League, too. We're wishing him well."
Porritt praised his former star for his speed and strength on the court, as well as his work ethic and attitude away from the hardwood. Averaging nearly 15 points per game for the Spartans, Lucas is playing the position once held by standouts Earvin "Magic" Johnson and Mateen Cleaves.
Since his graduation from St. Mary's, Lucas has been no stranger to the Orchard Lake campus, Porritt says.
"He comes back all the time," he says. "He came back and was in the gym in December with his dad working on some shots and some free-throws. He's been doing that ever since he was a freshman."
Porritt and some other members of St. Mary's athletic staff went to Indianapolis to watch Lucas and MSU play earlier in this year's NCAA tournament. A group of coaches, alumni and students also will be in downtown Detroit as MSU squares off against the University of Connecticut at 6 p.m. on Saturday.
"I'm so happy for him," says Porritt. "I know how hard he works. He loves the game. He plays the game with passion and he works with passion. So it's fun for our school and our coaching staff to be able to watch him play at such a high level."
One other member of the Spartans also had an upbringing in the Catholic High School League. Guard Durrell Summers, who averages eight points per game for the Spartans, had played basketball for Bishop Borgess High School in Redford Township before the school closed in 2005.
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