MSD put those talents to good use in basketball Tuesday night and took a 61-33 victory over Valley School in the Class D district tournament at MSD.

The Tartars (7-14) advanced to a semifinal game at 7:30 p.m. Thursday against International Academy. Genesee Christian and Faith High will play at 6.

Nate Boyd scored 17 points and Terran Bullock and Isaiah Malone added 13 each to lead MSD, which used an effective passing game complete with long bombs and short, laser bullets through the lane.

Boyd was the primary receiver, at one point catching a long pass in full stride and scoring to give the Tartars their largest lead, 55-24, with 4:58 left.

"I've never played a football game, but I would love to," Boyd said through sign language after the game. "There are not enough kids here."

Malone was a deadly passer with three assists, and the 5-foot Bullock played option quarterback, driving the lane or baseline before pitching the ball to open teammates.

"We could be a good football team," agreed MSD coach Ron Guthrie, who played football at Flushing High and Saginaw Valley State University. "It's a mentality we try to have. We play physical, hard defense, we rebound and we try to pass the ball well."

The Tartars had 25 more shots (71-46) than Valley, helped greatly by its control of the boards. Jon Stec grabbed 12 rebounds and Boyd and Malone added eight apiece.

Valley (2-17), a school with just 25 students, had trouble penetrating MSD's zone defense and turned the ball over 27 times. The Gators fell behind 10-0 and never threatened thereafter.

"The turnovers played a part, and we didn't shoot well early, so it got away from us fast," said Valley coach Kres Washington. "But it really started with these guys being nervous. There's a mindset necessary to play well, and we don't have that yet.

"But they're still young, so we'll learn and keep working at it."

Declan Murphy led Valley with 10 points. Mike Doherty added eight points and nine rebounds, and Hanni Saab had seven points and nine steals.

MSD might have trouble surviving the district, but the Tartars should return 10 players from a team that rose to sixth place in the Inner State Athletic Conference at 5-9 this year.

"We have a lot of young leadership in our sophomores and juniors," said Guthrie. "We're fundamentally getting better, and as far as learning the team concept of basketball, we're really starting to get it."

Michigan School for the Deaf 61 - Boyd 8 1-2 17, Malone 5 2-5 13, Bullock 6 1-2 13, Davis 3 0-0 6, Stec 1 0-0 2, Burt 1 0-0 2, Fortt 2 0-0 4, Hogan 0 0-0 0, Watkins 1 0-0 2, Greer 0 0-0 0, Middlewood 1 0-0 2. Totals 28 4-9 61.

Valley School 33 - Saab 3 1-2 7, Hudson 2 0-0 4, Doherty 3 1-1 8, Murphy 5 0-0 10, Levine 0 0-0 0, Piggott 0 0-2 0, Isaac 0 0-0 0, Jibrin 0 0-0 0, Custer 2 0-0 4. Totals 15 2-5 33.

MSD 15 12 19 15 - 61

Valley 8 4 8 13 - 33

3-point goals - MSD: Malone. Valley: Doherty.

By Dan Nilsen
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