Steve Hall’s ‘unconventional’ journey leads Detroit Cass Tech boys basketball to first state title - MLive.com

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EAST LANSING -- Steve Hall did not have to return to coaching high school basketball. The veteran coach led now-closed Detroit Rogers to Class D state titles in 2003, 2004 and 2005. He also led Detroit Northwestern to its first Detroit Public School League title in 30 years back in 2008.

When he left to coach at the collegiate level starting in the 2008-09 season, no one expected him to come back.

But after four years of being an assistant coach at Duquesne and another four years at Youngstown State, Hall had the opportunity to return to his roots and coach the Detroit Cass Tech boys basketball team. A 1988 graduate of Detroit Cass Tech, Hall averaged 30.7 points for the Technicians his senior year of high school.

Realizing he still had a passion for his alma mater and with hopes of seeing Cass Tech win its first state title in boys basketball, Hall accepted the head coaching position at Cass Tech in the summer of 2015.

Hall called his journey “unconventional.”

“There was not another high school job in America that I would have taken,” Hall said. “I wasn’t eager to get back into high school. I was just eager to get back to my alma mater. That’s been my goal and that’s been my drive.”

Eight seasons later, Hall finally fulfilled his mission as Cass Tech beat Muskegon, 78-63, on Saturday afternoon at the Breslin Center in the Division 1 state championship game.

“For us to be a state champion, I’m still trying to take it all in,” Hall said. “You know, we established this goal and it’s actually been fulfilled, I’m speechless.”

RECAP: Cass Tech presses past Muskegon in fourth quarter to secure first-ever D1 state title

Like Cass Tech had done in big games many times this season, it didn’t win pretty against the Big Reds. Despite committing 24 fouls and missing 10 free-throws, Cass Tech found a way to get past Muskegon.

In the semifinals a day prior, Cass Tech shot 60 percent at the free-throw line and was heavily out-rebounded by Grand Blanc and still won in overtime as Cass Tech tied the game with bank-shot 3-pointer just before the buzzer. In the quarterfinals, it fought back from a third quarter deficit to beat Ann Arbor Huron by five points.

Cass Tech even won its Detroit Public School League title this year in thrilling but ugly fashion, battling back from a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat Detroit Martin Luther King in overtime.

If a game gets ugly or messy, Cass Tech still finds a way to thrive.

Once again, Hall found the word “unconventional” to be fitting when talking about his team.

“You know, last year we had a lot of size and we graduated all of our size,” Hall said. “They’ve got a lot of will and a lot of toughness. We’re unconventional. We make people uncomfortable. I kind of had to try to find out how to turn a negative into a positive. It was just a perfect storm because they play well together and it’s just hard to match up with us. They have a lot of energy, a lot of drive and a lot of toughness. I think that’s what made us special.”

Cass Tech is so comfortable with being uncomfortable that it had no issue carrying on when secondary ballhandler Corey Sadler Jr. fouled out with 6:29 to play with the Technicians holding a narrow 50-47 lead. Thanks to senior guard Sean Hodges coming off the bench, Cass Tech never missed a beat.

“We had quite a bit of foul trouble,” Hall said. “There were several individuals that were in foul trouble. I needed a second ballhandler so I felt as though (Hodges) is good in situations where they deny (sophomore guard Darius) Acuff. Sean is just a tough kid. Like I said, he’s been with me for four years and I just had a conversation with him saying I’m counting on you, I believe in you.”

Hall’s beliefs were not misplaced as the 5-foot-9 Hodges stepped up by scoring back-to-back baskets just over 40 seconds apart to give Cass Tech a 59-48 lead with 3:52 remaining, forcing Muskegon into a timeout too.

Hodges believes he was made for ugly, scrappy games. Thankfully for Cass Tech, Hodges sees himself as an unconventional scorer.

“Most of my points come off of putbacks and hustle points,” Hodges said. “I’m seasoned, but I’m also scrappy. I usually don’t get the conventional isos or points like that. I get my points off hustle, steals, putbacks. I’ve been doing that all season.”

Hodges finished with six points, a far cry from the 19 points scored by teammates Acuff and 6-foot-5 center Travon Cooper. Cass Tech’s 6-foot-5 senior forward Kenneth Robertson scored 15 points.

“We never look scared,” Acuff said. “We’re never rattled and coach Hall makes that easy for us because he encourages his guys and he gets on you at practice. It just makes you want to go harder. It’s just something about these big games. I don’t know, everybody be ready.”

Acuff carried Cass Tech through and out of many messy situations this season and has already made a reputation of being one of the top scorers in Michigan. As much as he wanted to deliver Cass Tech it’s first title, Acuff wanted to win the trophy for his coach in any way possible.

“He never got one as a player at Cass and he’s been here since about 2016,” Acuff said. “I just wanted to get it for him. I’m happy for him, for sure.”

Knowing it was unconventionally small for a state championship team, Cass Tech played to its strengths at every turn.

“Resilient, competitive, driven, determined,” Hall said of his players. “I can’t think of a time, dating back to the summer where we had a game where it was a one-possession game where we didn’t have a chance to win. Last summer, last fall and all season, we lost one game and that was in overtime and we had the ball last and it was in the air. If it goes in, we don’t lose the game... It’s just a different group.”

“It’s just a whirlwind,” Hall said. “It seemed like just yesterday I was trying to make sure I won my district. After that, you know, we had Huron and that was a tough game and I spent a lot of time preparing for that. Then, we had a tough one yesterday (in the semifinals) and you’ve got to play against Muskegon with one day of preparation. It’s just been an absolute whirlwind.”

The good thing about whirlwinds is they tend to be messy too.

“That’s what you sign up for, man,” Hall said. “Now, I can kind of reflect on it and enjoy it. Up to this point, it’s been a record-breaking year, but I don’t know if I can say I have had a chance to enjoy it because I’ve always been consumed with what’s next.”

Hall said he finally plans to take some time to unwind and adsorb everything that happened this season. After a unconventional season that got messy at all the right times, worrying about being a defending champion will have to wait.

“It’s going to be a while before I start worrying about that, I can promise you that,” Hall said. “I’m going to take a while to reflect and enjoy what we accomplished this year.”

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