Following a heartbreaking overtime loss against Pinckney, which ended their perfect record, with a final score of 50-47, the varsity boys basketball team planned to jump back on track against Crestwood. But this wasn’t just an ordinary game. The game was being played at Little Caesars Arena. This is the same place where the Detroit Pistons and Red Wings play their home games. With such pressure playing at the biggest arena they have yet, with a final score of 50-47, the boys actually won this game, which was the same score as the Pinckney game.

“That was definitely the most nervous I have been going into a game,” Freshman Evan Lockhart said. “It let up a little during the game, but it didn’t help that we started slow.”

“It wasn’t any different for me before the game, but I did get a little nervous during the game because we didn’t start all that well,” Freshman Jonathan Crow said. 

“While playing, I felt a little nervous just because of the outcome, as we started a little slow playing a D1 team. But then the shots started to fall, and we started to outscore them a little bit,” Senior captain Noah Sandecki said. 

The team is doing so well for such a young team. Coach Lott is looking forward to the future for many more years.

“I love moments of big games at different venues, and I love the opportunity to play in an arena because if we are ever going to win a State Title, we will have to play in one,” Coach Nate Lott said.

Lott thought that the team played well against a harder team and was proud of the result. “I thought the boys played hard against a Division 1 school, l and in the end, we came out with a great Overtime victory.” 

Lott explained that he loved the whole night, from the departure from Stockbridge to the team dinner, to watching the expressions on the kids’ faces during the Pistons games.

 “Overall,  just a perfect day, and all I can say is “WOW” about how Panther Nation showed out. I’m very blessed to be part of it and wouldn’t change it for anything.”