Fitzgerald basketball handling jump to MAC White

WARREN — Adversity has never been anything Warren Fitzgerald boys basketball wasn’t accustomed to.

Since winning a share of the Macomb Area Conference Blue in 2014, the Spartans were simply an afterthought in its respective league, finishing near the bottom or the middle of the pack most seasons.

Through every storm, head coach Venias Jordan, entering his sixth season with the Spartans, saw improvements — improvements that would eventually lay the foundation for where the program is today.

“I look at the best teams like U of D (Jesuit), Orchard Lake (St Mary’s), and (Detroit) Cass Tech with how they respond to adversity and stuff like that,” Jordan said.

Currently 10-1, ranked 19th in The D Zone 100, and holding the top spot in the MAC White with a 3-0 record, it’s safe to say pressure made diamonds for the Spartans’ basketball program.

Last year was a steppingstone, posting a 17-6 record and winning the MAC Gold, but it was only enjoyable for the moment before Fitzgerald would find its new home in the MAC White — two leagues above the Gold.

“I was trying to get up as high as we could get,” Jordan said. “Eventually, we hope we can get up to the Red with Lincoln and the heavy hitters.”

Fitzgerald should consider themselves in the heavy-hitter conversation, especially after suffering a 39-37 loss to the two-time MAC Red defending champions, Grosse Pointe South, Dec. 12 at Grosse Pointe South High School.

“I’m still kicking myself about that game,” Jordan said. “Stephen Benard is such a good coach. He just makes you outthink yourself a little bit. I don’t think we played our best basketball that night, and a lot of credit to them. We had our chance up two with 45 seconds to go.”

Fitzgerald hasn’t necessarily shown the ability to blow teams out with a dominant offensive performance, but it doesn’t necessarily need to when it possesses one of the best defensive units in the MAC.

The Spartans currently allow 40 points per game (second in the MAC) courtesy of a defensive effort anchored by junior Marcellus Phelps (a Detroit Renaissance transfer), senior Lydell Sewell, senior Demontae Edwards (an all-county defensive back for the football team), junior Miaen Shipp and sophomore Quenten Graham.

Fitzgerald showcased its brand of basketball by holding two high-powered offenses, Auburn Hills Avondale (8-5) and Waterford Mott (11-1), to just 26 and 45 points, respectively.

It’s a mindset that’s reflected throughout the entire team, and it’s their way of showing to every opponent they face that this is what Fitzgerald basketball looks and feels like.

“These last two years, we’ll take any challenge that comes this way because we’re trying to change the program,” junior Keandre Burtin said. “We’re trying to make people know that Fitzgerald is out here. When you play them, you need to be ready because we’re going to come out with 110%.”

The 6-foot-7 center has been a one-man wrecking crew for the Fitzgerald frontcourt along with Phelps in the backcourt providing consistent scoring.

Fitzgerald also returned a key starter in senior Cyrus Mpeba, an all-conference player last season that spearheads the leadership group with Sewell, Edwards, and Robert Williams.

It’s a smaller senior group numbers wise, but they’ve carried a considerable impact throughout a squad with five underclassmen on the roster.

“It’s been the best I’ve been around in my 12 or 13 years whether it was at (Detroit) Renaissance, (Detroit) Community, and now (Warren) Fitzgerald,” Jordan said. “I’ve probably had a few better players individually as far as talent and college prospects, but as a group I’ve never had a group like this. These guys come to work.”

Part of it is because of the seniors that laid the groundwork during coach Jordan’s early seasons, passing down the expectation to their underclassmen, but also because of the opportunity this group sees in front of themselves right now.

The Spartans opened up league play with an already impressive win over Macomb L’Anse Creuse North, who is viewed as the biggest threat in the league, but still have seven league matchups to go before it’s all said and done.

Fitzgerald will also have Warren Lincoln (No. 12), Saginaw Heritage (No. 43), and Flint Powers Catholic (No. 16), who are all ranked in the top 50, in its out-of-league schedule.

If you want to be the best you have to play the best, and Fitzgerald is hoping to avenge its opening district loss last season with a trip to the Breslin Center.

“We really feel like, and it’s not even a feeling, we can beat any team that comes in our way in districts,” Burtin said. “It’s a need, especially for my junior year and our seniors.”