Milan basketball fans are in for a treat!

Fans of Milan High School basketball are in for a treat next Friday, February 27th. Milan, Michigan that is...

The school counts Charles E. Forsythe, the first director of the Michigan High School Athletic Association among its alumni.

Located about 16 miles south of Ann Arbor, Milan has its own Athletic Hall of Fame. The school shares its name with perhaps the most famous high school in America. (You may have heard the story of the basketball team from Milan, Indiana. If not, I suggest you pick up a DVD copy that tells the tale from Amazon).

On Friday, the Michigan school will pay tribute to their lone state championship basketball team.

On the eve of spring, 1948, the Big Reds of Milan completed an undefeated season by grabbing the state's Class C cage crown. Undefeated is indeed an accomplishment, but it was the final two games of the MHSAA tournament that insured the accomplishments of this group of high school athletes would be remembered over 60 years later.

During Friday's semifinal round at Jenison Fieldhouse that year, Milan rallied for a 36-34 come-from-behind overtime win over Charlevoix. While Al Benjamin led Milan with 14 points, it was forward Carl Tschirhart who emerged the hero. Tschirhart, whose name was not included on the roster of the finals game-day program, scored the game-tying basket, then launched the winning shot with 13 seconds remaining in the extra frame. He finished with nine points.

Bob Carey, who would become a three-sport star at Michigan State then play from 1952-56 in the NFL, led Charlevoix with 11 points. Milan coach Fred Sukup missed the fireworks as he was hospitalized with an acute appendicitis late Thursday.

Saturday's contest pitted Milan against the Midgets from Saginaw SS Peter and Paul. Heavy favorites, Saginaw was riding a 52-game win streak.

"Best played basketball of the night was found in the Milan-SS Peter and Paul game", wrote Goerge S. Alderton, sports editor for the Lansing State Journal. "The teams were evenly matched and they traveled at a dizzy pace all the way. There were 45 fouls called, most of them due to the driving pace."

Lead by center Art McColgan, the state's top scorer, Saginaw opened up an eight point lead early in the second quarter, but the taller Milan squad rallied back to take a 23-22 lead into the locker room at halftime. Battling close to even in the second half, the game was tied at 33, 34 and 37 as the teams began their march to the finish. The driving pace took it's toll as Milan found three starters whistled to the sidelines on fouls including their leading scorer, Sherman Collins.

A basket by Al Benjamin broke a 37-37 tie to give Milan the lead as the game neared it's conclusion. But the Saginaw parochial squad pulled to within a point, 43-42 on a long shot by Francis Kruske with under a minute remaining to play in regulation. According to the United Press report on the game,

In the melee which followed, Tschirhart came up with the ball and let loose a long shot which swished the nets and doomed SS Peter and Paul.

Tschirhart's basket with 15 seconds remaining gave Milan a 45-42 win. Watching from his wheelchair was Coach Sukup. He had been brought to East Lansing by ambulance from an Ann Arbor hospital.

"My forever young and wonderful 79-year-old Dad is flying home from Florida to be here" notes Julie Fontera.

"Dad" is Sherm Collins, who finished with 14 points in the title game.

"He is healthy, active, plays and teaches tennis weekly or more, in Florida and in the summers in Michigan" continues Fontera. "He shoots hoops with the grand kids, is studying bowling books right now for when his knees can’t handle the tennis courts anymore, is an avid historical collector, volunteers and helps out many people and attends every one of his high school reunions and is happily married for 54 years!! What more could you ask for??"

Indeed!

Here's the roster from the 1948 game program - sans Carl Tschirhart. Rich Rezler of the Ann Arbor News tells me those highlighted are expected to attend.

3 – Rodger Sanford
4 – Roland Dunsmore
5 – George Holmes
7 – Dick Trimm
8 – Al Bassett
9 – Sherman Collins
10 – Wayne Tooman
12 – Al Benjamin
13 – Gene Gauntlett
14 – Dave DeTar
26 – John Taylor
28 – Harlan Benjamin

Rich also notes that Friday's opponent is New Boston Huron.

It should be a great night!