South Christian pulls out wild win in overtime to advance to state title game

South Christian’s Jake Vermaas gets a hug from Carson Vis after the Sailors pulled out a win in overtime on Friday, March 24, 2023. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Jake Vermaas ended up with a gash under his right eye during the biggest basketball game of his career. The South Christian junior looks more like he was back on the football field.

“It was rough,” Vermaas said. “I don’t really remember what happened. I think it was on a shot or on a rebound and I caught an elbow. It feels puffy. I don’t know what it looks like (yet).”

Vermaas was clutch shooting 6-of-6 from the free-throw line in overtime as South Christian pulled out a 40-35 grind-it-out win over Romulus Summit Academy on Friday night in a Division 2 state semifinal game at The Breslin Center.

South Christian (25-3) advances to the state championship game on Saturday night at 6:45 p.m. against Ferndale (20-8).

“I guess that’s credit to being on a stage like this before with football,” Vermaas said. “Being comfortable (at the free-throw line) … credit to my coach and my teammates for telling me to calm down.”

Many of the South Christian basketball players also were on the football team that went 14-0 to win the Division 4 state title in the fall.

South Christian’s Jake DeHaan had a game-high 14 points on Friday, March 24, 2023. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).

With 1:38 left in overtime, Nate Brinks drained a 3-pointer to tie the game at 34-34. It was the only field goal by South Christian in OT.

“Nate’s hit a lot of big shots for us this year,” South Christian coach Taylor Johnson said. “When we played (Grand Rapids) Catholic earlier this year, he hit two threes in the first quarter. He’s a tough kid. He’s playing with a torn labrum. He never complains. I don’t think I subbed him (out) once tonight.”

South Christian senior Jake DeHaan was impressed with Brinks’ bucket.

“That’s a huge shot,” DeHaan said. “That’s what Nate is. He’s going to step up in the moment. He deserves a lot of credit.”

Brinks had a huge steal with 1:46 left in overtime, too.

“I don’t think Nate gets enough credit for the player that he is,” Vermaas said. “The best on-ball defender in the state. That shot that he hit … just awesome. I don’t know what to say.”

With South Christian leading by three points with 14 seconds to go in regulation, Vermaas was fouled, but missed his free throw. Summit’s Dominic Krzesowiak went down and drained a 3-pointer to tie the game and send it into overtime at 31-31.

South Christian fans go nuts after the buzzer sounded as the Sailors out a win in overtime on Friday, March 24, 2023. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).

That miss free throw was a blow for South Christian. But coach Taylor was able to laugh about it after the game. 

“This guy on my right made some big free throws,” Taylor said gesturing to Vermaas at the post-game news conference. “I wish he would have hit that one at the end of regulation (the players laughed). But I guess he made them when it counts.”

It’s a good thing Vermaas would make all six of his free throws in overtime.

Was DeHaan surprised by the low-scoring game?
“A little bit,” he said. “But we love defense. That’s exactly the kind of game we want. So for us to come out on top was great.”

DeHaan led all scorers with 14 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Vermaas finished with 12 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds. His final rebound was with 1.3 seconds left in the game to seal it. Sam Medendorp had 8 points, 7 rebounds, 4 blocked shots and 3 assists. Brinks had 6 points. 

“He’s been doing that all year,” DeHaan said of the 6-foot-7 Medendorp. “He’s one of the best shot blockers. That’s what he loves to do.”

South Christian’s Jake Vermaas was 6-of-6 from the free-throw line in overtime on Friday, March 24, 2023. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).