Chelsea Wins Fourth Straight D2 District Title

Another year and another district title for the Chelsea boys basketball team after the Bulldogs pulled away for a 51-45 win over Williamston Friday night.

The district title is the fourth straight for Chelsea and they advance to the D2 regional at Fowlerville Tuesday night against I-8 co-champion Marshall (19-4).

The Bulldogs fell behind early against the Williamston, trailing 7-2.

Chelsea heated up and finished the quarter on a 13-6 run to take a 15-13 lead after one.

The teams went back-and-forth in the second and the Bulldogs clung to a 24-23 halftime lead.

Chelsea led 38-37 when a Wyatt Matusik basket with four seconds left in the third put them up 40-37 after three.

The Bulldogs scored the first four points of the fourth for a 44-37 lead, but would go scoreless for nearly five minutes and the Hornets cut the lead to 44-43 with three minutes left.

Drew Cabana hit a pair of free throws with 2:15 left to push the lead to 46-43.

Beckett Boos split a pair for a four-point lead, but Williamston answered with a basket to cut the lead to 47-45 with 32 seconds left.

Cabana was fouled right away and sank a pair with 31 seconds left to make it 49-45 and after a Williamston miss, he would seal the win with two more free throws with 12.3 left for the 51-45 win.

The Bulldogs were led by Cabana with 20 points.

Josh Stephen had a big night with a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds, while Matusik finished with seven points. Buck Allen and Boos added four points each, and Gibby Ichesco a big three-pointer in the third quarter.

The Bulldogs had a scare in the district semifinals, but a huge fourth quarter helped Chelsea pull away for a 60-45 win over Haslett.

The Viking came out hot and quickly jumped out to a 13-2 lead.

Chelsea clawed their way back in it but still trailed 20-11 after one quarter.

The Bulldogs continued to battle back in the second and trailed Haslett 30-28 at halftime.

The Vikings clung to a two-point lead 42-40 after three, but the wheels fell off the buss for Haslett in the fourth.

Chelsea took its first lead of the night 43-43 with a triple by Cabana, but Haslett answered with a three to retake a 45-43 lead.

Allen nailed a triple to put Chelsea back on top and a few moments later, the momentum of the game changed.

With Chelsea leading 46-45, Allen was fouled driving to the basket. Haslett was called for the foul and issued a technical foul. Allen nailed all four free throws, and the Bulldogs also got the ball. Cabana nailed a triple for a seven-point trip and suddenly, the Chelsea lead was eight 53-45 with 6:20 left in the fourth.

The Vikings would not score again, and the Bulldogs finished off the game with a 17-0 run after trailing by two with seven minutes left.

Cabana led the Bulldogs with 26 points.

Allen finished with 23 points, Stephens six points, and Matusik grabbed ten rebounds.

The Bulldogs improved to 18-5 overall on the season.