East Lansing Advances to MHSAA D-1 Title Game on Torbert Buzzer-Beater

East Lansing High School’s boys basketball team secured a return trip to the MHSAA Division 1 title game after a thrilling 55-52 victory over Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice on Friday, March 13, at the Breslin Center. The game-winning shot came from senior KJ Torbert, named Michigan’s Mr. Basketball earlier this week.

Dramatic Finish at the Breslin Center

With the score tied 52-52 after a clutch three-point play by Brother Rice’s Jordan McDaniel with 15.8 seconds remaining, East Lansing called a timeout to strategize. The play designed resulted in KJ Torbert hitting a 3-pointer with just 1.2 seconds left on the clock, sealing the win for the Trojans MHSAA.

KJ Torbert’s Standout Performance

KJ Torbert, who is averaging 25 points per game and has committed to Bowling Green, finished the game with 23 points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals Detroit Free Press. He described the game-winning shot as “the kinda stuff you dream about” and expressed his excitement about hitting the shot on such a large stage.

East Lansing’s Road to the Championship

East Lansing (27-1) has won their last 10 games and is now on a fourth-straight one-loss season. Coach Ray Mitchell confirmed that the final play was designed to get the ball into Torbert’s hands, stating, “What do you think?” when asked who would capture the last shot MHSAA.

Upcoming Championship Game

The Trojans will face Rockford in the Division 1 championship game on Saturday, March 14, at 12:15 p.m. Detroit Free Press.

Teammate Confidence

Teammate Kingston Thomas expressed unwavering confidence in Torbert, stating, “He’s a great teammate who’s been doing that all year…I knew he’d make it.” MHSAA.