FEB. 11TH, 2009 - PSL PLAYOFFS QUARTERFINALS

DETROIT RENAISSANCE vs. DETROIT CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL

Renaissance wins late

Collins' driving layup with 14 seconds left sets up semifinal match vs. powerful Pershing.

Tom Markowski / The Detroit News

DETROIT -- Playing four years on varsity in the toughest league in the state paid off for Delano Collins of Detroit Renaissance Wednesday. His experience came to the forefront with the game on the line.

Collins drove the length of the court and scored the winning basket with 14 seconds left to give Renaissance a memorable 63-62 victory over Detroit Central in a Detroit Public School League quarterfinal at Cass Tech.

Renaissance (13-3) advances to Friday's semifinal against the favorite, No. 2-ranked Pershing (17-1), at 5:30 p.m. at Renaissance. Pershing whipped Detroit Crockett 86-55 in the first game at Cass.

"I was always taught, when the game is tight at the end, to go to the basket and try and draw a foul," Collins said. "I had a flashback to the (Detroit) Cody game. I drove down and they clamped up on me and I passed it to Arthur (Phillips), who made the shot to win it. This time I had just one person in front of me. I faked it to Brandyn (Mungo) and laid it in. I really was surprised they didn't pack it in on me."

Central (12-4) led nearly the entire game. The Trailblazers' largest lead was 27-12 midway through the second quarter then the Phoenix scored the next 12, 10 by Mungo, to get back in it.

Central never lost the lead until a Daniel Sutherlin tip-in with 6:40 remaining put the Phoenix ahead, 44-43.

A basket by Darius Ware gave Central a 59-54 lead with 1:23 left but 10 seconds later Collins answered with a 3-pointer. Moments later Phillips scored a basket and then a free throw to tie the game at 61 with 33 seconds left. DeMarco Johnson's free throw with 21 seconds left gave Central a 62-61 lead and that's when Collins took the game in his hands.

"Down the stretch I want to go to Delano," Renaissance coach Cameron Nichols said. "I want it with my senior. Not one guy can stay in front of Delano."

Central had one more chance but DeAngelo Hailey missed a contested shot with two seconds left, giving Renaissance the win.

"We let one get away," Central coach Ben Kelso said. "We had some real foul trouble. I had to take out not only my leading scorer (Hailey), but my best ballhandler and second-leading scorer (Johnson) because of foul trouble. With everything there, we still had a chance."

Hailey, who played the final 7:39 with four fouls, led Central with 22 points. Darius Ware scored 18 before he fouled out with 33 seconds left. Johnson, who also played the final 7:39 with four fouls, had 15.

Collins led Renaissance with 20 points. Mungo had 18 and Sutherlin 14.

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