The Wolverine

February 2016

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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  BASKETBALL RECRUITING reach of his Uncle Greg's 1992 school record of 57. "I said, 'Why not break it?'" he recalled in a video produced by his school. "It was actually an amazing moment for me and my teammates … "I never envisioned scoring over 40 points, so it was surprising to me, as well. It was a great experience … just an amazing, amazing game. I was proud of myself and happy for my teammates … they surrounded me with positive energy. The goal going in was to just win." Simpson was averaging 32 points per game as of Jan. 18 after putting up 31 in a 77‑54 win over Ottawa (Ohio) Ottawa‑Glandorf Jan. 16. Lima Senior stood 9‑0 and No. 2 in the state after the victory. In other recent games, Lima Se‑ nior beat Clay 97‑47 Jan. 2. Simp‑ son scored 38 in three quarters. The team followed up by beating Toledo (Ohio) Whitmer 77‑59 on the road Jan. 8 behind Simpson's 29 points. Simpson scored 13 points in the final eight minutes to preserve the win. Here is how the other signees and pledges have fared (through Jan. 18): Austin Davis, 6-10, PF ONSTED (MICH.) HIGH Rivals.com three-star prospect Davis and Onsted were 8‑0 behind Davis' 20.8 points and 12.5 rebounds per game, numbers that would have been higher had Davis not sat for much of the second half in a number of contests due to blowouts. Davis has become more agile since dropping 50 pounds in 2015, allow‑ ing him to get up and down the floor better. That was Beilein's prerequi‑ site for an offer this summer — to be able to run the floor — and Davis stepped up. "He's running the floor, dunking everything," head coach Brad Maska said. "It's nicer knowing we don't have to wait for our best player to get up and down the court. "It was easier playing against him at 270 pounds … opponents could go to the block and pound on him. Now he's moving away and isn't pounded as much." It's his hands and feet that impress the Michigan coaches most, along with his IQ. "He's a 4.0 student with a 30 ACT, so he's definitely got the basketball knowledge to excel at the next level," Maska said. "His hands and feet stand out for a big kid. "One thing in coaching we're al‑ ways talking about is catching the ball. Coach Beilein said he can't wait to use his hands." The Wildcats beat Dundee (Mich.) High 81‑41 Jan. 5 behind Davis' 18 points, 15 rebounds and five blocked shots in three quarters of play — and he was sick, according to Maska. Davis had a tough time getting up and down the floor and was vom‑ iting at halftime. The big man put up 21 points, 14 rebounds and five assists in a Jan. 8 win at rival Hills‑ dale (Mich.) High, which had won 45 straight non‑conference games. Onsted led by two points with 15 seconds left, but Davis blocked a shot, was fouled and made two free

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