Lahser Slips in the Second Half of MHSAA Boy's Regional Final

The core of the Lahser Knights boys basketball team — juniors Armand Cartwright, Khalil Gracey, and Yante Maten — are expected to return next season.

But the team will certainly have a new identity following a 65-41 loss to Rochester in the MHSAA Region 8 finals Wednesday at West Bloomfield High School.

Maten, the Knights' star junior center, finished with 14 points to lead Lahser, which will merge with Andover to become the Bloomfield Hills Black Hawks beginning next season. Guards Gracey and Cartwright finished with six and eight points, respectively, according to statistics compiled by the team.

The Knights (18-7) took a 13-7 lead into the second quarter before a packed gym that included a large and loud contingent of Lahser students and faithful fans. But they could not hang on. Trailing by just four at halftime, the Knights went cold from the field and allowed Rochester's lead to swell to 12 points heading into final quarter. James Young, the University of Kentucky signee who could be  Michigan's next 'Mr. Basketball,' led the way for the Falcons with a game-high 27 points.

The regional title is Rochester's first since 1950, and the Falcons (21-4) advanced to play Detroit Southeastern at Calihan Hall in Detroit on Tuesday in the Class A quarterfinals.