FENTON — There’s never been any doubt about the passion that Danny Honkala has brought to playing basketball at Howell High School.
On Wednesday, he mixed that passion with determination and discipline, and the results were spectacular.
Honkala had 20 points and 17 rebounds as he helped lead Howell past Linden, 55-48, in a Division 1 district semifinal at Fenton High School.
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The Highlanders (14-7) will take on Hartland (17-4) in the district final at 7 p.m. Friday.
“He was absolutely the man for us,” Howell coach Nick Simon said of Honkala, who played all 32 minutes. “There was a different level of ‘I’m taking this game over.’ There were opportunities to kick the ball out, but it was ‘I’m going to put this team on my back.'”
The Highlanders also got critical efforts from Ryan Cirella, who started for the first time this season at the point due to an ankle injury during a Sunday practice that sidelined Carter Bandemer.
Cirella had 12 points, going 8-for-8 at the free-throw line, 6-for-6 in the fourth quarter.
“I was telling my coaches this was the moment he needed,” Simon said. “ Last year he was hurt this time of year and missed a lot of the games at the end and Carter kind of took the mantle, and now the roles are switched. This is his opportunity, and he did a really good job, especially at the end. Under control, hitting free throws and playing good defense. I thought he did a good job of controlling the game.”
Adam Jones, who was all over the c ourt on defense, left at halftime due to an injury and did not return. Beau Eckerle stepped up in Jones’ absence, shadowing Linden standout Reichen Lund.
“Its nice to be able to guard a guy that good,” Eckerle said, “and showing I can play defense and step up like that with Adam out.”
The Eagles (13-9) got off to a fast start, taking a 12-5 lead after the first quarter. They reached the semifinal after beating Fenton in Monday.
“We came out flat, and they were hitting shots,” Honkala said.
But Simon felt there was more to it than that.
“I think it’s an advantage to play the first game on a Monday,” he said. “Most teams crave a bye, but I think if you win that first you, you step in as the aggressor in the second game. They had a good feeling about that how it felt to play in that gym in a district game. We had never played there. So it took a little getting used to. Once we settled in, Beau and Danny did a good job giving us a spark.”
The second quarter was a different story with the Highlanders clamping down on the Eagles offense, outscoring Linden 14-2 to take the lead for good.
The Highlanders sealed the deal at the free-throw line, going 12-for-14 at the free throw line in the fourth quarter and 16-for-19 fr the game.
“Everyone gives us a hard time because we don’t blow teams out a lot,” Simon said ‘But I think it’s the best thing to happen, because you get those clutch free throws e very single game. If you’re blowing teams out, you don’t get those opportunities, and they become more difficult. Twenty-one games in, it’s not quite as difficult. You know that feeling, and I’m not surprised we knocked them down.”
In contrast, Linden was 2-for-9 at the line in the fourth quarter.
Lund led Linden with 18 points and Brandon Green added 15.
