TITANS MENS HOOPSTERS RETURN TO GLORY ON SHOULDERS OF LOCAL HERO

It was only a matter of time.

Former Birmingham Detroit Country Day's "Big Play" Ray McCallum, in only his second year running his squad's offense, has led the University of Detroit-Mercy Titans back to the promise land aka THE BIG DANCE aka the NCAA Tournament by knocking out Horizon League champion Valparaiso in their own barn on Tuesday night in a nationally televised 70-50 beatdown.

GOING H.A.M on a primetime stage, McCallum filled up the stat sheet for 21 points, six boards, four dimes and four steals. He put in seven straight points while igniting an 11-0 run midway through the second half that propelled the Titans from a halftime deficit into a lead they never let go of.

Coming out of DCD a McDonald's All-American, McCallum, who spurned a number of perennial Top 25 powers to join his dad and UofD head coach Ray McCallum, Sr. down at Calihan Hall on 6 Mile and Livernois, was expected to take Detroit back to the heights the Titans once soared at under Rashad Phillips (Ferndale), another former OC hoop stud.

No surprise to anyone who watched this cage phenom lead DCD to a state title back in 2010, that's exactly what's he's done. The NCAA Tourney bid is the first for the program since Phillips took them there back-to-back seasons in 1998 and 1999.

The Titans are 22-13 and after some early-season growing pains – they lost both of their regular-season matchups with Valpo –, appear a genuine threat to be a sleeper in the BIG DANCE solely because of BIG PLAY RAY's playmaking ability and knack for coming through in the clutch.