ECORSE >> One would be hard-pressed to find a boys’ basketball program that has enjoyed more of a meteoric rise this season than Arts & Tech Academy of Pontiac.

In just its seventh year being eligible for the MHSAA postseason, ATAP this season has enjoyed far and away its best run in program history.

Heading into their Charter School Conference tournament semifinal round matchup against Detroit Old Redford, the Lions were one of just two undefeated teams in the mitten, sporting a 14-0 record.

An influx of young talent, a new head coach, and top-to-bottom support have collectively led to the drastic turnaround.

“It means a lot,” ATAP head coach Orlando Lovejoy Sr. said. “We have a great superintendent that really supports us, a great athletic director and staff that all support what we’re trying to do. And the kids, too, they are giving it their all and buying in to what we’re telling them. And you see the results.”

The results speak for themselves. And on Friday, the Lions added another notch under their belt to keep that undefeated streak alive. With a 68-61 victory over Old Redford, ATAP punched its ticket to the CSC title game for the first time ever.

“We played good defense today, good help-side defense,” Lovejoy said. “(Old Redford) has phenomenal athletes over there, so it had to be a team effort tonight boxing them out and not letting them get second opportunities.”

It took a little bit for that defense to come through but ATAP buttoned things up on that end of the floor when it mattered most.

Old Redford got off to a strong start to start the game, building a near double-digit point cushion in the opening quarter. The Ravens led by as many as eight on multiple occasions including a 21-13 advantage with under 30 seconds in the period.

That was when ATAP started to flip a switch in the form of a 13-0 spurt that began late in the first and carried over into the second quarter. That unanswered run was largely fueled by Tayshawn Hicks, who netted a dozen points in that second period alone, including three made triples.

“We just started playing our type of basketball,” Lovejoy said. “We were moving the ball around, letting everyone get a feel for it before getting into our offense. Once we start doing that, I don’t think anybody can beat us.”

ATAP never relinquished the lead once it attained it. And to Lovejoy’s point, the Lions gave up just 20 second-half points to Old Redford, including only eight in the third quarter.

After Hicks put the team on his back in the second, it was a passing of the torch moment with Lewis Lovejoy taking over in the third. The highly-touted freshman, who finished with 17 points in the win, was responsible for eight of the team’s 13 points in the third.

Lovejoy also showed his value as a facilitator for the Lions’ offense, something that the elder Lovejoy was encouraged to see after their slow start on Friday.

“If we play our game offensively, that will stop (Old Redford) defensively,” Orlando Lovejoy said. “If we play our offense like we should, with our passing ability and getting easy lay-up opportunities, we are hard to guard at that point.”

The Lovejoy namesake is strong, to say the least.

In addition to his father being the coach, Lewis is the younger brother of current University of Detroit-Mercy player Orlando Lovejoy Jr, a former three-time all-state selection and the all-time scoring leader in Romulus Summit Academy North program history.

The eldest spoke highly of the youngest and why he has provided such a big impact already for the upstart ATAP squad.

“(Lewis) means everything. He already has so much experience playing against his older brother and those (Summit Academy) teams, playing with and against so many different guys. And his teammates cheer him on. The team is gelling a lot better and they look good playing together.”

ATAP did briefly see its late-game lead balloon to double-digits in the fourth quarter before settling on the seven-point victory.

Both Hicks and Lewis Lovejoy were two of four players who reached double-figures in scoring for the Lions on Friday. Sophomore Devontae Grandison poured in 14 points while senior Terrance Hicks chipped in with 10 points.

Old Redford got a team-best 14 points from Jaquan Stennis Jr.

ATAP (15-0) will look to capture the program’s first-ever CSC title when it takes on Detroit University Prep on Sunday, Feb 16 at Henry Ford College in Dearborn. U-Prep in the second semifinal on Friday outlasted CSC Gold Division regular season champion Summit Academy in a thrilling 70-68 overtime final.