‘Remember it like it was yesterday’ says Coach Bush about ’95 powerhouse

by Peter Jakey–Managing Editor

It has been 20 years since March playoff madness was running rampant in Rogers City as the 1994-95 Huron boys’ basketball team captivated a community.

The powerhouse 1994-95 Hurons boys' basketball team.

The Hurons earned district and regional championships and were winning a quarterfinal game in the fourth quarter. The team was more than five minutes away from a berth in the Class C final four. There are many who believe, if Rogers City could have got by Ishpeming that night, March 21, 1995, they could have won it all.

The Hurons had a balanced team with big men, great shooters and a deep bench.

At the helm was 27-year-old Rogers City High School (RCHS) math teacher, Pete Bush, who was only into his third year as varsity coach.

“It is amazing that it has been 20 years, because I can remember all of it like it was yesterday,” said Bush, “Going through that entire season and especially that tournament run.”

Three years before, Bush was on the radio in Cheboygan helping announce Rogers City’s 1992 quarterfinal game with Ishpeming. The Hurons were leading that one too. It was at halftime.

During the tournament run of 1991-92, there was a controversial midseason coaching change and athletic director Jim Martin and junior varsity coach Karl Grambau took over the team and ran it the rest of the way.

When it came time to hire a new coach in the offseason, Bush, who was working as a junior high coach, applied and was given the job by the board of education.

The Hurons were rebuilding after the great tournament run of 1991-92 and went 5-16. The rookie coach called up a couple of sophomore guards from the junior varsity, Glen Curtis and Ben Taylor, and things started to turn around.

(Read all the story in the April 2, 2015 edition of the Advance. To subscribe to the Advance, call us at 989 734-2105)