University of Detroit Jesuit High School has been around for over 135 years.
The basketball team has been competitive for a lot of those years, but has never won a state championship.
This year that could all change. The Cubs went 16-0 in the regular season and boast a roster featuring the player considered the top talent in the state, Michigan State commit Cassius Winston.
"We loved Cassius right from Day One," Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo said after a recent Cubs win.
"He's a point guard who can pass the ball and still score the ball. There's not many of those left."
Before Winston suits up for Izzo, he has his high school team looking to do something no basketball player has ever done at U-D Jesuit.
He wants to win a state title.
"This is the last time I'm gonna be in this gym, last time I'm gonna be with this team, and this family. It's our last chance to get a state championship, so I'm really enjoying it," Winston said.
Redirecting a dream
Beyond the great play is a great bond. If Winston is the team's Batman, then his trusty companion, Alfred, is junior Alford Harris.
You won't see Harris on the court during any of the Cubs games, but the team manager is always nearby. He's tough to find right away, thanks to his 4'5" build, but he quickly makes his presence known.
"He may be small in stature, but his personality is 10 times his size," Cubs head coach Pat Donnelly said.
Harris' height isn't his only restriction. He has suffered through severe bouts with asthma for years, keeping him off the court since he was young.
"It was maybe about fifth or sixth grade, I had been telling my parents that I want to get better and I want to play, but it didn't turn out the way I wanted it to," he explained.
It was his mother who changed his direction, but kept him involved with the game he loves.
"She's like, 'I've never seen you as a player anyway. You're more of a coach kind of guy.' Ever since then, I got the word from my mom and I was like, 'You know what? You're right!'"
Harris showed up to Donnelly's office as an eighth grader, asking to get involved with the program. He made an ascension from one level to the next, ultimately landing with the varsity team.
Friends of different sizes
Harris and Winston have a strong bond, built from their early days together as classmates.
"That's definitely my little brother. I treat him just like that," Winston said with a smile.
"I remember freshman or sophomore year, he had people carrying his bags around."
Their friendship began, Winston recalled, when Harris found the basketball star in the hallway and asked him to carry his books for him.
"I was like, 'No, Aflord, you're going to carry your own bag and we're going to walk upstairs together.'"
And they've been on the same path ever since.
Winston is set to arrive in East Lansing as a high-profile recruit, but he's not alone with his college basketball aspirations.
An asthma attack drove Harris to Beaumont Hospital last summer. While he was in his room, a nurse came in to tell him there were visitors in the pediatric center.
They were the coaches visiting for Oakland head coach Greg Kampe's 'Coaches Beat Cancer' event. Of course, Harris took full advantage of the opportunity.
Our cameras caught a moment between the high school junior and Kentucky coach John Calipari. It was more than a photo opportunity.
"He says he wants to get into coaching, he wants to be a part of a program. I said, 'You know what? Let's get this done,'" Calipari said that summer day.
The two exchanged phone numbers and have stayed in touch. Harris won't reveal where he hopes to end up, but it's safe to say he has options.
"It's amazing what he does, meeting Coach Calipari, Coach Izzo. And he doesn't just get the number. He starts calling them," Donnelly said.
"I mean, I can't tell you how many times I've heard Coach Izzo say, 'Al called me and wanted tickets.' Then I see Al on TV at a Michigan State game."
Asking Winston about his buddy caused his face to light up. In a season where every game is covered by local media, the senior point guard has more attention on him than he's ever faced. He relies on his pal to keep him grounded.
"I could walk around and be this big-time basketball star, but nobody wants that. And then Alford comes in saying he's this little cute, adorable kid. 'No,' I said. 'We're not gonna do this.' We've really grown that way."
Two different paths have brought two very different Cubs stars to the same place.
And it's a mission they said is still getting started.
Brad Galli is a sports anchor and reporter for WXYZ Detroit. Follow Brad on Twitter @BradGalli
