Josh Herbeck will very likely graduate from Father Gabriel Richard High School as its all-time leading basketball scorer.

Next up on the senior guard’s to-do list: Be commissioned as a 2nd Lt. in the U.S. Army.

That will happen upon graduation from the United States Military Academy at West Point, where Herbeck verbally committed to play his collegiate ball on Monday.

“It’s just a great fit for me in every aspect,” Herbeck said. “I love the coaches there, the program is on the uprise, and it’s an amazing school with great academics.

“Just that feeling of being a part of special something - only 1,000 cadets graduate from there each year - it’s too good of an opportunity for me to pass up.”

The Army basketball team, which competes in the Division I Patriot League, is currently 11-6. A 12th win would equal or surpass the program’s season victory total in 17 of the last 20 seasons.

Herbeck, currently averaging 16.1 points for the Fighting Irish, also received a scholarship offer from Vermont and was getting strong interest from other schools in both football and basketball.

Becoming a walk-on at Michigan, like his former Gabriel Richard teammate Eso Akunne, was also an option. But Herbeck’s time at Michigan camps actually helped land him in an Army Black Knights uniform.

First-year Army coach Zach Spiker spent two years as an administrative assistant for John Beilein when the current Wolverines coach was at West Virginia. Beilein’s staff informed the Army staff that Herbeck might be a good fit in their system.

DEMANDING STRETCH The Washtenaw Christian Academy boys basketball team recently completed a stretch of the season that was more akin to an NBA team’s schedule than high school.

The Wildcats played five games in seven days, including road trips to Pittsford (104 miles round trip) last Thursday and Sheridan (270 miles) on Saturday, with a home date sandwiched between on Friday.

The good news is, the demanding schedule didn’t seem to have any negative effect. After starting the string with a loss to Class A Lincoln on Tuesday, Washtenaw Christian won its next four games.

“I think it was actually good for us in a lot of ways because we worked some kinks out,” coach Tim Goss said. “We’re probably playing the best defense we ever played.”

The team barely had an opportunity to practice for a full week, relying instead on film sessions and walk-throughs to prepare themselves for the next game.

DESIGNATED HIGH-FIVER At the beginning of most games, there is a pregame ritual that includes starters emerging from a tunnel of teammates and cheerleaders after being announced to the crowd.

The most important position during this ritual isn’t the center, guards or forwards. It’s the person at the end of the tunnel. The designated high-fiver.

For the Huron boys team, that role is filled by Andre Burch.

“Guys on our team guys think it gives them good luck before games, they needed someone to step up and do it, and I said I’d be the guy,” Burch said.

His job isn’t as simple as just slapping hands or bumping chests. All five starters for Huron have separately elaborate and specific introductions.

Some keep it simple, like center Andrew Gleichart, who crosses his arms to meet Burch’s above their heads, or Jalen Bouma, who sticks with the low-five hand slap.

Others get more complicated, like Kyle Baker, who at a recent game went triple low-fives before a salute. Or A.J. Mathew, who gets patted down from head-to-toe to prove to everybody that, despite what his 15.6-point scoring average may suggest, he’s not armed and dangerous.

RIVER RAT FUNDRAISER The Huron girls basketball team is hosting a “Bowl & Buy” fundraiser from 12:30 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 6, at Colonial Lanes in Ann Arbor. A $20 donation gets you two hours of bowling, shoe rental, pizza and door prizes.

Pete Thomas, the Ypsilanti resident who won a $100,000 prize during the second season of NBC's weight-loss show "The Biggest Loser," will be in attendance.

There will also be a simultaneous silent auction where you can bid on Detroit Pistons tickets, a lakeside dinner and cruise, sports memorabilia, gift cards and more.

Compiled by Rich Rezler and Pete Cunningham. Contact the AnnArbor.com prep sports staff by calling 734-623-2565 or emailing prepsports@annarbor.com.