Breslin Bound: 2021-22 Boys Report Week 5
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 10, 2022
Every basketball season, with little research needed, we can list at least a handful of elite teams we’ll be talking about often as they make their way toward possible March trips to the Breslin Center.
But as we reach mid-January, teams big, small, north, south and all points between are still in the early stages of creating the stories of their seasons. And this week’s report includes a pretty good mix of regulars and others we haven’t highlighted for quite a while.
“Breslin Bound” is powered by MI Student Aid and based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com. Send corrections or missing scores to [email protected].
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Flint Beecher 75, Grand Rapids Catholic Central 69 The reigning Division 3 champion Bucs (6-0) ended reigning Division 2 champ GRCC's winning streak at 27 games.
2. Muskegon 84, Benton Harbor 58 This Big Red Classic win moved host Muskegon to 4-0, and it should earn the Big Reds some significant attention as it also was the first defeat for the Tigers (6-1).
3. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 65, Grand Blanc 62 The reigning Division 1 champ Bobcats may be only 1-3, but at their Classic they gave the Eaglets (4-2) the latter’s toughest challenge so far this season.
4. North Farmington 45, Clarkston 43 The Oakland Activities Association Red is one of the strongest leagues in the state, and this opener was a big first step for the contending Raiders (7-1).
5. Detroit Edison 66, Harper Woods Chandler Park 60 The Pioneers (2-3) have played four teams either unbeaten or with one loss, and Chandler Park (2-1) is one of two teams to which they’ve dealt that first defeat.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
Division 1
East Lansing (6-1) After opening with a loss to another of the top teams in Division 1, North Farmington (see above), the Trojans have won six straight with four of those victories against teams with winning records. They handed Hamtramck (5-1) its lone loss during the Motor City Roundball Classic after edging Kalamazoo Central by three at Cornerstone University. East Lansing made the Division 1 Quarterfinals last season.
Grand Haven (6-0) The Buccaneers are following up last season’s District title run with a fast start this winter. They defeated Traverse City St. Francis and West to win their Lakeshore Cup at the end of December, and have dealt the lone defeats to St. Francis (5-1) and Muskegon Reeths-Puffer (4-1).
Division 2
Marshall (6-0) Five of Marshall’s six opponents are sitting .500 or better, making this start even more impressive. But it appears to be a continuation of last season’s surge. The Redhawks finished last winter 10-6 and on a 9-3 run, and Tuesday they get a chance to avenge their season-ending loss with a road trip to Battle Creek Pennfield.
Ovid-Elsie (6-0) The Marauders have won league titles four of the last five seasons, with a runner-up finish in the Mid-Michigan Activities Conference a year ago. They’re back in the thick of things, tied with Chesaning for first at 4-0 in league play and with a 37-31 win over another possible contender in Durand (4-2).
Division 3
Blanchard Montabella (5-0) The Mustangs already are in line for their best season since 2018-19 after winning seven games a year ago and six the season before. The best victory so far came in mid-December, 51-43 over Mid-State Activities Conference foe Breckenridge, which remains the Huskies’ lone loss. Montabella lost to Breckenridge by seven and 32 last season.
Union City (6-1) The Chargers won six games last season and a combined 10 over the last two. But after opening with a loss to still-undefeated Olivet this winter, Union City has yet to lose again – with a two-point win over Buchanan on Dec. 18 its only single-digit victory of the run.
Division 4
Ellsworth (7-0) The Lancers are seeking a fifth-consecutive Northern Lakes Conference championship this winter, and they’re off to the right start with five wins by double digits and one of the single-digit victories last week over league foe Mackinaw City. Coming off a District title as well from last season, they’ve gotten rolling again quickly as well; Ellsworth is one of only eight teams statewide that has reached seven wins entering this week.
Ewen-Trout Creek (5-0) The Panthers are playing for a third-straight championship in the Porcupine Mountain division of the Copper Mountain Conference. Among their first five wins are the lone defeat for Wakefield-Marenisco and an avenging of last year’s District Final loss to Bessemer. E-TC opened the calendar year last week with a 35-point win over Dollar Bay, winner of 15 games a year ago.
Can't-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (6-0) at Warren De La Salle Collegiate (7-0) – The Detroit Catholic League Central will do some initial sorting out this week, with this one of a handful of contests that could reshape the early standings. (In another, Brother Rice faces Detroit U-D Jesuit on this night.)
Tuesday – Dexter (4-0) at Ann Arbor Huron (4-1) – These are the early co-leaders in a Southeastern Conference Red featuring four teams unbeaten or with one loss.
Tuesday – Alma (6-0) at Freeland (5-0) – Three teams remain undefeated in Tri-Valley Conference 8 play, and Freeland gets the third, Frankenmuth, on Friday.
Tuesday – Napoleon (6-0) at Vandercook Lake (6-0) – These are two of three teams tied for first in the Cascades Conference, and also the only two in the league with overall winning records.
Friday – Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice (6-0) at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (6-0) – This pits the two Catholic League Central teams that arguably have generated the most buzz.
Second Half’s weekly “Breslin Bound” previews and reviews are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Office of Postsecondary Financial Planning located within the Michigan Department of Treasury. MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
PHOTO Orchard Lake St. Mary’s traveled to Grand Blanc on Saturday and won 65-62 in one of the week’s most notable games. (Photo by Terry Lyons.)
Breslin Bound: 2023-24 Boys Report Week 3
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
December 18, 2023
A holiday break means time away from school and work for many over the next few weeks – but not from basketball for several teams across both peninsulas.
A total of 52 one-day showcases or multi-day tournaments will help fill in the break between when schools let out in a few days and students return after the new year.
“Break” also describes what happened to the backboard in the video clip below – check out the call by Fred Shaw and Darrin Petrikowski from CTV in St. Clair after Evan Trudeau threw down a dunk against St. Clair Shores Lakeview on Friday – making quite a memorable impact on the new gymnasium, which opened just three weeks ago.
“Breslin Bound” is powered by MI Student Aid and based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com – and will return after a break Jan. 8.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice 71, Detroit U-D Jesuit 57 The Warriors’ opening win in the Catholic High School League Central was a major one as these two were the top two teams in the standings last season. Heading into this week, Rice sits 6-0 and Jesuit is 4-1.
2. Grand Rapids South Christian 58, Hudsonville Unity Christian 56 South Christian (3-1) ran its win streak to three over the rival Crusaders (3-3), with this one following up last season’s in a Division 2 Quarterfinal.
3. Canton 59, Lansing Waverly 55 These teams won 16 and 18 games, respectively, last season, and both have aspirations this winter with Canton improving to 3-2 and Waverly falling to 4-2 after their Northville Winter Shootout matchup.
4. DeWitt 60, Grand Ledge 50 The Comets (4-2) topped this list last week with their win over Saginaw, but DeWitt (6-0) makes it this time with a solid start to Capital Area Activities Conference Blue play.
5. Hamtramck 51, River Rouge 46 River Rouge (3-2) won both matchups of this high-powered rivalry last season, and Hamtramck (5-1) will try to finish a sweep when they meet again Jan. 19.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (4-1) The Rangers’ lone loss came during the opening Friday to Muskegon Reeths-Puffer, featured in this space a week ago in part because of that victory. Forest Hills Central won three times last week including by three points apiece over Caledonia and Grandville, adding to a solid start as it looks to improve on last season’s 12-11 finish.
Okemos (6-0) The CAAC Blue could be one of the strongest under-the-radar leagues in the state this winter, and Okemos joins DeWitt and East Lansing as undefeated after handing Lansing Everett its first loss Thursday. The Wolves have won all of their games by at least 12 points, including notables over Williamston and Howell.
DIVISION 2
Kingsford (6-0) The Flivvers are coming off a historic 2022-23 season – they set a program record with 21 wins and reached the Regional Finals for the first time since 2001. The surge continues as Kingsford’s closest game so far was a 16-pointer in the season opener over Negaunee, a league runner-up last season.
Whitehall (4-0) The Vikings are enjoying a stretch of three straight league titles (last season’s shared with Ludington) and are off to another solid start with chances coming up to see how they line up farther from home. Whitehall gets Hamtramck and East Grand Rapids this week at the Cornerstone Holiday Classic before getting back into league play against Ludington on Jan. 5.
DIVISION 3
Cass City (6-0) The Red Hawks took a jump to 21-3 last season after winning six and 13 games the previous two, and they’ve been challenged only once so far – a 54-53 win over Saginaw Nouvel at the Louis O’Neil Tournament at Saginaw Valley State. Carter Patrick went over 1,000 career points earlier this month and keys a team that won six games last season by three or fewer points.
Riverview Gabriel Richard (5-0) The Pioneers have been on a run for a while, but most recently were a combined 59-10 over the last four seasons heading into this one. And this winter could be special if early returns are an indication – Gabriel Richard has handed the only losses so far to Trenton, Romulus Summit Academy and Taylor Trillium.
DIVISION 4
Pickford (5-0) The Panthers jumped from 4-18 two seasons ago to 13-9 last winter and could be on their way to another major move. They’ve already avenged last season’s loss to reigning Division 4 champion Munising, 64-61 last Tuesday, and they’ll get their first chance against reigning Eastern Upper Peninsula Conference champion Rudyard on Jan. 4. Rudyard defeated Pickford three times last season, including in their District Final.
Taylor Trillium Academy (5-1) That 73-55 loss noted above to Gabriel Richard was a great challenge for Trillium coming off last season’s run to the Division 4 Quarterfinals, and no one else this season has gotten closer than 18 points. Trillium finishes its 2023 calendar year schedule Thursday with the first of two games against Center Line Prep Academy, which should be another good test off to a 4-1 start.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Dec. 27 – East Lansing (3-0) vs. Detroit Martin Luther King (4-2) at Detroit Cass Tech – East Lansing is considered perhaps the best from a strong Lansing area as it takes one of Detroit’s annual elite at the Public School League Holiday Tournament.
Dec. 27 – Chelsea (1-1) at Detroit Cass Tech (4-0) – The reigning Division 1 champion Technicians face a 2023 Division 2 quarterfinalist in the 7:45 p.m. finale of the PSL Holiday Tournament.
Dec. 28 – Warren De La Salle Collegiate (4-0) vs. Flint Powers Catholic (5-0) at Ferndale – The Pilots have a pair of Motor City Roundball Classic games against strong Flint-area teams, with Goodrich also on the slate for Dec. 30.
Dec. 30 – Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (3-0) vs. Warren Lincoln (4-0) at Ferndale – This Roundball Classic matchup is a rematch of last season’s St. Mary’s triple-overtime win over the Abes.
Dec. 30 – Ann Arbor Huron (3-0) vs. Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice (6-0) at North Farmington – These Division 1 contenders will face off in the 7 p.m. slot at the North Farmington Holiday Extravaganza.
MHSAA.com's weekly “Breslin Bound” previews and reviews are powered by MI Student Aid, a division within the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
PHOTO A pair of Detroit University Prep defenders stretch for a block against Davison last week during the Cardinals' 89-82 overtime win. (Photo by Terry Lyons.)