Breslin Bound: 2021-22 Boys Report Week 8
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 31, 2022
This week we welcome February, five weeks to go in the boys basketball regular season and 19 teams bringing undefeated records into both.
That’s always impressive, of course, given the state’s 700 varsity teams total and competitiveness throughout one of Michigan’s most-played high school sports. Two of those unbeaten teams play in Division 1, eight play in Division 2, three in Division 3 and six in Division 4 – and we highlight three during this week’s “Breslin Bound” report.
“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. Detroit Martin Luther King 74, Detroit Renaissance 70 The Crusaders (11-1) enter the final week of the Detroit Public School League Blue schedule in position to clinch thanks in part to this win over the formerly co-leading Phoenix (9-3).
2. Grand Blanc 64, Flint Carman-Ainsworth 63 The Bobcats (6-4) are the last team undefeated in Saginaw Valley League play thanks to this win over the second-place Cavaliers (6-4).
3. Maple City Glen Lake 64, Benzie Central 58 The Lakers (9-3) handed Benzie its first defeat, in the process moving into a tie for first in the Northwest Conference with the Huskies (10-1) and with their rematch scheduled for Feb. 25.
4. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 47, Warren De La Salle Collegiate 34 The Detroit Catholic League Central continues to reshuffle weekly, now with St. Mary’s (9-2) and Detroit U-D Jesuit tied for first but every team within a game of the lead and the Pilots (9-3) tied for most overall wins among league teams.
5. Detroit University Prep 57, Carrollton 56 The Panthers (4-6) have to be one of the best sub-.500 teams in Michigan, mostly recently handing Carrollton (10-1) its first loss, and after defeats by six or fewer points to Benton Harbor, Detroit Renaissance and Carman-Ainsworth.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
Division 1
Bloomfield Hills (10-2) The Black Hawks are undefeated aside from a pair of losses at December’s Motor City Roundball Classic, to Detroit Renaissance and Detroit Catholic Central (8-3), which actually help fill out a strong body of work overall. Six of Bloomfield Hills’ wins are against teams .500 or better, and the Black Hawks also have an early upper hand as they seek to repeat as Oakland Activities Association White champions.
Muskegon (10-0) There are plenty of highlights to rattle off from the Big Reds’ start. After finishing second in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Green last year, Muskegon is two games ahead of the rest atop the league standings. The Big Reds avenged two losses from last season to reigning league champ Zeeland East with Friday’s 58-42 win, and Muskegon also has handed Benton Harbor (11-1) its only defeat, 84-58 on Jan. 8. Only Reeths-Puffer, the second-place team in the Green, has gotten closer than 11 points.
Division 2
Battle Creek Pennfield (9-2) The Panthers’ first run to the MHSAA Finals was one of the feel-good stories of the abbreviated 2020-21 season, and they could be finding their footing again after a couple of mid-January league losses to Battle Creek Harper Creek (9-3) and Coldwater (9-1). Those came immediately after Pennfield handed Marshall (11-1) its only loss. The Panthers will have plenty of opportunities to show what they can do with six games coming up against teams with at least nine wins so far, including rematches with all three of those league foes plus a home game with Benton Harbor.
Hudsonville Unity Christian (12-0) The Crusaders appear on their way to a sixth-straight league title, with a two-game lead in the O-K Blue after the first run through the league schedule. Only one opponent – Grandville Calvin Christian (see below) in a 78-76 Unity win on Dec. 10 – has gotten closer than 10 points. The Crusaders defeated the second and third-place teams in the Blue by 10 and 31 points, respectively, last week.
Division 3
Grand Rapids Covenant Christian (10-2) The Chargers haven’t stopped moving coming off of last season’s Quarterfinal run. Generally playing larger schools, they did avenge a 2021 loss to Wyoming Tri-unity Christian so far with the only losses to Division 2 Unity and Forest Hills Eastern (9-3) in December. Covenant doesn’t play in a league, but did claim a Cornerstone University Holiday Tournament title with wins over Division 2 Allendale and Division 1 Muskegon Mona Shores.
Grandville Calvin Christian (8-3) The Squires continue to put distance between themselves and an 0-3 start that concluded with an overtime loss to Covenant (see above). Calvin defeated former co-leader Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian 75-62 on Friday to move into first place alone in the O-K Silver. Also bringing context to that winless start – the first two defeats came to Division 2 Holland Christian (7-5) and Unity.
Division 4
Clarkston Everest Collegiate (8-2) The Mountaineers are coming off their second loss, to Genesee Christian (10-2), but defeats have been few lately as Everest is a combined 23-5 over the last two years. The Mountaineers lead the Detroit Catholic League Intersectional #2 as they look to extend their league title streak to three, and they have notable wins over Marine City Cardinal Mooney (9-3) and Ypsilanti Arbor Prep (9-4).
McBain Northern Michigan Christian (10-0) The Comets are only one game into the second half of the Highland Conference schedule but already three games ahead of the field as they pursue what would be a first league title in at least a decade. It’s been an impressive rise for NMC, which broke a seven-season streak of sub-.500 finishes by going 12-3 (and also winning a District title) a year ago.
Can't-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – East Lansing (10-3) at Williamston (12-0) – The leaders of the Capital Area Activities Conference Blue and Red, respectively, match up with the winner likely considered the Lansing area’s best.
Tuesday – Dearborn (10-1) at Belleville (7-3) – Belleville has a one-game lead on Dearborn in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association East thanks to a 63-43 win on Jan. 4.
Friday – Kalamazoo Central (9-4) at Richland Gull Lake (8-4) – Gull Lake won the first meeting, 78-75 in overtime Dec. 16, and they’re tied atop the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference East
Friday – Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (9-2) at Detroit Catholic Central (8-3) – St. Mary’s won the first meeting 75-64 and could begin breaking up the tightly-packed league standings with a big week that starts on the road at De La Salle.
Saturday – Ferndale (8-2) vs. Muskegon (10-0) at Cornerstone University – Contenders in Divisions 2 and 1, respectively, face off at the RedHawk Challenge.
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 A pair of Carman-Ainsworth defenders wall off the passing lanes during last week’s 64-63 loss to Grand Blanc. (Photo by Terry Lyons.)
Breslin Bound: 2023-24 Boys Regional Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 5, 2024
As the saying goes, at this point in the tournament every team still playing has accomplished something – in this case, winning at least a District championship.
And the path is much shorter for the 128 remaining contenders hoping to find their way to East Lansing in two weeks.
Once again, everything you could want to know this week about tickets, brackets and more can be found on the Boys Basketball page. To watch any of several games online, visit the NFHS Network.
“Breslin Bound” is powered by MI Student Aid and based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Menominee 51, Iron Mountain 49 These two have seemed on a Division 3 District Final collision course since Menominee (18-6) won their first matchup 60-58 in overtime on Feb. 5, and Iron Mountain (22-2) ended its season with its only losses to the Maroons.
2. River Rouge 59, Dearborn 58 The Panthers (14-10) clinched a Division 1 District title by handing Dearborn (23-1) its only defeat.
3. Saginaw Arthur Hill 53, Freeland 47 The Lumberjacks (17-5) earned one more matchup with rival Saginaw High in this week’s Regional by downing a Falcons team (20-4) that has been in the Division 2 conversation all season.
4. Detroit Cass Tech 61, Detroit Martin Luther King 59 (OT) This Division 1 District Final finished a season series that saw the Technicians win both matchups in overtime, the first by five points.
5. Cass City 51, Harbor Beach 48 The Red Hawks (23-1) clinched their Division 3 District title by avenging their lone loss, 56-43 to Harbor Beach (20-4) on Feb. 9.
Regionals at a Glance
These could be among our most competitive brackets. Host sites are in bold:
DIVISION 1
Detroit Renaissance
North Farmington (19-2) vs. Birmingham Groves (13-11)
Detroit U-D Jesuit (18-5) vs. Warren De La Salle Collegiate (15-7)
A Catholic High School League Central team has reached the Division 1/Class A Semifinals five straight seasons (not counting COVID-canceled 2020), and while Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (playing at Milford this week) is the favorite to do that, the regular-season champion has not always ended up the last team playing. De La Salle and Jesuit split during the regular season, Jesuit winning the first time 64-55 and De La Salle the rematch 57-56. On the other side, North Farmington shared the Oakland Activities Association Red title and Groves finished fifth, the Raiders winning their matchups 65-42 and 57-49. North Farmington finished the regular season with the third-highest Division 1 MPR.
Gaylord
Cadillac (19-5) vs. Traverse City West (22-2)
Saginaw Heritage (20-3) vs. Muskegon (21-2)
Coming off two straight trips to the Division 2 Quarterfinals, Cadillac has been even better this season while now in Division 1. The Vikings’ only losses were to Whitehall and Wayne Memorial, and they won the Big North Conference outright thanks in part to 55-44 and 58-44 wins over second-place West. On the other side of the bracket might be one of the most anticipated matchups this week. Heritage won the Saginaw Valley League title as one of eight league teams with at least 13 wins heading into this week, and the Hawks are 14-1 over their last 15 games. Muskegon is the reigning Division 1 runner-up, shared the Ottawa-Kent Conference Green title and has a 10-game winning streak.
Northville
Ypsilanti Lincoln (18-6) vs. Wayne Memorial (17-6)
Ann Arbor Huron (19-4) vs. Detroit Catholic Central (15-8)
Lincoln may have cooled off a bit after a 12-2 start, but the Railsplitters have heated up again and defeated Southeastern Conference Red champion Saline 62-57 in last week’s District Final. Lincoln also owns a Dec. 16 win over Wayne, 56-47, although the Zebras also have been surging with 10 wins over their last 12 games. Huron tied for second in the SEC Red but owns a sweep of Lincoln and edged rival Ann Arbor Pioneer 59-57 last week to get here. The favorite might still be DCC, which finished 10th in statewide Division 1 MPR while tying for fifth in the CHSL Central. All but one of the Shamrocks’ losses came in league play, with the first to Dearborn, which finished 23-1.
DIVISION 2
Corunna
Saginaw (15-9) vs. Saginaw Arthur Hill (17-5)
Shepherd (15-9) vs. Flint Powers Catholic (19-5)
Although the end of Saginaw and Arthur Hill’s 114-year rivalry was commemorated with their final regular-season matchup Feb. 16, there was always the anticipation they could meet one more time in the postseason. They’ll do so to open tonight’s Regional, with Arthur Hill having won that first matchup 84-52 but that potentially not indicating much as these rivals rev up for one last meeting. Arthur Hill was third in the SVL and Powers and Saginaw tied for fifth, with the Chargers defeating Arthur Hill 72-67 and falling to Saginaw High 66-56. Shepherd will do its best to break up the SVL reunion coming off two wins over Tri-Valley Conference teams in last week’s District.
Flat Rock
Detroit University Prep (15-8) vs. Romulus Summit Academy North (22-2)
Dundee (20-4) vs. Dearborn Heights Robichaud (19-4)
Summit is playing in a Regional for the fourth-straight season and seeking to advance to the final week for the third time during this run, this time with its losses by a combined four points to Riverview Gabriel Richard (20-3) and Detroit Old Redford (17-7). The Dragons won the Charter School Conference Gold championship thanks to an 85-58 win over runner-up University Prep on Jan. 22, but UPA has seen several more of the state’s top teams and defeated River Rouge among its best victories. Dundee opened this season 14-1 and is on a five-game winning streak that included claiming a second-straight District title. The Vikings are running into a Robichaud team that’s won nine straight games and the outright Western Wayne Athletic Conference title and is making its third-straight Regional appearance.
Wayland
Benton Harbor (23-1) vs. Paw Paw (12-13)
Grand Rapids Christian (22-2) vs. Holland Christian (15-9)
Benton Harbor entered the postseason with the highest MPR in Division 2 and continued to back it up last week with a 60-42 win over Stevensville Lakeshore (13-10) and 58-48 clincher over Niles (19-6). Paw Paw has won five of its last six and will try to add to its upset last week of South Haven (15-7). Grand Rapids Christian was No. 4 in Division 2 MPR entering the postseason and defeated Grand Rapids South Christian (19-6) narrowly last week, 52-49, to advance. It would be easy to anticipate an Eagles/Tigers matchup in the Regional Final, but GRC surely isn’t looking past Holland Christian, which has won seven of its last eight games.
DIVISION 3
Houghton Lake
Ithaca (16-8) vs. McBain (22-2)
Sanford Meridian (20-4) vs. Beal City (20-4)
Three 20-win teams at this Regional quickly grab the attention, and Ithaca like Beal City was a league runner-up this winter. McBain was first and the Aggies second in the Highland Conference, with McBain winning their matchups 60-43 and 72-48. Meridian was the champion of the Jack Pine Conference and didn’t see any of these three teams this season but has only one Division 3 loss, to Pewamo-Westphalia (22-2). Beal City and Ithaca did meet early, with the Aggies winning 74-68 on Dec. 19. The Meridian/Beal City matchup is a rematch of a 2023 District Final, won by the Mustangs 43-40.
Jackson Lumen Christi
Hanover-Horton (16-8) vs. Jackson Lumen Christi (20-4)
Chesaning (24-0) vs. Laingsburg (24-0)
All four of these teams were league champions, but the Tuesday headliner surely is the meeting of undefeated contenders. Chesaning is coming off its first District title in decades, and Laingsburg is seeking its second-straight Regional championship and is a combined 49-1 over its last 50 games. A pair of victories over P-W and a 72-65 edging of Freeland (20-4) remain the defining wins for the Wolfpack, while Chesaning has downed Saginaw Nouvel (19-5) and Durand (19-5) twice among others. Lumen Christi continues to build on its best season since at least 2014-15, with three of its four losses to teams that have won at least 20 games. Hanover-Horton also has made a nice jump returning to Regionals after missing the last two seasons while hovering near .500.
Watervliet
Union City (16-9) vs. Niles Brandywine (21-3)
Schoolcraft (21-3) vs. Watervliet (19-5)
Brandywine joins Benton Harbor (see above) in giving the five-team Lakeland Conference statewide contenders in both Divisions 2 and 3. The Bobcats reached the Semifinals a year ago and have a 64-53 win over Watervliet from Jan. 24. Watervliet and Schoolcraft were the outright champions in the Southwestern Athletic Conference – Schoolcraft in the Valley and Watervliet in the Lakeshore – and Schoolcraft won their Jan. 9 matchup 67-35. Union City finished fourth in the Big 8 Conference but has emerged with eight wins over its last 10 games as it continues to build up its first winning season since 2018-19.
DIVISION 4
Bellaire
Buckley (15-9) vs. Maple City Glen Lake (20-4)
Hillman (22-2) vs. Bellaire (20-4)
Hillman and Bellaire are both league champions, and Hillman has significant recent experience at this level making its third-straight Regional appearance and after reaching the Quarterfinals a year ago. The Tigers remain undefeated this calendar year, while Bellaire has been close winning 16 of its last 18 with the lone losses during that time by a combined three points both to Mancelona. On the other side are a pair of teams familiar with each other, as Glen Lake was second in the Northwest Conference and Buckley finished fourth. The Lakers won their matchups 55-36 and 68-48.
Petersburg Summerfield
Brighton Livingston Christian (18-5) vs. Detroit Douglass (19-5)
Britton Deerfield (18-6) vs. Allen Park Inter-City Baptist (20-4)
Douglass won the Detroit Public School League Gold on the way to its third District title over the last four seasons, and the Hurricanes have won 12 of their last 13 games with all of their defeats this season to Division 1 or 2 opponents. Livingston Christian has plenty to be glad about as well enjoying its first winning season since 2019-20 and with eight wins over its last nine games. On the other side are a pair coming off major District Final accomplishments. Deerfield was fourth in the Tri-County Conference but defeated league champion Adrian Lenawee Christian 63-59 after losing their matchup a month earlier by 50. Inter-City Baptist has won seven in a row and downed Taylor Trillium (22-2) in their District Final, 60-49.
Sault Ste. Marie (Regional Final only)
Munising (19-4) vs. Rudyard (18-6) at Manistique
St. Ignace (18-6) vs. Onaway (19-5) at Indian River Inland Lakes
The reigning Division 4 champion Mustangs have won 15 of their last 16 games with a 68-58 victory over Rudyard on Jan. 19 adding intrigue to tonight’s rematch. The Bulldogs have won 11 of 13 games since, a run that included a 73-72 victory over St. Ignace that completed a regular-season split as those two finished third and second, respectively, in the Straits Area Conference. Since navigating a rough patch of four losses over five games as January turned to February, the Saints have won six straight all by at least 20 points as they look to return to the Quarterfinals for the second-straight season. Onaway will be the first to try and stop them, entering with 10 wins over its last 11 games and the loss during that streak to Bellaire (see above).
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.
PHOTOS (Top) Muskegon finishes a season sweep of Mona Shores with a 61-29 Division 1 District Final win. (Middle) A pair of Holly defenders defend during their Division 1 District Semifinal win over Davison. (Top photo by Tim Reilly; middle photo by Terry Lyons.)