Breslin Bound: 2023-24 Boys Report Week 10
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 5, 2024
Maybe it’s driven by the warmer-than-usual winter across the state, but more than a few people have brought up lately that this boys basketball season has seemed to fly by.
And it’s about to speed up even more, relatively speaking.
Three weeks remain of this regular season. Four leagues have begun or this week will start their tournaments, teams are clinching championships in other conferences all over Michigan, and two weeks from today first-round MHSAA brackets will be set.
Speaking of, be sure to keep an eye on Michigan Power Ratings as those District seeds are worked out over the next 13 days – and check out the MPR FAQ page for explanations of all things brackets, as the seeding process actually begins Sunday with the release of this season’s bracket formula.
“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. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 56, East Lansing 37 The Eaglets (15-1) finished a week that saw them also defeat Detroit Catholic Central and Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice by downing the Trojans (14-2) at the 2K24 Showcase at Aquinas College in a matchup of teams currently ranked Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, in Division 1 MPR.
2. East Kentwood 70, Warren Lincoln 43 After falling in Saturday showcase games the last two weekends, East Kentwood (10-5) made a loud statement in this one also at the 2K24 Showcase against a Warren Lincoln team (13-3) expected to contend in Division 2.
3. Muskegon Reeths-Puffer 63, Muskegon 45 The Rockets (14-1) moved into first place alone in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Green, handing Muskegon (11-2) its first defeat of the season and first at home in nearly two years.
4. Ann Arbor Huron 72, Grand Rapids Northview 71 The River Rats (13-2) ran their winning streak to seven with one of their best this season, sending Northview to 12-2 in another matchup of top-seven Division 1 MPR teams at the 2K24 event.
5. Grand Rapids Christian 60, Muskegon 51 As noted in last week’s report, the 2K24 Showcase was loaded, and the Eagles (14-1) sit atop Division 2 MPR after this win over the Big Reds at Aquinas.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Cadillac (14-1) The Vikings’ lone loss was 58-56 to still-undefeated Whitehall on Jan. 23, and they’ve bounced back with wins over Dearborn Fordson, Ludington and Traverse City West. The 58-44 victory over the second-place Titans moved Cadillac within one more win of clinching a share of the Big North Conference championship after sharing it with Traverse City Central last season. The Vikings finished 22-5 overall a year ago and have avenged 2022-23 losses to Mount Pleasant, Central and Petoskey. Wayne Memorial (10-4), Reed City (15-2) and Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (15-1) are among interesting tests remaining.
Port Huron Northern (14-3) The Huskies are waiting on the result of tonight’s Warren Lincoln/New Haven matchup to find out if they’ll tie Lincoln for the Macomb Area Conference White title or finish second. But aside from last week’s upset loss to Romeo, Northern’s only other defeats were to Lincoln in their first of two meetings (winning the second 59-57) and to still-undefeated Utica in its season opener. The Huskies have built on last season’s 20-4 finish with nine wins total against teams with double-digit victories, and bounced back from the Romeo loss with a 62-36 rebound against St. Clair (13-5). A Dec. 28 win over Saginaw, 67-64, also is among highlights.
DIVISION 2
Adrian (12-2) The Maples have been solid the last two seasons with 13 wins last winter and 15 the season before. But they’ve taken a major step and could add significantly to it against Chelsea on Tuesday in a matchup that could eventually lead to a shared Southeastern Conference White title between the two. Adrian lost the Jan. 19 meeting with the Bulldogs 97-87, but otherwise have fallen only to Parma Western (12-4) on Dec. 5. Adrian bounced back from that first loss by defeating Mason (15-2), and head into this rematch coming off a 65-43 victory over Tecumseh (12-3).
Chelsea (10-5) As noted, Chelsea sees Adrian again Tuesday with league championship implications, but also had a win over Tecumseh 61-48 last week. The Bulldogs have won six straight, starting with a 59-57 edging of Saline (12-3) on Jan. 16. Chelsea was 4-5 heading into that game, but has seen several of the state’s best with those losses to Division 1 Ann Arbor Huron (13-2), Saginaw Heritage (11-2), Detroit Cass Tech (14-1), Detroit U-D Jesuit (13-4) and Ypsilanti Lincoln (12-3). The Bulldogs also won their matchup with Parma Western, 56-40.
DIVISION 3
Chesaning (15-0) After finishing 17-6 both of the last two seasons, Chesaning has nearly equaled that win total during this perfect run and sits alone atop the Mid-Michigan Activities Conference standings after sharing last year’s title with Ovid-Elsie and Durand. Chesaning has swept the Railroaders this regular season and won the first meeting with Ovid-Elise 43-38 in double overtime, with the rematch ending the regular season Feb. 23. A 55-50 season-opening win over Lake Fenton (12-5) has been a good indicator for this winter, and matchups with Saginaw Nouvel (12-3) on Feb. 20 and then O-E could be just as telling about the playoffs.
Painesdale Jeffers (16-1) The Copper Mountain Conference overall championship could be on the line Tuesday when Jeffers travels to Lake Linden-Hubbell (14-2), as they are the only teams undefeated in league play. Jeffers won all three of their meetings last season including in the District Final as the Jets finished 25-2 and reached the Division 4 Quarterfinals. The only loss this winter was 75-72 to Ishpeming on Dec. 27, and Jeffers could see the Hematites again in District play. The Jets have a chance to avenge their other 2022-23 defeat Feb. 16 when they go to Escanaba.
DIVISION 4
Bellaire (12-3) The Eagles are 8-1 since the calendar turned to 2024, their only loss of that streak Jan. 16 to Mancelona 50-49. That’s left Bellaire and Mancelona tied for first in the Ski Valley Conference, with the rematch Feb. 20 at Bellaire. The Ski Valley has five teams with 10 or more wins, and Bellaire is a combined 5-0 against the other three, with the Eagles’ only other defeats at the Reed City holiday tournament to the host Coyotes (15-2) and Fremont. Next week’s matchup with Division 3 Charlevoix (13-3) should also provide some notable prep for the postseason.
Maple City Glen Lake (11-3) A 60-51 loss to Benzie Central two weeks ago put the Lakers a game back in the Northwest Conference standings as they seek a repeat championship. But those two see each other again Feb. 16 at Benzie, and Glen Lake could bring in some momentum from facing Traverse City St. Francis six days earlier – the Gladiators ended the Lakers’ season a year ago. Glen Lake’s only other defeats this winter were to Charlevoix during the first week and 81-80 in double overtime to Harbor Springs also during the first half of December. Last week’s opponents, Buckley and Frankfort, both have 10 wins this season, and the Lakers won 68-48 and 57-30, respectively.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – West Bloomfield (11-5) at North Farmington (14-1) – North Farmington can clinch a share of the Oakland Activities Association Red championship, or West Bloomfield could join the Raiders as the only teams with just one league loss after North Farmington won the first round 61-46.
Friday – Grand Rapids Northview (12-2) at Grand Rapids Christian (14-1) – These two are tied atop the O-K Conference White with 7-0 league records after their Jan. 12 game was postponed to Feb. 14.
Friday – Muskegon (11-2) at Muskegon Reeths-Puffer (14-1) – With their first meeting this season also originally scheduled for Jan. 12 but played Jan. 30, this will be a quick turnaround for the rematch and likely O-K Green decider.
Friday – Pickford (13-1) at Rudyard (11-4) – The Pirates are in first in the Eastern Upper Peninsula Conference by a game ahead of Rudyard after winning their first meeting 70-48.
Saturday – Saginaw (11-4) at Davison (10-3) – This Cardinal Classic game matches up the Saginaw Valley League-leading Trojans and second-place Cardinals, with Saginaw winning their SVL matchup 78-70 on Dec. 7.
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PHOTOS (Top) Grand Ledge and DeWitt players meet in the lane during the Panthers’ 52-35 win Friday. (Middle) Painesdale-Jeffers' Matthew Shutz (21) brings the ball up the court during his team’s game with Ishpeming this season. (Top photo by Terry Lyons; middle photo by Cara Kamps.)
Robichaud 3-Sport Legend Wheatley Selected to National High School Hall of Fame
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 11, 2024
The playing career of 1991 Dearborn Heights Robichaud graduate Tyrone Wheatley remains one of the most storied in Michigan high school sports history. His prestige gained during that early stage of his athletic stardom has been recognized nationally as well, as Wheatley was one of 12 honorees announced today as this year’s inductees into the National High School Hall of Fame by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).
Wheatley – who grew up in Inkster and is currently the head football coach at Wayne State University – will be inducted as one of 11 honorees selected for the 41st Hall of Fame class at a ceremony during the NFHS summer meeting July 1 in Boston. The rest of the class is made up of three more athletes, four coaches, two former state association administrators and a game official. Wheatley was nominated by the Michigan High School Athletic Association.
Wheatley will become the Hall of Fame’s 10th inductee from Michigan, joining the MHSAA’s first full-time Executive Director Charles E. Forsythe (inducted 1983), River Rouge boys basketball coach Lofton Greene (1986), Warren Regina athletic director, softball and basketball coach Diane Laffey (2000), Fennville basketball and baseball standout Richie Jordan (2001), Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett boys and girls tennis coach Bob Wood (2005), Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook hockey standout Jim Johnson (2007), Owosso football, basketball and baseball all-stater Brad Van Pelt (2011); Vermontville Maple Valley baseball national record holder Ken Beardslee (2016) and retired MHSAA Executive Director John E. “Jack” Roberts (2022).
To the greater public, Wheatley surely is best known as a star running back for University of Michigan who went on to play 10 seasons in the NFL for the New York Giants and Oakland Raiders. However, he is arguably most glorified in Michigan high school athletics for his accomplishments on the track, where as a junior in 1990 he became the first (of still only two) athletes to win four individual events at an MHSAA Lower Peninsula Finals – placing first in the 100 and 200-meter dashes, 110-meter hurdles and long jump. He led Robichaud to the Class B team title that day, scoring 40 of its 49 points. Wheatley completed his high school career in 1991 with three more Class B individual track & field championships and nine total over his final three seasons; he was injured in the 100 during that senior-year meet and could not run his final race to attempt another four-title day.
Wheatley’s meet records of 13.7 seconds in the 100 at the 1991 LP Class B Final and 23-10¾ in long jump in 1989 still stood when the four-Class track & field format was retired after the 1999 season. He also remains the only athlete to win the 100 three times at the prestigious Mehock Relays in Mansfield, Ohio, also finishing first in the 110 hurdles and 200 and runner-up in the long jump at that meet in 1991.
Wheatley was similarly accomplished on the high school football field, leading his team to a state championship in 1990 and earning a Parade All-America honor. Over three varsity seasons total he ran for a combined 4,257 yards and 67 touchdowns, including 2,010 yards and 33 scores on 208 carries as a senior in 1990 – the latter despite playing quarterback half of that season (and throwing five touchdown passes). He played quarterback, running back, defensive back, punter, kicker and returned kicks, and he scored 252 points over 13 games as a senior and 484 over 38 career games.
Wheatley also was a standout on the basketball court for Robichaud, averaging 14 points and 16 rebounds per game as a senior in earning all-state recognition in that sport as well.
“My city where I come from, Inkster, means the world to me. I grew up in an incredible era of sports in Michigan (with successful University of Michigan and Detroit pro teams) … but if you ask me who my idols were, they were the guys I grew up with playing on the playground,” Wheatley said. “After you come from a basketball game where you see Jarvis Walker drop 30, or Earl Jones running the last 200 of a race backwards … you hear people talk about them, you hear their reverence about them, and I just wanted to be put in the conversation of the best to come out of Inkster, forget the state. I can tell you this for sure: I’m not the best athlete to come out of Inkster, just the person who got the recognition. And my foundation was built watching, taking notes, preparing, working out and just trying to be one of the guys.
“(Robichaud was) the step. Because without Robichaud … Michigan, the NFL, me coming back to coach, it doesn’t happen,” Wheatley said. “Without the Robert Yaucks (his football coach at Robichaud), the Coach (Leit) Jones (his Robichaud track coach), the Coach (Mercer) Brysons, the (coach) Wade Cooks, the (coach Jeff) Flounorys, the Millie Hursins (his academic advisor) of the world, this doesn’t happen. Without my high school teammates, none of this happens. So it’s not just a step. What’s the saying – the first impression is the lasting and best impression? Robichaud was it.”
Wheatley returned to Robichaud as its varsity football coach in 2007 and led that team to a 9-2 record and the MHSAA Playoffs for the first time since 1994 – after Robichaud had finished 0-9 the previous season. He has served as an assistant football coach at four college programs including U-M and Syracuse, and with the Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars and Denver Broncos.
He also served as Morgan State University's head coach from 2019-21 and just completed his first season as head coach at Wayne State, which finished 3-8 – an improvement of two wins from 2022 and the program’s best record since 2019.
Wheatley graduated from University of Michigan in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology. He and wife Kimberly have five children: Tyrone Jr., Terius, Tyrique, Tiana and Tamari. Tyrone Jr., an offensive tackle, played this past season for the New England Patriots.
“Many of us who grew up in Michigan grew up as fans of Tyrone Wheatley because of what he accomplished at the college level – but his legendary story begins at Dearborn Heights Robichaud, where his outsized athletic ability was on full display in every sport he played,” MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said. “Michigan has produced several professional athletes in a variety of sports and nearly 50 Olympians in track & field alone, and what Tyrone Wheatley achieved as a high school athlete remains a standard few have approached. We are ecstatic that he will deservedly take his place among the all-time elite high school athletes nationally as well.”
The National High School Hall of Fame was started in 1982 by the NFHS. The 11 individuals were chosen after a two-level selection process involving a screening committee composed of active high school state association administrators, coaches and officials, and a final selection committee composed of coaches, former athletes, state association officials, media representatives and educational leaders. Nominations were made through NFHS member associations. Also chosen for this class were athletes Joe Mauer (Minnesota), Takeo Spikes (Georgia) and Dot Ford Burrow (Mississippi); sport coaches Paula Kirkland (South Carolina), Gary Rankin (Tennessee), Roy Snyder (Pennsylvania) and Ronald Vincent (North Carolina); former state association administrators Mike Colbrese (Washington) and Marie Ishida (California), and baseball/football game official David Core (Oklahoma).
For more on this year’s Hall of Fame class, visit the NFHS Website.
PHOTO Tyrone Wheatley crosses the finish line first during one of his nine MHSAA Finals track & field championship victories. (MHSAA file photo.)