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.

MI Student Aid

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.)

Senior-Loaded Hamilton Makes Memorable Most of Historic Opportunities

By Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com

March 17, 2023

HAMILTON – The senior year for a high school athlete is the last opportunity to make a mark on a program.

West MichiganFor the eight seniors on the Hamilton boys basketball team, an indelible impression was made. 

The Hawkeyes’ season ended Wednesday night in a Division 2 Regional Final against a talented Grand Rapids South Christian squad.

However, their remarkable regular season, and subsequent postseason run, will be fondly remembered by the people in this small West Michigan community for years to come.

“Our goal going tonto the season was to win a District and to have a good season, but more importantly to prove to the Hamilton community and to prove to people that followed us and ourselves that anything can be done when you put your mind to it,” Hamilton boys basketball coach Nick Kronemeyer said. “Anybody can be beat, and you can accomplish anything if you do it the right way and do it together. We wanted to inspire 6,500 people in Hamilton with that message.”

Hamilton produced a storybook season and compiled a pair of accomplishments that hadn’t been achieved in more than three decades.

The Hawkeyes won a conference championship for the first time since 1988 and then proceeded to capture the program’s first District crown since 1987.

They finished 22-5 overall after struggling to a 7-15 record a year ago. 

“We knew this group coming up was a talented group and loved the game of basketball,” Kronemeyer said. “We thought we were going to be pretty good last year with this group, and we kind of underachieved a little bit. Coming into this year, we believed wholeheartedly that we could have a special season if we did it the right way and learned from some of the things we went through last year.”

Lessons were learned and success was gained as the Hawkeyes recorded the second-most wins in school history and provided several thrilling moments for their spirited fanbase.

The Hawkeyes continue the celebration on their home court. “After I played my last football game, I knew the last basketball season was going to be really hard and you just have to give it your all because you only get so many games and then you're done,” Hamilton four-year player Brandt Goodpaster said. “So to have that much success and have as many extra games as we did was a blessing as a senior.”

Hamilton’s main objective for the season was a long-awaited District title, but as the final two weeks of the regular season approached, the team realized it was still in the hunt for an Ottawa-Kent Conference Blue title.

“We were just trying to get better, trying to play our best at the end of the year,” Kronemeyer said. “The conference title didn’t get talked about, but when we got to the last couple weeks we realized we had a chance and started to go after those games.”

Hamilton played Coopersville in the final conference game and came away with its biggest road win in many years.

“It was for all the marbles, it was for the outright conference championship and it was a game that you dream about growing up and why you put the work in,” Kronemeyer said. “That meant a lot to our community, and the way it happened at the end, it was just a pretty special night.”

The Hawkeyes erased years of futility in the conference when Goodpaster made the game-winning shot during the waning seconds.

A fitting conclusion for a stunning turnaround. 

“It was a huge team effort, and it just ended up in my hands for the last shot,” Goodpaster said. “My shot didn't win the game though, all the possessions and defense before that and all those things leading up to it won the game for us.”

The next stop was Districts, and the Hawkeyes were still riding the emotional wave from the conference title.

A win over Holland Christian – which had knocked Hamilton out of the postseason the past two years – followed by victories over South Haven and Allegan earned the Hawkeyes a coveted District championship.

“It was an accumulation of everything that has gone into it over the past couple years, and we played really well that night and got the job done,” Kronemeyer said. “We had talked about what it would be like for the first team that does it, and we knew it was going to be a special experience.  

“The kids signed shoes, napkins and T-shirts for an hour after the game. That was a pretty special experience for the community and the program. It was just a great night.”

And the District title occurred on their home court.

“The message from Coach from the very start was we are going to cut the net and we are going to win a District,” Goodpaster said. “We'll be the first team to do it and reset the standard.

“When I found out we were hosting Districts, we thought that this is the way we have to go out. Senior year, on our home court, no other option than to win and be District champs.”

Hamilton didn’t stop there and added another memorable moment in the Regional Semifinal against Marshall. The Hawkeyes trailed by 10 points early in the fourth quarter, but rallied and won on a tip-in at the buzzer by senior Austin Osborne, another four-year varsity performer.

“That was a dogfight, and we just made plays at the end,” Kronemeyer said.

Other contributors for Hamilton included leading scorer Justin McIllwain, a junior, and seniors JD DeGroot and Brady Tebo. 

“I’m proud of our seniors and that group,” Kronemeyer said. “They came to play every game, and all the credit goes to our guys. They were great to be around and did it the right way.”

Dean HolzwarthDean Holzwarth has covered primarily high school sports for Grand Rapids-based WOOD-TV for five years after serving at the Grand Rapids Press and MLive for 16 years along with shorter stints at the Ionia Sentinel and WZZM. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Allegan, Kent and Ottawa counties. 

PHOTOS (Top) Hamilton raises its first boys basketball District championship trophy since 1987 on March 10. (Middle) The Hawkeyes continue the celebration on their home court. (Photos courtesy of the Hamilton school district.)