Breslin Bound: Boys District Preview

February 25, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Anyone who has followed high school basketball has felt the difference in the gym between the regular season and playoff time.

Everything starts fresh tonight for Michigan’s boys hoops teams. But there’s added urgency as well with Districts tipping off all over the state and only the winners moving on.

Check out “Tracking the Tournament” on MHSAA.com for every matchup from all 128 brackets, and see below for scores from last week that popped off the page plus a look at three of the most intriguing Districts in each division.

Breslin Bound is powered by MI Student Aid and based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com. To offer corrections or fill in scores we’re missing, email me at [email protected].

Week in Review 

The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:  

1. Detroit U-D Jesuit 79, Detroit Cass Tech 59 – Jesuit won the annual Operation Friendship matchup between the winners of the Detroit Catholic League A-B and Detroit Public School League tournaments – and they could meet again in the Division 1 championship game.

2. Flint Carman-Ainsworth 56, Mount Pleasant 44 – After sharing the Saginaw Valley League Blue title with Grand Blanc, the Cavaliers handed the Red champion Oilers their only loss of the regular season.  

3. Carleton Airport 69, Monroe St. Mary 59 – With this win, the Jets earned a share of the Huron League title, their first conference title since 2001 and after finishing 2-19 overall last season.

4. Hanover-Horton 78, Ypsilanti Lincoln 73 – The Comets look even more dangerous in Division 3, finishing 19-1 and defeating a Division 1 contender in the Southeastern Conference White champion Railsplitters.

5. Manton 62, McBain 57 – Two weeks after suffering their only Highland Conference loss to McBain, Manton won the rematch to claim the league title outright.  

Districts at a Glance

These could be among our most competitive brackets. Host sites are in bold:

DIVISION 1

Belleville
Ann Arbor Huron (13-7), Ann Arbor Pioneer (18-2), Belleville (13-7), Saline (11-9), Ypsilanti Community (13-6), Ypsilanti Lincoln (16-4).

Southeastern Conference Red champion Pioneer and White champion Lincoln are lined up on opposite sides of the bracket, and both have byes tonight. Pioneer has won 11 straight and will have to fend off either Red co-runner-up Huron or fourth-place Saline in a semifinal. Lincoln will see either White runner-up Ypsilanti Community (which it most recently beat by a point Feb. 15) or host and Kensington Lakes Activities Association East co-champ Belleville on Wednesday.

Clarkston
Clarkston (17-2), Lake Orion (12-8), Oxford (19-1), Rochester Adams (17-3), Romeo (8-12), Waterford Kettering (9-11).

The reigning Class A champion Wolves haven’t lost since Dec. 4, the second of two defeats to open the season. They’ve also had just two single-digit wins among those 17 straight. But after winning the Oakland Activities Association Red, Clarkston may have to go through two more league champs with OAA White title winner Adams up tonight and Blue champion Oxford on the other side of the bracket.

Muskegon
Grand Haven (13-7), Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills (13-7), Grand Rapids Union (11-9), Muskegon (17-3), Muskegon Mona Shores (5-14), Muskegon Reeths-Puffer (15-5).

The most anticipated matchup may be a possible third meeting between Muskegon High and Reeths-Puffer, which split during the regular season. The Big Reds didn’t lose another game after falling in the first meeting, running off 13 straight victories and claiming the Ottawa-Kent Conference Black title. Reeths-Puffer, on the other hand, has lost four of its last six games including twice to Kenowa Hills – tonight’s District opponent.

DIVISION 2

Ada Forest Hills Eastern
Ada Forest Hills Eastern (10-10), Grand Rapids Catholic Central (18-2), Grand Rapids Christian (15-5), Grand Rapids Wellspring (11-8), Grand Rapids West Catholic (12-8), Wyoming Lee (2-17).

Grand Rapids Catholic Central came within a basket of winning Class B last season, falling by a point in overtime to Benton Harbor in the championship game. The Cougars bounced back with a perfect run through the Ottawa-Kent Conference Blue and losses only to also-league champions Canton and Grand Rapids South Christian. Grand Rapids Christian finished second to the Sailors in the O-K Gold and will look to play spoiler, although the Eagles first must get past surging West Catholic tonight.

Allegan
Allegan (5-15), Allendale (13-6), Hamilton (7-13), Hopkins (15-4), Holland Christian (16-4), Hudsonville Unity Christian (18-2).

Unity Christian has won 14 straight and held off Holland Christian by 21 and then just five to win the O-K Green outright. They could meet again Wednesday if Unity gets past O-K Blue runner-up Allendale in tonight’s opener. O-K Silver runner-up Hopkins has won 10 of its last 11 games and has a bye on the other side of the bracket.

New Haven
Algonac (0-20), Macomb Lutheran North (9-11), Marine City (15-4), New Haven (19-1), Richmond (19-1), St. Clair (10-10).

New Haven – a Class B semifinalist last year and champion in 2017, and featuring Mr. Basketball candidate Romeo Weems – is among favorites to win the Division 2 championship. But the Rockets will face at least one immediate challenge. Their side of this bracket includes Lutheran North and Algonac. But in the District Final, New Haven could see Blue Water Area Conference champion Richmond or Marine City, which celebrated its first league title since 1985 in taking the Macomb Area Conference Bronze.  

DIVISION 3

Blissfield
Blissfield (11-8), Clinton (7-13), Erie-Mason (18-2), Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (15-4), Ottawa Lake Whiteford (6-14), Petersburg-Summerfield (18-2).

League champions Erie-Mason (Lenawee County Athletic Association), Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (Huron League, shared) and Petersburg-Summerfield (Tri-County Conference) make this an especially tough bracket, with the latter two possibly meeting Wednesday. St. Mary tonight has to be careful with Blissfield, which has won eight of its last 10 games. Summerfield’s only defeat came to Erie-Mason, by 20 on Feb. 13.

Carson City-Crystal
Carson City-Crystal (18-2), Lakeview (6-12), Morley Stanwood (18-1), Pewamo-Westphalia (20-0), Saranac (0-17).

Three league champions fill out 60 percent of this bracket – Carson City-Crystal from the Mid-State Activities Conference, Morley Stanwood from the Central State Activities Association Silver and Pewamo-Westphalia from the Central Michigan Athletic Conference. P-W and Morley Stanwood are on the same side of the bracket and could meet Wednesday – P-W has had three games in single digits all season and the Mohawks have two wins by only single digits and a five-point loss to Grant. Carson City-Crystal’s defeats came to another league champion Sanford Meridian and a runner-up, Reese.

Iron River West Iron County
Calumet (16-4), Iron River West Iron County (10-8), Iron Mountain (20-0), Ironwood (19-1), L’Anse (11-8), Norway (8-11).

This District also includes three league champions – Ironwood from the Indianhead Conference, Calumet from the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference Copper and undefeated Iron Mountain from the West-PAC Iron. The latter two met Dec. 7, an overtime Iron Mountain win, and could meet in Friday’s District championship game. But Ironwood could have something to say about that – it meets Iron Mountain tonight in one of the most anticipated District openers statewide. Ironwood’s only loss came last week to a league runner-up, Bessemer.

DIVISION 4

Birmingham Roeper
Bloomfield Hills Roeper (14-6), Novi Christian (14-6), Southfield Christian (14-6), West Bloomfield Frankel Jewish Academy (13-7).

Reigning Class D champion Southfield Christian would seem a heavy favorite in just about any Division 4 District having won 12 of their last 13 games after opening with a number of much larger schools. But Novi Christian – tonight’s opponent – finished second to the Eagles in the Michigan Independent Athletic Conference Blue and lost the rematch Feb. 5 by only 10, one of the closest Southfield Christian wins of this closing run. Frankel Jewish Academy also was a league runner-up, in the Detroit Catholic League Intersectional 2, and Roeper was third in the MIAC Red.

Chassell
Baraga (0-20), Chassell (15-5), Dollar Bay (16-4), Hancock (2-18), Lake Linden-Hubbell (7-12).

Dollar Bay advanced to the Class D Semifinals a year ago and had won nine straight during this regular-season’s second half before falling to Chassell 62-54 on Friday – the win clinched the Copper Mountain Conference Copper Country championship for the Panthers. They could meet for a third time Wednesday; Chassell also won the first meeting Dec. 17 by nine.

Frankfort
Bear Lake (11-8), Brethren (11-8), Buckley (8-11), Fife Lake Forest Area (2-17), Frankfort (14-5), Onekama (12-7).

This District actually doesn’t include a league champion. But Frankfort finished second to Division 3 contender Maple City Glen Lake in the Northwest Conference, and Onekama was third. Reigning Class D runner-up Buckley tied for fifth after graduating most of last season’s contributors – but beat Frankfort by 14 last week.

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PHOTO: Flint Carman-Ainsworth and Grand Blanc meet in a Division 1 District opener after sharing a league title this winter. (Photo by Terry Lyons.)

Keeler Approaching Milestone Win Amid Final Season of Legendary Tri-unity Career

By Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com

December 18, 2024

WYOMING – Mark Keeler has spent four decades coaching boys basketball at Tri-unity Christian High School.

West MichiganAnd while he has many stories that he shares often, one of his favorites comes from the beginnings of the program.

“We didn't have bleachers in our gym when I first started,” Keeler said. “I would make my boys set several rows of chairs up so people could watch our games. And then they eventually added bleachers that were donated by the church.”

Keeler’s teams have been filling up the bleachers since he took the reins for the 1983-84 season, and he has built the program into one of the most successful in the state.

Now, as he leads his team through the opening month of his 38th and final campaign, Keeler is nearing a rare milestone only achieved by a few. He is expected to soon become the fourth coach in MHSAA history to reach 700 wins.

Tri-unity is 3-1 this winter, making Keeler a combined 697-217 coaching the Defenders. Roy Johnston is the winningest coach in state boys basketball history with 833 victories earned during stints at Yale, Howell and Beaverton before retiring in March. He is followed by longtime River Rouge coach Lofton Greene (728) and Clarkston’s Dan Fife (703).

“It's a statement of longevity with these men,” Keeler said. “All three of them were very successful at the schools they were at and most of them spent a long time at one school, just like I’m doing now. I’ve never coached anywhere but Tri-unity, and that is quite a privilege to have been a part of this school.”

Keeler reached 697 wins with last week’s nonconference victory over Wyoming Kelloggsville and can move closer to the milestone with another Friday night against Grandville Calvin Christian. The Defenders then play East Grand Rapids and Grand Rapids West Catholic, respectively, at the Cornerstone University Holiday Classic at the end of the month.

Keeler, who retired from a 40-year teaching career two years ago, started coaching in 1983-84 when Tri-unity had only an eighth and ninth-grade team. After two seasons of playing subvarsity, the school formed its varsity team for the start of the 1985-86 season, with Keeler at the helm. After three seasons with the varsity, he took a break from coaching (but continued teaching and serving as athletic director).

Keeler, middle, huddles with his team during the 1997 run to Breslin, when the Defenders finished Class D runners-up.“I had to get my priorities right with the Lord,” Keeler said. “I was trying to do too much and lost focus, and it was something that needed to be done. I look back, and it was something that set me up for the rest of my coaching career.”

Keeler returned for the 1990-91 season and has been at the forefront ever since. He has guided the Defenders to six state championships, including last year’s with a victory over Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart in the Division 4 Final. Tri-unity also has won titles in 1996, 2002, 2006, 2011 and 2022, while finishing as Finals runner-up six times. 

Keeler’s teams also have reached the Semifinals 15 times, won 19 Regional championships, 26 District titles and 22 conference championships. His players have filled Class D and Division 4 all-state teams for years, with surely the best-known 2000 grad Chris Kaman – who went on to play at Central Michigan and 13 seasons in the NBA – and Brandon Voorhees, who led Tri-unity to the 2002 title as a senior, went on to CMU and then Park University in Missouri, and played professionally overseas.

“I’m so glad that I’ve been able to just be here this long,” said Keeler, who was inducted into the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan Hall of Fame in 2016. “I love Tri-unity. My wife taught there, we met there, and my daughters went all the way through and graduated from there, so it's always been a part of my life. There's been so many quality people that have been there along the way.

“I've been very blessed to have had so many quality players and parents and coaches. It’s amazing when I look back at all those that have been a part of the program.”

Keeler, a man with a strong Christian faith, could’ve gone elsewhere during his career, but believed he had a calling at Tri-unity.

“I've had some opportunities to move on and go to different places, but whenever I prayed about it I always thought that this is where the Lord wanted me and that's always my priority,” Keeler said. “I want to please him first, because as a Christian that's my priority. I just thought this is where he placed me, so I’m going to set roots and do the best I can.”

Tri-unity senior guard Keaton Blanker, one of two returning starters on this year’s team, is excited to see his coach reach such a prestigious milestone.

“It’s the perfect scenario for him with this being his last year and getting to 700 wins,” Blanker said. “He’s going to leave his mark, and it’s well deserved. Being a small Division 4 school, he’s helped to put the program on the map and I remember growing up and watching his teams win state titles. I was waiting for the opportunity to play for him so I could help do the same thing.”

While Keeler is grateful for the unbridled success of the program on the court, creating lasting relationships with his players off the court and helping them grow in their faith has been equally gratifying.

Keeler raises the 2002 Class D championship trophy to the cheers of Tri-unity’s supporters. “I know without a doubt that the Lord has blessed our program.” Keeler said. “There are a lot of great coaches out there that are probably better at Xs and Os than I am, but I think I’m a strong motivator and build good relationships with the players and get to know them.

“I let each player know that I want them to grow in their walk with the Lord, and that's where my priority is. To be an influence toward Christ, not away from Christ.” 

Past Tri-unity standout Brent Voorhees, who has been Keeler’s assistant coach the last several years and will succeed him next season, said Keeler has never changed his approach to the game.

“Coming back to coach with him, the one thing that stands out is he doesn't waver on his principles,” Voorhees said. “A lot has changed in the sport in terms of analytics and how coaches attack things, but he has definitely stayed firm in his approach that it’s defense first and he preaches the team aspect. It’s never about an individual.

“He doesn’t let anything off the court distract him from goals. He's really good at keeping the goal in front of the guys. He keeps them focused on the goal of winning state championships  and also becoming great, young Christian men in the community, which is what he stands for and always comes first.”

The Defenders graduated eight players from last year’s team, but Blanker and senior Joey Mellon are back with several newcomers as they bid to send Keeler out with one more title at Breslin Center.

“I enjoy putting them together and getting them to mesh as a team,” Keeler said. “For me, I have learned that defense wins championships. The old adage that offense wins games, but defense wins championships ... I so believe that with all my heart.”

Reporter Dean Holzwarth, a longtime member of the West Michigan media, is also the junior varsity head coach and a varsity assistant for the Tri-unity Christian boys basketball program.

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) Surrounded by celebrating players and assistant coaches (including the author, far right), Tri-unity boys basketball coach Mark Keeler (hand in pocket) enjoys a  moment near the end of last season’s Division 4 championship game. (Middle) Keeler, middle, huddles with his team during the 1997 run to Breslin, when the Defenders finished Class D runners-up. (Below) Keeler raises the 2002 Class D championship trophy to the cheers of Tri-unity’s supporters. (MHSAA file photos.)