Breslin Bound: Boys District Preview
March 3, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Picking the teams to beat in the MHSAA Boys Basketball Tournament has been particularly difficult this winter. It appears there are plenty of favorites to go around.
We’ll begin to find out if that’s true when Districts begin tonight all over the state – and know for sure when we see which teams end up at Michigan State’s Breslin Center for Finals weekend on March 20.
Follow as the teams advance on MHSAA.com. Below are some that could reach the final 16 lines of those brackets.
Class A
Detroit Pershing (18-2) – It’s hard to believe Pershing hasn’t won Class A since 2009 since the Doughboys always seem to be in the mix. They came back from a two-point loss to Detroit Southeastern at the end of January to beat Southeastern – the reigning Class A runner-up – 57-56 in the Detroit Public School League Tournament Final. Pershing also has impressive wins over Ypsilanti, Detroit Douglass (twice) and Illinois’ Chicago Orr and Morgan Park. Center Justin Tillman, a 6-foot-7 force in the paint, is a Mr. Basketball candidate.
Detroit U-D Jesuit (17-2) – The Cubs tied for the Detroit Catholic League regular-season championship but cruised through the tournament with wins of 50, 28 and 16 points, respectively. They followed with a 10-point win over reigning Class A champion Romulus. U-D Jesuit would win its first Regional title and Quarterfinal on the way if it makes it to Breslin. Considering that could mean defeating both Pershing and Southeastern, it's a tall task that would be considered an even more impressive accomplishment.
Muskegon (20-0) – This is a football school, right? Not entirely anymore given the Big Reds’ basketball success over the last two seasons. Muskegon has improved from 11-11 in 2011-12 in 19-7 and a Quarterfinal run last season to perfection heading into this tournament. Guard Deshaun Thrower, the quarterback that led the football team back to Ford Field this fall, is a Mr. Basketball candidate. Teammate Deyonta Davis could be in 2015. Aside from winning the O-K Black title, the Big Reds have impressive wins over Saginaw Arthur Hill, Mount Clemens and Illinois’ Chicago Curie among others.
Ypsilanti (18-2) – The Grizzlies' only Southeastern Conference loss came to rival Ypsilanti Lincoln in mid-January and was avenged with a 12-point win a month later. Ypsilanti also fell to Pershing by three in December, but owns an eight-point win over a strong Detroit Southeastern team. Ypsilanti won its first Regional title last winter since 1981, but looks to have a good shot at making it two in a row, although the road could include Lincoln again plus Romulus and tough Westland John Glenn among others. Senior center Jaylen Johnson is a mobile 6-9 force and Mr. Basketball candidate.
Class B
Detroit Country Day (13-7) – It’s nearly impossible to not mention the reigning Class B champion, even if the Yellowjackets’ record is a bit down from the usual at the end of the regular season. But consider that Country Day is on an 8-1 run, its losses are against some strong opponents including Detroit Consortium and Class A Romulus and Walled Lake Western, and it features Mr. Basketball candidate Edmond Sumner, a 6-5 guard and scorer. Oh, and Country Day avenged that Consortium loss with a one-point win three weeks later.
Grand Rapids South Christian (19-1) – The Sailors have been MHSAA title contenders in seemingly every sport lately, and that’s grown to include boys hoops. After finishing 13-9 a year ago, South Christian fell this year only once, by three points, to O-K Gold runner-up Wayland. South Christian then won the rematch by 10 and also owns nice wins over Holland Christian and East Kentwood – although undefeated Wyoming Godwin Heights (see below) is a likely District opponent this week.
Jackson Lumen Christi (19-1) – The Titans have been building toward a run at their first Semifinals appearance since 1975 after reaching the Quarterfinal last season and falling in that game by only three points. Their only loss this winter was by five two weeks ago to Class A Lansing Waverly, a team Lumen Christi beat by seven earlier this season. The Titans also this season avenged 2012-13 losses to Flint Powers Catholic and rival Jackson, beating the latter twice.
Wyoming Godwin Heights (20-0) – The Wolverines haven’t lost since last season’s Class B Semifinals at Breslin Center. They beat solid Holland to cap the regular season after romping through the O-K Silver with only three of 14 games decided by single digits. But any potential run will have to go through Grand Rapids South Christian (see above) in the District.
Class C
Boyne City (18-1) – The Ramblers haven’t advanced to the season’s final week since 1990, but have looked up the challenge cruising through the Lake Michigan Conference undefeated after finishing 11-11 overall a year ago. The tough part this week likely will come in leading off the District tonight against league rival Elk Rapids, which Boyne City beat by three and then 12 earlier this season. Charlevoix also could be a tough out despite its 6-13 record – the Ramblers beat the Rayders by only four and six (in overtime) during the regular season.
Detroit Consortium (16-2) – Consortium has won Regional titles two of the last three seasons and just missed making it farther a year ago, falling by two in the Quarterfinal to eventual Class C champion Flint Beecher. The Cougars’ slate of wins this season includes many of the best from the Detroit PSL, including Southeastern and Douglass, plus wins over Class A Saginaw, Romulus, Saginaw Arthur Hill, and Class B Country Day. The lone losses were in a rematch against Country Day, by a point, and by two to Class A contender Pershing.
Mount Clemens (19-1) – It’s fair to call the Battling Bathers the favorites since the start of this season, or at least one of a few, and they haven’t fallen below that expectation. Mount Clemens won the Macomb Area Conference Gold title by four games after taking on a number of Class A schools including Detroit Martin Luther King and Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills during the season's first month. Only undefeated Class A Muskegon was able to give the Bathers a loss this winter.
Negaunee (19-1) – The Miners have reached at least the Quarterfinals the last three seasons and fell to Laingsburg in last season’s Semifinal by only two points. The only loss this season came in December to Class A Marquette, and was avenged with a six-point win three weeks ago. Negaunee played the biggest and many of the best in the Upper Peninsula and handed rival Ishpeming its only two losses in the Mid-Peninsula Athletic Conference – which Negaunee won.
Class D
Bellaire (20-0) – The Eagles faced only a few bumps in rolling to a flawless regular season record, needing a two-point win over second-place Mancelona and a three-pointer over third-place Onaway on Thursday to claim the Ski Valley Conference title outright. But perfection is nothing new to this bunch; Bellaire’s only loss last season came to Frankfort in the Regional Final, and the Eagles were perfect until the Quarterfinal in 2011-12.
Peck (18-0) – The Pirates’ success during their 8-player football championship run apparently is carrying over to basketball. Or maybe it was the basketball team’s success that carried over to football – the Pirates’ hoops team made its Regional Final last season before falling to eventual MHSAA Semifinalist Lansing Christian. Peck’s three single-digit games this winter came against rival Kingston and Class B Armada and Richmond.
Powers North Central (20-0) – Coming off its first MHSAA Semifinal appearance since 1985, North Central has crushed most of its competition this winter with 11 wins by 30 or more points. Only Skyline Conference foe Carney-Nadeau and Munising got within single digits of the Jets, and no opponent did so before February. Carney-Nadeau does also play in the same District, however, after falling to North Central by only a point in their rematch.
Southfield Christian (19-1) – The back-to-back reigning champion looks good to go for three, losing only to Class A contender Saginaw Arthur Hill this season while beating Walled Lake Western and Detroit Community among solid bigger opponents. The Eagles haven’t allowed an opponent within single digits since Allen Park Inter-City Baptist (14-6) on Jan. 10.
PHOTO: Detroit Consortium found the rim plenty during a 66-38 win over Jenison at the Breslin Center in December, and hopes to return to East Lansing at the end of this month. (Click to see more fromHigh School Sports Scene.)
Breslin Bound: 2023-24 Boys Report Week 12
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 19, 2024
This past week certainly earned its place in the greater narrative of the 2023-24 Michigan high school boys basketball season. We always say every team and every game has a story, and the weekend especially left us with a few we'll be talking about for a while.
But we also have so much to look forward to over this final week of the regular season, with plenty of local championship races finishing up and District pairings now posted – check all of those out on the Brackets page.
“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. Detroit Cass Tech 72, Detroit Renaissance 70 This has been one of the most competitive elite matchups statewide this season, as Cass Tech (19-1) claimed the Detroit Public School League Tournament title by following up on its 88-85 double-overtime win over the Phoenix (15-5) from Jan. 12.
2. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 58, Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice 55 The Eaglets (19-1) held on for a third win this season over Brother Rice (15-6) and this one for the Catholic High School League Bishop title.
3. Saginaw Arthur Hill 84, Saginaw 52 An outside chance remains they could meet in a Division 2 Regional Semifinal, but for now Arthur Hill (14-4) ended this 114-year rivalry on top.
4. Niles Brandywine 63, Benton Harbor 57 After losing their first meeting by 13, the Bobcats (17-3) handed Benton Harbor (20-1) its only loss to create a shared championship in the Lakeland Conference.
5. Laingsburg 72, Freeland 65 The Wolfpack (21-0) made the loudest statement of a season full of them in downing an expected Division 2 contender in Freeland (18-2).
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Detroit Cass Tech (19-1) The reigning Division 1 champion hasn’t slowed down, clinching the PSL Blue and Tournament titles and showing an ability to win big or pull out close victories while seeing teams from all over the Lower Peninsula. The Technicians’ only loss was to Zeeland West (14-6) a month ago, but they’ve also piled up wins over Chelsea (14-5), Renaissance (15-5) twice, Detroit Martin Luther King (14-6), Southeastern (14-7) and Douglass (14-5), and Kalamazoo Central (10-7) among 11 wins total over opponents with double-digit wins. And now comes the biggest matchup of all – Saturday’s Operation Friendship matchup with Orchard Lake St. Mary’s.
Marquette (18-3) The team can finish an outright Greater Northern Conference championship Thursday against second-place Kingsford and already have a 71-69 win over the Flivvers (16-3) and two over Menominee (15-5) among 13 victories total over opponents with 10 or more wins this winter. The three losses came in consecutive games over a 10-day stretch in December, and Marquette has avenged defeats to Negaunee and Ishpeming Westwood over the last three weeks, building a 15-game winning streak and surpassing last season’s total over 13 along the way.
DIVISION 2
Grand Rapids Catholic Central (14-4) A 1-3 December may have turned out to be excellent prep for a 13-1 run over the last two months, as the Cougars have lost only to Lima (Ohio) in 2024 and earned 12 wins during this run by 12 points or more. The early losses came to Grand Rapids Northview (15-4), Grand Rapids Christian (18-2) and Davison (14-4), but GRCC opened the new year with a 57-54 win over South Christian (15-5) and can clinch the Ottawa-Kent Conference Gold title outright Tuesday against Ottawa Hills. The Cougars finished a regular-season sweep of the second-place Sailors on Feb. 2 and would see them again only if they met in a Division 2 Quarterfinal.
Saginaw Arthur Hill (14-4) As noted above, this is Arthur Hill’s final season as it will consolidate with Saginaw High this summer. But the Lumberjacks are finishing things off memorably. They are tied for second in the Saginaw Valley League, a half-game back of Heritage after falling to the Hawks earlier this month. But they followed up that defeat with wins over Mount Pleasant and Saginaw High, to go with earlier notable victories over Frankenmuth (15-5) and Detroit Edison (11-7). Arthur Hill sees Bay City Central and Davison this week and has guaranteed its final season will be a winning one after going 10-14 a year ago.
DIVISION 3
Napoleon (18-3) The Pirates tied with Michigan Center for the Cascades Conference East championship but then won the overall league title with a 63-41 win over West champ Hanover-Horton on Saturday. Napoleon did split its meetings with Michigan Center this season, losing 50-38 on Dec. 21 before winning the rematch 50-44 on Jan 25, but the only other defeats also came before the new year to Jackson (12-8) and Parma Western (15-5). The Pirates have won 13 straight, also defeating Hanover-Horton (14-8) at the start of January and Jonesville (15-6) along the way, and could see Michigan Center again if both reach next week’s District Final at East Jackson.
North Muskegon (21-0) The Norsemen have gone from 10 to 15 to 19 top 21 wins over the last four seasons and have had to turn away only a few close challenges to remain undefeated with a game to play this regular season. North Muskegon defeated Montague 47-45 on Jan. 31 but have had only four more single-digit games. A 57-38 win over White Cloud (16-4) two weeks ago has been among highlights, and they’re lined up opposite each other at next week’s District at Hesperia. The Norseman also earned a notable 65-47 victory Jan. 30 over Muskegon Oakridge (14-6) and got a boost by downing Grand Rapids Covenant Christian (13-8) on Feb. 9, 62-54.
DIVISION 4
Hillman (18-2) The Tigers are another team undefeated in 2024, with 13 straight wins since falling to Division 2 Ogemaw Heights to finish their December slate. Hillman also lost early to Division 1 Gaylord, but has shined against schools closer in size and dominated in winning the North Star League Little Dipper championship and also downing eventual Big Dipper champ Alcona (16-5). The Tigers just missed making the Breslin Center a year ago, falling to Frankfort 59-57 in a Division 4 Quarterfinal, and will try to line up for another run finishing the regular season against Division 3 Oscoda (15-5) after defeating the Owls 57-56 in overtime in December.
Norway (15-5) The Knights are two wins from potentially winning the Skyline Central Conference Large school division outright, which would be an especially notable accomplishment as reigning Division 4 champion Munising (16-4) trails by only half a game. Norway earned the advantage with a 49-48 win over the Mustangs in the season opener Nov. 28, and the two would meet again if they both win Regional titles. The Knights have only one loss to a Division 4 opponent, against Crystal Falls Forest Park (16-3) on Jan. 4, and the other defeats came twice to Division 2 Escanaba and once to Division 3 Iron Mountain (19-1) and Division 2 Kingsford (16-3).
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – Ann Arbor Huron (16-3) at Saline (16-4) – These two are tied for first in the Southeastern Conference White, and the winner claims the outright league title. Huron won the first meeting 65-52 on Jan. 26.
Tuesday – Mancelona (16-4) at Bellaire (17-3) – Bellaire is assured of a share of the Ski Valley Conference championship, but Mancelona could force a co-championship after losing the first meeting Jan. 16 by just a point, 50-49.
Thursday – Flint Powers Catholic (16-3) at Saginaw Heritage (15-3) – A Chargers win could create a four-way tie atop the Saginaw Valley League with one conference game to play, or Heritage could enter this matchup in line to lock up a share of the title if it also defeats Lapeer on Tuesday.
Friday – Dearborn (20-0) vs. Canton (17-3) at Northville – The champions of the Kensington Lakes Activities Association’s East and West, respectively, will meet for the overall league title.
Saturday – Detroit Cass Tech (19-1) vs. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (19-1) at University of Detroit Mercy – The annual Operation Friendship matchup of PSL and CHSL champions also matches the reigning Division 1 champion and the top team in Division 1 MPR this winter, respectively.
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) Saginaw Arthur Hill and Saginaw High play for perhaps the final time in their 114-year rivalry Friday at Dow Event Center. (Middle) Detroit Cass Tech takes on Detroit Renaissance in the PSL Tournament final at Wayne State. (Top photo by Kolleth Photo; middle photo by Olivia B. Photography.)