Breslin Bound: Boys Quarterfinal Preview
March 20, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
It's easy to enter this final week of the boys basketball season noting how many of last year's MHSAA champions are still around with possible repeats only three wins away.
That number is three, by the way: Detroit U-D Jesuit in Class A, Flint Beecher in Class C and Powers North Central in Class D. But isn't it more intriguing that 14 of 24 champions during this decade are still alive – and 14 of 18 in A, C and D, since no matter which team wins Class B, it will be for the first time since at least 1999.
The final Breslin Bound report – powered by MI Student Aid – looks at all 16 Quarterfinals that will be played Tuesday evening. Click below for brackets:
Class A | Class B | Class C | Class D
All games tip off at 7 p.m. unless noted below. All also will be available with subscription for viewing on MHSAA.tv.
CLASS A
West Bloomfield (16-8) vs. Troy (21-4) at University of Detroit Mercy
This will be Troy’s first Quarterfinal since 1989 and West Bloomfield’s since 2003. The Lakers emerged after finishing third in an Oakland Activities Association Red that also included Clarkston (below) and 2016 Class A runner-up North Farmington. Senior guard Kevin McAdoo leads with 24.1 points and 4.1 assists per game. Troy shared the OAA White title and is paced by junior guard Jason Dietz (17.2 ppg).
Clarkston (24-1) vs. Saginaw (21-4) at Davison, 7:30 p.m.
The Wolves won the OAA Red and are led by one of the winningest coaches in MHSAA history in Dan Fife (674-169 over 35 seasons) and one of the state’s top juniors in point guard Foster Loyer (25.1 ppg, 6.4 apg). Saginaw is a frequent qualifier at this stage, with this to be its third Quarterfinal in six seasons. Senior forward Henry Speight stars with 22 points, 14 rebounds and five assists per game for the Saginaw Valley League North champion.
Kalamazoo Central (21-3) vs. Grand Rapids Christian (25-0) at Lansing Eastern
For the second straight game, Grand Rapids Christian will play in arguably the most anticipated statewide. The Eagles feature star forward Xavier Tillman (13.2 ppg, 10.7 rpg, 4.7 apg, 4.1 bpg), but Kalamazoo Central will counter with Mr. Basketball Award winner Isaiah Livers (17.5 ppg, 14 rpg) as it looks to avenge a 53-51 overtime loss to Christian on March 2. The Eagles downed previously-undefeated Muskegon and then needed a buzzer beater against Holland West Ottawa last week.
Romulus (20-4) vs. Detroit U-D Jesuit (20-3) at University of Detroit Mercy, 5 p.m.
Romulus is another regular during the final week, making its fifth Quarterfinal appearance this decade but first since 2014. Junior guard Kaevon Merriweather and senior forwards Dylan Price and Jaren English all average between 16 and 19 points per game. Reigning Class A champion U-D Jesuit has won 12 straight and again has a major post presence in 6-foot-9 Greg Eboigbodin (13.4 points, 13 rebounds per game).
CLASS B
Detroit Osborn (16-9) vs. New Haven (24-1) at Marysville
Osborn won its second Regional title and will play in a Quarterfinal for the first time since 2007 after finishing fourth in a Detroit Public School League East Division 1 that included Class A powers Detroit Martin Luther King and East English and Class C quarterfinalist Edison Public School Academy. New Haven is playing in a third straight Quarterfinal and seeking to advance for the first time. Senior Eric Williams (20.9 ppg) and sophomore Romeo Weems (18.1 ppg, 12.6 rpg) provide a powerful 1-2 punch.
Benton Harbor (21-3) vs. Spring Lake (19-6) at Caledonia
The Tigers won one of the state’s strongest Regionals to make the final week for the first time since 2014. Freshman 6-6 center Carlos Johnson leads four scoring in double figures at 14.2 points, 14.1 rebounds and 3.3 blocked shots per game. Spring Lake is making its second Quarterfinal appearance in three seasons and also second ever; the Lakers upset Grand Rapids Catholic Central in the Regional Final after finishing third behind the Ottawa-Kent Conference Blue champion in their league.
Williamston (21-4) vs. River Rouge (23-1) at Chelsea
This is a rematch from 2016, with Williamston winning last season 53-46. The Hornets are one of the surprise teams still around this week, not because of lack of success but because they eliminated presumed Class B favorite Wyoming Godwin Heights in a Regional Semifinal for the second straight season. Williamston has won 10 of its last 12 games and three of its losses are to Class A schools. River Rouge owns win over Class A quarterfinalists West Bloomfield and Romulus and Class D quarterfinalist Southfield Christian.
Lake Fenton (20-5) vs. Ludington (23-2) at Mount Pleasant
Lake Fenton rolled into its first Quarterfinal after downing 20-win Freeland and 21-win Frankenmuth last week, but maybe those shouldn’t be considered upsets – the Blue Devils tied for second in the Genesee Area Conference Red behind only reigning Class C champion Flint Beecher. Senior forward Jalen Miller leads with 20.9 points per game. Ludington is in its first Quarterfinal since 2009 looking to advance for the first time since 1971. Senior guard Calvin Hackert leads the balanced Lakes 8 Activities Conference champion at 13.3 points per game.
CLASS C
Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (24-0) vs. Detroit Edison PSA (13-11) at Tecumseh, 6 p.m.
This will be Monroe St. Mary’s fourth Quarterfinal this decade – the Falcons have made the final week every odd year over the last seven, and advanced to the Semifinals in 2013. Senior 6-7 forward Nick Welch leads at 20.7 ppg, and he could face an interesting matchup with 6-8 Deante Johnson. Edison, as noted above, came from the same PSL division at Osborn and lost four of its last five regular-season games – but then upset expected contender Cornerstone Health & Technology in the Regional Final. DEPSA did earn regular-season rematch wins over Detroit King and East English after losing first games to both, and split with Osborn as well.
Flint Beecher (20-5) vs. Beaverton (20-5) at Bay City Central
Beecher has won two straight Class C titles and played in nine straight Quarterfinals, and is led again by standout Malik Ellison (23.8 ppg). The Buccaneers’ only losses since mid-January were to Class A Ypsilanti Community by two and Class B quarterfinalist New Haven in overtime. Beaverton has enjoyed a history-making winter as coach Roy Johnston took over the MHSAA lead for career wins, and the Beavers have bounced back from a four-game losing streak in early February to make their first Quarterfinal since 2013. Johnston's grandson Carter leads with 23.7 ppg.
Kalamazoo Christian (18-7) vs. Grand Rapids Covenant Christian (19-5) at Holland West Ottawa, 7:30 p.m.
This is another matchup of schools advancing for the first time in at least a little while; Covenant Christian won its first Regional since 1994 in Class D, and Kalamazoo Christian advanced to this week for the first time since 2008. Senior guard Alex Visser and junior forward Jordan Katje both score 11 points per game to lead Kalamazoo Christian, while junior forward Carson Meulenberg paces Covenant at 13.4 ppg.
Manton (20-4) vs. Negaunee (20-4) at Petoskey
Manton has its best record in at least 11 seasons to go along with its first Regional title since 1998. Three players have made at least 48 3-pointers this season, paced by leading scorer Jayden Perry (16 ppg) with 53. In addition to upsetting formerly undefeated McBain in the District, Manton has a win over Beaverton. Negaunee is another frequent quarterfinalist, this being its fifth time in the final week this decade. The Miners hope to take the next step for the third time of this run led by big-time scorers Dre’ Tuominen (20.4 ppg) and Trent Bell (19.7), who both make more than 50 percent of their shots from the field.
CLASS D
Hillman (24-1) vs. Powers North Central (25-0) at Sault Ste. Marie
These two met in a 2015 Quarterfinal, two games before North Central claimed its first Class D title of this recent run, and they meet again with the Jets two wins from a third straight and carrying the nation’s longest active winning streak of 80 victories. Jason Whitens (22.6 ppg) and Dawson Bilski (19.7) have starred throughout the run and are part of a talented senior class finishing things up. But Hillman has an excellent senior as well in Gunnar Libby, who leads his team with 19.1 points and 5.5 assists per game.
Southfield Christian (20-5) vs. Fowler (17-7) at Imlay City, 7:30 p.m.
After two seasons – and two District titles – in Class C, Southfield Christian is back in Class D and seeking its fourth title this decade. Two of its losses were to quarterfinalists U-D Jesuit and River Rouge, and it beat West Bloomfield. Junior guard Bryce Washington leads four averaging in double figures with 18.5 ppg. Fowler is back in the Quarterfinals for the first time since finishing off five straight appearances in 2005, and it owns a win this season over Lansing Christian. Senior 6-7 center Jeremy Pung is a force, averaging 18 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.
Benton Harbor Dream Academy (11-7) vs. Lansing Christian (18-6) at Kalamazoo Loy Norrix
Dream Academy has won 10 of its last 12 games, avenging its loss to St. Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic during that run with an overtime win over the Lakers in the District Final. Lansing Christian last made a Quarterfinal (and then Semifinal) in 2013, and after losing three of its final four regular-season games has bounced back with four double-digit wins in the playoffs. Seniors Matt Havey and Preston Granger average 17.9 and 15.4 ppg, respectively, for the Pilgrims.
Wyoming Tri-unity Christian (16-8) vs. Buckley (24-0) at Cadillac
Tri-Unity is back in the Quarterfinals for the third straight season and fifth this decade, seeking its first championship since 2011. Four seniors start for a balanced attack; forward Braydon Sherrod and guard Collin Rosendall top the scoring at 10.2 and 10.9 ppg, respectively. Buckley has twice made Quarterfinals, in 1998 and 2010, and is looking to advance for the first time. Junior Denver Cade scores a team-high 21 ppg for a group that’s won all but two games this season by double digits – with a victory over Class C quarterfinalist Manton one of the two by fewer than 10 points.
PHOTO: Spring Lake's Cameron Ball (24) lays up a shot this season against Grand Haven. (Photo by Tim Reilly.)
Tri-unity Christian Back on Top As Titus Leads Overtime Surge
By
Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com
March 26, 2022
EAST LANSING – The Wyoming Tri-unity Christian boys basketball team fell short last season in its bid to add another state championship to its storied history.
Senior point guard Brady Titus wasn’t about to let history repeat itself.
Titus scored a game-high 33 points to propel the Defenders to a thrilling 56-45 overtime win over Ewen-Trout Creek in Saturday’s Division 4 Final at the Breslin Center.
“There was so much motivation, just coming up short last year,” Titus said. “Just knowing that we lost to a team that we could’ve beat really carried on into this year, and there’s a great sense of relief knowing that we really did this as a team.
“I’m more than thankful, and it’s hard to describe how I feel right now other than a lot of excitement.”
The Defenders (20-6) lost to Detroit Douglass a year ago, 46-41, but gained redemption by outscoring the Panthers 13-2 in overtime Saturday.
Tri-unity captured its fifth Final, but first since 2011 under longtime coach Mark Keeler, who watched his team struggle in the second quarter after a strong start.
The Defenders led 16-11 after the first quarter, but Ewen-Trout Creek opened the second with an 11-1 surge to snare a 22-17 lead.
The Defenders countered with a 6-0 run to hold a slim 23-22 advantage, but Ewen-Trout Creek ended the half with seven straight points.
A 3-pointer from Eric Abramson at the buzzer gave the Panthers a 30-23 lead at the half.
“I was proud of my guys because we didn’t quit or get discouraged after that buzzer 3-pointer at the end of the first half,” said Keeler, who was appearing in his 10th Final. “Ewen-Trout Creek was gutty and tough, and they dominated the boards in the first half.”
Titus, who will play in college at Indiana Tech, scored 23 of his points in the second half and overtime after being held to 10 points in the first half.
He was poked in the eye inadvertently early in the third quarter, and it fueled his play.
“It was an accident for sure, but me being the person I am I took it personally,” Titus said. “That really fired me up to just go out there and play and compete.”
Titus stepped up several times when his team needed him during the second-half rally.
His driving lay-up with 33 seconds left knotted the score at 43-43 and sent the game to overtime after the Defenders got a defensive stop in the closing seconds.
“He does it so often,” Keeler said of Titus’ heroics. “He’s just an amazing young man, and he made plays for us.”
Tri-unity turned to its defense in overtime to help secure the win.
Sophomore Owen Rosendall, who made three 3-pointers and finished with nine points, had a steal and took a defensive charge, while junior center Hanif James had a huge blocked shot with the Defenders clinging to a 47-45 lead in the final minute. He then scored inside on an assist from Titus.
“I don’t really go for blocks because I try to keep my hands up as straight as possible,” said James, who had seven points and seven rebounds. “If I see it, I go for it, and then Brady has great vision and I know he’ll find me when I’m open.”
Ewen-Trout Creek (22-3) was playing for its first Finals title since 1972.
The Panthers also finished Class D runner-up in 1982, losing to Covert 105-94.
“Overtime losses are always tough, but an overtime loss in a state championship game is something else,” Ewen-Trout Creek coach Brad Besonen said. “The fight and the grind these guys bring to the court every night showed tonight in front of a big audience on a big stage in one of the biggest games we can have as a high school team. I couldn’t be prouder of these guys.”
Jaden Borseth finished with 16 points and eight rebounds to lead the Panthers, while Brendan Polkky had 14 points and Abramson added 12.
PHOTOS (Top) Tri-unity’s Hanif James (34) gets a hand on a shot attempt by Ewen-Trout Creek’s Jaden Borseth. (Middle) The Defenders’ Ethan Eerdmans (10) works to get past Ewen-Trout Creek’s Jonah Nordine. (Below) Tri-unity coach Mark Keeler raises the championship trophy toward his team Saturday. (Click for more from Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)