Breslin Bound: Boys Report Post-Break
January 7, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
With the new calendar year underway, boys basketball season is revved to begin three uninterrupted months capping with an annual trip to Breslin Center – and with a much-anticipated change to the tournament sure to draw some added attention on the way there.
Remembering that this season will see the top two teams in each District seeded for the first time, we’d like to take this week to introduce the Michigan Power Ratings (MPR) on MHSAA.com. Teams are searchable and comparable both by division and District number, and every Monday during the regular season we’ll also pull a top 20 in each division and post them on our Second Half rankings page.
There’s a full explanation of how MPR is calculated, and for the rankings teams were considered this week that had played at least four games against opponents that also are eligible for the MHSAA Tournament, since MPR includes only those opponents in its calculation.
Below is a look at some of what you may have missed in holiday hoops during the break. “Breslin Bound” is powered by MI Student Aid and based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com. Send corrections or missing scores to [email protected].
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Flint Beecher 76, Benton Harbor 62 – The Division 3 Bucs have won four straight since falling in their season opener, and followed up a win over Division 1 Flint Carman-Ainsworth by dealing the Division 2-contending Tigers their only loss.
2. Clarkston 65, Flint Carman-Ainsworth 56 – The Wolves also earned a noteworthy win over Carman-Ainsworth that should affect Division 1 state rankings.
3. Orchard Lake St. Mary's 69, Grand Blanc 66 – The Eaglets moved to 5-0 with their only close win so far, handing Grand Blanc its first loss in another matchup of Division 1 powers.
4. Flint Carman-Ainsworth 54, Detroit Cass Tech 53 – The Cavaliers are mentioned a lot in this short list, but they also arguably played the toughest holiday schedule of any team in any division.
5. Detroit Cass Tech 72, Saginaw 62 – Although the Technicians went on to take their first loss three days later (see above), a 10-point win over Saginaw always is noteworthy.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Holland West Ottawa (5-0) The Panthers went from Division 1 runners-up in 2017-18 to 10-11 last season, but the bounce-back is on with this perfect start. West Ottawa won a pair of showcase games during the last days of December, over Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills and then Muskegon Mona Shores. The Panthers will carry that fast start into an Ottawa-Kent Conference Red that also has Grand Haven and Hudsonville at 5-0.
North Farmington (6-0) An eight-point win over rival Farmington on Friday extended a perfect start that most impressively included a 47-46 win over Detroit Communication Media Arts on Dec. 21 – still CMA’s only defeat. North Farmington tied for second in the Oakland Activities Association Red last season behind champion Clarkston, and looks to be in the mix again.
DIVISION 2
Macomb Lutheran North (5-0) The Mustangs are on a roll coming off two straight sub-.500 seasons. They opened with three wins over Blue Water Area Conference opponents and followed with Metro Conference Holiday Reunion Tournament victories over Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett and Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood. They’ve won twice by six points or fewer – experience which may come in handy in a Detroit Catholic League AA that features also-unbeaten Detroit Loyola and one-loss Dearborn Divine Child.
Sparta (5-0) The Spartans are coming off six straight sub.-500 seasons, but they’re already more than halfway to equaling last winter’s nine wins. They’ve held on in some close matchups, including a 67-66 victory over Gibraltar Carlson on Dec. 26. Sparta’s O-K Blue produced four teams (of seven total) with winning records last winter, and the Spartans begin league play Friday with hopes of joining that group this time.
DIVISION 3
Grand Rapids Covenant Christian (5-1) A 40-39 overtime win Friday over Grandville Calvin Christian avenged last year’s two-point loss to the Squires and ran Covenant’s winning streak to five. After starting 2-6 a season ago and finishing 8-14, the Chargers also have avenged losses to Wyoming Godwin Heights and Zeeland West.
Negaunee (5-0) The Miners finished a solid 15-8 a season ago but with two losses to Division 1 Marquette and a third to Escanaba. Those two teams are the only two Negaunee hasn’t beaten by double digits so far this winter; the Miners opened with a 52-43 avenging against the Eskymos and handed Marquette its lone loss Friday, 79-73 in overtime.
DIVISION 4
Dollar Bay (5-0) A Division 4 semifinalist the last two seasons, Dollar Bay actually is off to a better start this winter thanks to a 69-45 win over past early-season nemesis Bessemer. The Blue Bolts have won four games by at least 24 points and the fifth by nine, and their 81 points against Chassell on Dec. 27 would’ve been their third most last season.
Fulton (5-0) The Pirates have finished a game or two over .500 the last three seasons after their most recent trip to the MHSAA Semifinals in 2016. But this 5-0 start is the team’s best since 2011-12, the difference in large part being holiday break wins over Division 3 Ithaca and Carson City-Crystal. Fulton also owns a pair of early league victories over Saranac and rival Fowler.
Can't-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – Detroit U-D Jesuit (2-2) at Grand Blanc (4-1) – Last season’s Division 1 runner-up Cubs have a pair of losses to tough Division 3 opponents and can make a strong statement to open 2020 by downing another Division 1 contender in the Bobcats.
Tuesday – Holland West Ottawa (5-0) at Hudsonville Unity Christian (3-1) – This is a great nonleague test for both, as West Ottawa (mentioned above) goes into a competitive O-K Red and reigning Division 2 champion Unity begins play Friday in the O-K Green.
Tuesday – Adrian Lenawee Christian (4-0) at Southfield Christian (2-2) – These are regulars among the state’s small-school elite, and this winter they have aspirations in Divisions 3 and 4, respectively.
Thursday – Dollar Bay (5-0) at Lake Linden-Hubbell (4-0) – These two are early co-leaders in the Copper Mountain Conference Copper Country division after they finished second and fourth, respectively, last season.
Friday – Freeland (4-1) at Bridgeport (5-0) – Champions (Freeland sharing) in separate divisions of the Tri-Valley Conference last season, they’re early contenders in the new-look TVC East this winter.
Second Half’s weekly “Breslin Bound” reports are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Office of Postsecondary Financial Planning located within the Michigan Department of Treasury. 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 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as 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: Orchard Lake St. Mary’s edged Grand Blanc 69-66 in one of last weekend’s most intriguing games. (Photo by Terry Lyons.)
Yeager Twins, Strong Senior Class have Nouvel on Track to Meet High Expectations
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
January 24, 2024
Donny Yeager and his Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central boys basketball teammates certainly weren’t happy with their 0-3 start to this season, even if they weren’t at all worried about what it meant for their future.
But now, with the Panthers in the midst of a nine-game win streak, they’re even able to see the good in those early defeats.
“We knew coming into the season that the first three games were going to be really tough games, especially at the beginning of the season,” Yeager said of the opening stretch against Essexville Garber, Pewamo-Westphalia and Cass City. “So we knew there was nothing to worry about, and that we had the whole season ahead of us. We knew practices were going to get us ready for the next one. I definitely think we learned a lot about our group. We learned about the determination and perseverance that our guys bring to the table.”
That determination and perseverance have the Panthers back on track in what was expected to be a special season – and in many ways already has been – following a Regional Final berth a year ago.
Not only is Nouvel 9-3 ahead of its game Friday night against St. Louis, but MJ Yeager, Donny’s twin brother, set the school’s career scoring record earlier this month. Donny Yeager, meanwhile, is less than 30 points away from joining his brother in the school’s 1,000-point club.
“We have a lot of experience back,” said Nouvel coach Mike Kessler, who is in his ninth season in charge of the program. “We try not to look ahead, and we’re trying to take it one step at a time. And I think we had to have a lot of conversations with our guys about just relaxing. We know expectations might be high, but let’s do what we’ve done for years. We have a really hard-working group this year, and they needed to just trust themselves.”
A lot of those expectations came from the return of the Yeager twins, as both MJ – a four-year starter – and Donny – a three-year starter – are in their fourth year on the varsity. Classmate Preston Otter is also in his third year as a starter.
The Yeagers are both 5-foot-10 guards who can handle the ball and shoot from distance, while Otter is a 6-4 forward that Kessler called “a crazy good athlete.”
“Their work ethic is second to none; it really is,” Kessler said. “They’re everything you want from seniors. They exemplify what we want our program and our school to be about.”
In total, there are seven seniors on the roster, including also Anthony Carrasquillo, Tristen Elizalde, Matthew Hartwell and Brandon Murphy.
Being that senior-laden helped the team through that early bump in the road, Kessler said.
Having that experience also doesn’t hurt when it comes to adjusting to whatever style of play a game may take on. Behind its Big 3, Nouvel can certainly score, averaging 65.3 points per game on the season and 70 ppg during their win streak.
But Nouvel also can fall back on its defense those nights when shots aren’t going down, which the Panthers feel will be key to a potential postseason run in Division 4.
Kessler said a pair of wins during the streak – 69-60 against Imlay City on Dec. 29 and 73-31 against Standish-Sterling on Jan. 16 – showed his team’s versatility.
“Standish has been good in our conference for the last four to five years,” Kessler said. “We out-rebounded them and held them to only 31 points. I thought we were a gritty, tough team that night. The Imlay City game, we won with our skill. We were tough, too, but we spread them out and we hit 3s. We were able to guard their 6-7 wing with Tristen Elizalde – he’s 5-11. He’s tough as nails. He can guard any position on the floor.”
As it’s all coming together for the Panthers as a team, the individual milestones also are being reached.
MJ Yeager set the school scoring record in that game against Standish, passing the previous mark of 1,302 set by Nouvel legend Preston Murphy during the early 1990s. Murphy is currently on Nate Oats’ coaching staff at Alabama and played collegiately at Rhode Island.
“I actually know (Murphy),” Yeager said. “He came over to my house and I played basketball with his kid.
“(The record) was a great accomplishment and a great feeling. I’ve always been a competitor, so achieving stuff like that, it’s a good feeling.”
The record began to come into focus for Yeager when he crossed the 1,000-point threshold during his junior season.
One thing that’s stuck out to him in hitting both marks is the reaction of Donny. He said he can’t wait to experience something similar when Donny crosses 1,000 points, maybe as soon as Friday.
“I feel like that’s going to help both of us realize the hours we put in together every single day have paid off,” MJ Yeager said. “I heard him talking about how great of a brother it made him feel like, and I’m hoping I can feel that when he achieves it.”
Donny echoed that sentiment.
“Honestly, to see him achieve 1,000 last year and the school record this year, it was really rewarding for me, as well,” he said. “We’ve grown up together, and I want to see him do good in everything he does. It’s a blessing to be able to do this with him.”
When it comes to his own potential milestone, Donny said it would mean a lot to share that honor with his brother.
But he was quick to point out the credit goes beyond the Yeager household.
“I wouldn’t be able to do it without my supporting cast,” he said. “None of it would be possible without them. It’s really exciting. It shows what hard work and dedication can get you. And it’s good for all the young kids coming up to see that.”
Paul Costanzo served as a sportswriter at The Port Huron Times Herald from 2006-15, including three years as lead sportswriter, and prior to that as sports editor at the Hillsdale Daily News from 2005-06. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Genesee, Lapeer, St. Clair, Sanilac, Huron, Tuscola, Saginaw, Bay, Arenac, Midland and Gladwin counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Nouvel Catholic Central senior guard MJ Yeager drives past a defender during a game against Cass City at the O'Neal Classic Tournament on Dec. 2 at Saginaw Valley State University. (Middle) Twin brother Donny Yeager drives past an Essexville Garber defender during his team’s Nov. 28 opener. (Below) Panthers senior Matthew Hartwell drives into the paint against Michigan Lutheran Seminary on Friday. (Photos by Michael Kolleth Photography.)