Breslin Bound: Boys Report Week 11
February 12, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
If games are played as scheduled, this week will be a great appetizer for what’s on the way for Michigan high school basketball fans.
The weather isn’t exactly making it easy for the state’s boys teams to finish up their regular-season schedules. But the rewards are in full view now – league championships for some, league tournament titles as well, and for everyone a fresh start with the beginning of District play in two weeks.
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. Sterling Heights Stevenson 54, Roseville 45 – In the final game before the league tournament, the Titans avenged an earlier 10-point loss to Roseville and in doing so earned a shared Macomb Area Conference Red championship with the Panthers.
2. Mattawan 48, Kalamazoo Central 47 (OT) – This matched up the first-place teams from the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West and East, respectively, after Central finished first and Mattawan second in the former East configuration last season.
3. Belleville 89, Westland John Glenn 86 – A three-team race in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association East might be down to just two with this Belleville win, setting up one of this week’s top matchups discussed below.
4. Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills 76, Muskegon Reeths-Puffer 71 (3OT) – Kenowa Hills likely fell out of the Ottawa-Kent Conference Black title mix by losing to Jenison in its next game, but this win over Reeths-Puffer reset the top of the standings for another of this week’s most anticipated games.
5. Kalamazoo Hackett 69, Schoolcraft 61 – Hackett can clinch the Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley title with its next win after finishing a sweep of Schoolcraft, which hasn’t lost to anyone else this winter.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
• Detroit Martin Luther King (15-2) – The Crusaders shared the Detroit Public School League Midtown championship with Cass Tech, their only losses this season to the Technicians in their first of two meetings and then a month ago to now-clinched Oakland Activities Association Red champion Clarkston. King could see Cass Tech a third time in this week’s PSL Tournament final – but first faces West-Town champion Renaissance in the semifinal Tuesday.
• Linden (15-1) – From 5-16 to 9-14 to 13-8 and now this season’s success, Linden has been building. Friday’s 48-35 win over 2018 Flint Metro League co-champ Flushing gave the Eagles a share of this season’s league title – its first conference championship since 1996.
DIVISION 2
• Harper Woods Chandler Park (14-0) – The Eagles are among three undefeated teams left in Division 2 and won the Charter School Conference title outright after sharing the championship last season. A 51-37 win over 2018 Class C champion Detroit Edison last week cemented Chandler Park’s status as a team to watch over the next month.
• River Rouge (15-1) – The Panthers have won 14 straight since suffering their only loss, by three to King on Dec. 1. River Rouge has clinched a share of the Michigan Metro Athletic Conference Blue title, its third straight league championship and an anticipated first step as the team looks to build on last season’s Class B Semifinals appearance.
DIVISION 3
• Erie-Mason (12-2) – The Eagles clinched a share of the Lenawee County Athletic Association title Friday with an 80-52 win over reigning champ Hillsdale, and after finishing second to the Hornets last season. Erie-Mason has improved as well on last season’s overall 11-10 record, and with two more wins would tie its most for a season this decade.
• Unionville-Sebewaing (13-0) – The Patriots actually improved to 14-0 with a four-overtime win over Tri-Valley Conference West leader Saginaw Valley Lutheran on Monday. USA is one of six undefeated teams in Division 3 and atop the Greater Thumb Conference West standings as it works for a third straight perfect run through the league schedule.
DIVISION 4
• Adrian Lenawee Christian (11-3) – The Cougars do not play in a league, but should be intriguing once District play begins. Friday’s 13-point loss to Division 2 Michigan Center was a great game for postseason preparation – as were the other defeats against Division 3 contender Quincy and Ohio’s Toledo Christian. Ten of Lenawee Christian’s wins have come by double digits, with the single-digit victory a one-pointer over Division 1 Monroe.
• Pittsford (14-2) – The Wildcats can clinch the Southern Central Athletic Association East title with a win over second-place Camden-Frontier on Thursday, and after defeating two-loss Athens 64-50 on Friday. Since falling to Britton-Deerfield in the season opener, Pittsford’s only other loss came to still-unbeaten Bellevue.
Can't-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – Muskegon (12-3) at Muskegon Reeths-Puffer (14-2) – This could end up deciding the O-K Black title; Reeths-Puffer won the first meeting 63-59 in overtime, and the Big Reds are 8-0 since that heartbreaker.
Tuesday – Belleville (11-5) at Wayne Memorial (13-3) – The winner will clinch a share of the KLAA East title with only one more league game remaining for both teams.
Tuesday – Detroit Martin Luther King (15-2) vs. Detroit Renaissance (14-3) at Cass Tech – Renaissance finished a perfect run through the PSL West-Town and is seeking to make the league tournament final after falling by two in last season’s semi.
Friday – Williamston (16-1) at Haslett (11-3) – With Williamston arguably the Lansing area’s best boys team, Haslett has been forgotten a bit but can move into a first-place tie in the Capital Area Activities Conference Red if it can avenge a six-point January loss.
Saturday – River Rouge (15-1) at Benton Harbor (16-1) – Division 2 has 12 teams with one or fewer losses this season, and these two certainly are in the mix to meet again next month at Breslin Center with the championship on the line. Benton Harbor beat River Rouge 60-49 during last season’s Semifinals.
Second Half’s weekly “Breslin Bound” reports are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Student Financial Services Bureau 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, including various student financial assistance programs to help make college more affordable for Michigan students. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 savings programs (MET/MESP) and eight additional aid programs within its Student Scholarships and Grants division. Click for more information and connect with MI Student Aid on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
PHOTO: Negaunee's Drew DuShane (23) drives to the basket as Ishpeming's Jacob Kugler (44) defends during Friday's 56-48 Miners win. (Photo by Cara Kamps.)
GR Christian Withstands Late Chelsea Rally to Book Historic Opportunity
By
Steve Vedder
Special for MHSAA.com
March 15, 2024
EAST LANSING – Grand Rapids Christian has never looked at it as courting disaster.
The Eagles admit there have been a handful of games where major trouble has been averted by a strong second half. The latest example was Friday's tight 50-41 win over Chelsea in a Division 2 Semifinal at the Breslin Center.
Instead of fretting about slow starts, the Eagles say they prefer to dwell on what happens during the final two crucial quarters. In the win over Chelsea, for example, the Eagles nearly let a 10-point lead slide away over the final five and a half minutes before hitting some clutch free throws and limiting the Bulldogs to just three points during the final 4:25.
Business as usual, said the Eagles (25-2), who will play Warren Lincoln in Saturday's 6:45 p.m. Final. It’s a matchup of the top two-ranked teams in Division 2 and a rematch of a 49-47 Warren Lincoln win earlier in the season. Grand Rapids Christian will be playing for a first championship since winning the Lower Peninsula Class B title in 1938.
"We get a little excited early sometimes," Eagles senior Jaylan Ouwinga said. "Maybe we move too fast or too slow, but we forget slow starts and just get the job done. We work on coming out strong, but we've had to learn to just let the game come to us."
Such was the case against Chelsea (21-6). Grand Rapids Christian led 40-30 with 5:34 left, but an 8-0 Bulldogs run cut the margin to 40-38 with 4:25 to go. Ouwinga made a basket, Carter Goodyke added a layup and the Eagles managed seven free throws down the stretch to seal the win.
Grand Rapids Christian's Tyler Davis said the team is aware of the dangers of slow starts.
"We talk about it, and we know it's not so great," he said. "We've never been here before, but we have confidence. We're not going to get down on each other because of someone's mistake."
Eagles coach Eric Taylor said the key to stronger second halves isn't complicated.
"Guys are focused," he said. "We've never wavered. They made some runs at us and cut the lead. We talked about basketball being a game of runs. We didn't lose focus because another team makes a run, because it happens."
Ouwinga had 13 points and 13 rebounds. Senior guard Nate Johnson added 13 points, and Davis had 10.
Johnson said second-half strength is something the team has capitalized on all season.
"It's something we've acquired," he said. "We stay resilient and keep our heads in the game. We stay strong mentally and stick to the game plan."
Jake Stephens had 18 points and 10 rebounds for Chelsea.
Taylor said experience has been a factor in the team's success. There are nine seniors on the roster, and they benefitted from a schedule that included seven ranked teams.
"We're very battle-tested," Taylor said. "We've proven we're ready for the moment; we know we have to play 32 minutes, not 28. (Slow starts) aren't what we like, but tough players win and we've been tough all year."
Chelsea coach Andrea Cabana said there were chances to win.
"They made enough runs in the second half that we allowed them to get away from us," she said. "We've played a tough schedule; teams similar to who they've played. We're gritty and never give up. We got a couple turnovers late, but couldn't capitalize on them. We were relentless, which is how we play."
PHOTOS (Top) Grand Rapids Christian’s DeClan Winstanley (22) dunks before Chelsea’s Hayden Long (4) can get a hand in to stop the attempt. (Middle) Tyler Davis (11) launches a jumper from the top of the key during the Eagles’ Division 2 Semifinal win. (Photos by Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)