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Breslin Bound: Boys Report Week 7

January 22, 2013

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The fireworks flew in Michigan boys basketball last week, as three Associated Press top-ranked teams fell, albeit against others considered contenders as well. 

With boys basketball season now at its midpoint, it's fair to say doors remain open for more potential contenders to step in. See this week's list of high performers for some that could be in the mix. 

1. Detroit Cass Tech (10-1) – The two-time reigning football champ has owned the basketball court too since falling in December to Harper Woods Chandler Park.

2. East Kentwood (10-0) – The Falcons won 17 games two years ago and 18 last season, and will make a run next month to improve on those totals again.

3. Detroit Consortium (6-2) – Consortium is looking to be in the Class C mix and looks good to contend after knocking off Class B giant Detroit Country Day last week 68-62.

4. Wyoming Godwin Heights (9-0) – On top of being considered arguably the top team in Class B, Godwin Heights gave Class D power Wyoming Tri-unity Christian its first loss, 60-58 last week.

5. Detroit Pershing (12-0) – Pershing was here last week too, but it’s hard to not include the Doughboys again after they beat Detroit Southeastern 63-54 and handed Flint Beecher its only loss, 56-53.  

6. Munising (6-1) – Since opening with a loss to Gwinn, Munising hasn’t fallen and beat 2012 Class D Semifinalist Carney-Nadeau last week 40-37; C-N knocked Munising out in the Regional Final last season.

7. Frankfort (8-0) – Just 11-12 last season, Frankfort is only a few wins from besting that mark and looks good to accomplish much more.

8. Jackson Lumen Christi (8-0) – The Titans often have contended but rarely been favored during their decade in the Capital Area Activities Conference; they are the team to beat in the CAAC Gold this time.  

9. Warren Woods-Tower (7-2) – After opening 1-2, the Titans have won six straight including a big win over previously-surging New Haven, 58-54 last week.

10. Beal City (6-3) – The Aggies have won four straight after a little bit of a delayed start due to a Ford Field football run; last week’s 62-61 win over Leroy Pine River was the best win so far.

PHOTO: Saginaw (white jerseys) improved to 14-1 on Saturday with an 86-61 win over Harper Woods Chandler Park. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)

Erik O. Furseth

In Memoriam: Erik O. Furseth (1930-2022)

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

March 1, 2022

For 50 years, Erik O. Furseth’s voice chimed throughout MHSAA and Michigan State University athletic events. That voice surely will continue to live in the memories of the many who cherished listening to him, as he died Monday evening at the age of 91.

Furseth began as the public-address voice of MHSAA Boys Basketball Finals in 1968 and continued well into his 80s as those games moved from Jenison Field House to other locations across the Lower Peninsula and eventually settled into Breslin Center. He also was the longtime MHSAA football championship game voice going back to their days at the Pontiac Silverdome and provided the narration for MHSAA Baseball Finals for a decade. He announced his last MHSAA event in 2018.

An MSU basketball player during the early 1950s, the Cleveland Heights, Ohio, native played in the Spartans’ first Big Ten game in 1951. A forestry student initially, Furseth switched to communications. He later became a legendary rock-n-roll radio DJ in Lansing, and for a decade hosted Saturday night dances at the Lansing Civic Center that drew 1,000 teenagers a night – and a surprise performance by a young Stevie Wonder.

Furseth’s voice continued to be known particularly by Spartan fans as the homecourt voice for MSU basketball from 1968-2002 and MSU football from 1971-98. For more, see this feature from the MHSAA Basketball Finals programs written in 2013.

Furseth moved from East Lansing to Traverse City about 25 years ago. Click for his obituary and funeral arrangements.