Breslin Bound: Boys Report Week 8
January 30, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
A record nearly 60 years old was toppled last week by Powers North Central. Now Beaverton is readying to celebrate a new winningest coach in MHSAA basketball history.
Those have been the headline grabbers in boys hoops over the last few weeks, and of course we touch on both below in this week’s Breslin Bound report powered by MI Student Aid. But there was plenty else to discuss too as we came out of halftime of this boys basketball season into a final dash full of exciting possibilities.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Powers North Central 76, Bark River-Harris 29 – The Jets have brought a lot of attention to their small community and Upper Peninsula basketball as a whole thanks to what this win earned them – an MHSAA record with 66 straight victories going back more than two seasons and including two Class D title runs.
2. Detroit Catholic Central 52, Detroit U-D Jesuit 51 – This was the first of two banner wins last week for the Shamrocks (who also downed Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 70-54); last season, DCC fell to the eventual Class A champion Cubs by 21 and 35.
3. Flint Carman-Ainsworth 52, Saginaw 45 – The Saginaw Valley League North-leading Cavaliers handed the South-leading Trojans this loss, avenging last season’s 20-point Regional defeat.
4. Detroit Edison PSA 99, Detroit East English 81 – After losing to East English by 20 on Jan. 10, DEPSA stunned the 10-2 Bulldogs to improve to only 5-7 but with three wins over its last four games.
5. Lansing Catholic 76, Williamston 72 – These two split the Capital Area Activities Conference White championship last season, but this counts as an upset after the Hornets (10-2) beat Lansing Catholic by 21 during the first week of this winter.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each class making sparks:
CLASS A
Melvindale (9-2) – The Cardinals have won seven straight since opening 2-2 and downed Brownstown Woodhaven 73-66 on Friday in a matchup of teams that entered undefeated in Downriver League play. Woodhaven is the reigning league champ, but Melvindale has an upper hand with this their only meeting of the season.
Sterling Heights (10-1) – The Stallions have taken major strides this winter after going 6-15 last season and winning a combined 13 games over the last three. That lone loss this run was in double overtime to Marysville, which they trail in the Macomb Area Conference Silver but face again Wednesday.
CLASS B
Fennville (9-2) – A three-point win over Gobles on Dec. 13 has kept Fennville atop the Southwestern Athletic Conference Lakeshore, and the Blackhawks can stretch the lead as they face the Tigers again Tuesday. Fennville is playing this season for a third straight league title, and the only losses were by one to Grand Rapids Covenant Christian and nine to Class A Byron Center.
Onsted (9-2) – The Wildcats sent 6-foot-10 Austin Davis to University of Michigan after last season’s league and District title runs. But after opening 2-2, they’re in position again to make things interesting in the Lenawee County Athletic Association; those losses came to Dundee and Hillsdale, and Onsted beat Dundee last week and sees Hillsdale again Tuesday.
CLASS C
Iron Mountain (11-1) – Last season’s Mid-Peninsula Athletic Conference co-champion (with Negaunee) has been chasing all season after falling to current leader Norway by four on Dec. 16. The Mountaineers – which beat Negaunee by four last week – get Norway again Feb. 10.
Sand Creek (11-0) – The Aggies downed second-place Ottawa Lake Whiteford 70-53 on Tuesday to move into first place alone in the Tri-County Conference. Those teams tied for fourth in the league last season when Sand Creek finished 11-11 overall, but it’s allowed only one opponent to get within 10 points this winter.
CLASS D
Bellaire (9-1) – The reigning Ski Valley Conference champion already has a two-game lead on the field after handing Pellston a 64-57 defeat on Jan. 19. The Eagles took a loss on opening night to Harbor Springs 40-37, but have looked more since like the team that made last season’s Quarterfinals.
Southfield Christian (8-2) – After playing, and winning a pair of District titles, in Class C the last two seasons, Southfield Christian is back in Class D. The two losses came during the season’s first three games to Class A Ann Arbor Pioneer and U-D Jesuit, and the Eagles beat Class A West Bloomfield by 10 on Tuesday.
Can't-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – Romulus (8-2) at Dearborn Heights Crestwood (10-2) – The Western Wayne Athletic Conference Blue has three teams with only two losses, and Crestwood sees the other two this week starting with the league leader.
Wednesday – Farwell (2-7) at Beaverton (10-1) – A win would give Beavers coach Roy Johnston 729 for his career, breaking the Michigan high school record set by River Rouge’s Lofton Greene from 1942-84.
Wednesday – Cornerstone Health/Technology (7-2) at River Rouge (12-0) – Cornerstone has played some tough competition and could be a challenger in Class C, and we expect to know more from this matchup.
Friday – Detroit East English (10-2) at Detroit Martin Luther King (10-2) – East English can still claim a share of the Detroit PSL East Division 1 title from the Crusaders and won the first meeting 71-57.
Saturday – Flint Beecher (9-3) vs. Ypsilanti Community (9-3) at Delta College – This matchup of teams with high aspirations is the most intriguing of the Delta College Showcase.
PHOTO: North Central's Marcus Krachinski (3) battles with Bark River-Harris defender Nick Lippens in the paint during the first half Friday night at Powers. (Photo by Keith Shelton.)
Breslin Bound: 2022-23 Boys Report Week 2
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
December 19, 2022
Warren may be the place to be in Michigan high school boys basketball as we close in on the end of 2022.
Our two most notable wins from this past week were by Warren-based teams on the rise. Our most intriguing game this week is a rematch of last season’s Division 1 Final, won by another notable Warren hoops power.
Of course, great basketball is being played all over the state, and we name a number of others who have impressed so far or will have some great opportunities to do so over holiday break.
“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. Warren Michigan Collegiate 45, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 44 While Michigan Collegiate (3-1) had its share of on-court success last season and lost to Warren De La Salle Collegiate by only seven earlier this month, this was a major statement by the Division 2 Cougars with St. Mary’s (1-1) expected to contend in Division 1.
2. Warren Lincoln 56, North Farmington 55 Lincoln similarly won 19 games last season and looks ready to join the Division 2 elite after handing North Farmington (4-1) its only loss.
3. Kalamazoo Central 63, Saginaw 61 Central’s annual Don Jackson Invitational concluded with the Maroon Giants (4-0) remaining undefeated with a close win over the Trojans (3-2).
4. Grand Rapids Christian 58, Grand Rapids Catholic Central 50 The Eagles (3-0) avenged a 25-point Regional Semifinal loss from last season, plus a three-point regular-season defeat to the Cougars (0-2).
5. Detroit Edison 56, River Rouge 54 After losses to two teams that are currently 4-1, the Pioneers (1-2) got on the board at the Northville Showcase, handing River Rouge (2-1) its lone defeat.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Ann Arbor Skyline (3-0) The Eagles face some significant competition to finish out 2022, but they look up to the challenge. They’re coming off a 17-6 finish last season and picked up an especially solid win Friday, 52-49 in overtime over Ann Arbor Pioneer after those two split last winter. West Bloomfield, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s and Port Huron Northern to finish this month are opportunities to see where Skyline stands.
Port Huron Northern (3-0) The Huskies ended 15-6 last season after a 1-3 start, and they’ve begun this winter on the much different note starting with a 17-point win over Clinton Township Chippewa Valley at the MAC Champions Classic. After defeating rival Port Huron on Thursday, Northern capped the week Saturday with a 60-56 win over Croswell-Lexington – which entered this season a combined 61-4 over the last three.
DIVISION 2
Flint Hamady (2-0) The Hawks got things started last week with an 87-62 win over Genesee Christian – a Division 4 semifinalist last season. Hamady then defeated Flint Southwestern by 33 the next day, and could be primed to take another step after improving from 2-10 in 2020-21 to finishing 15-7 and reaching the Regional Finals in March.
Hart (4-0) The Pirates have improved from four to five to seven wins the last three seasons, respectively, and they’re well on their way to building on those totals again. The most impressive of this start was the most recent – 92-84 on Thursday over previously-undefeated Big Rapids, an 18-game winner last season.
DIVISION 3
Niles Brandywine (4-0) Last season’s 13-6 run ended with a District-opening loss to Buchanan, but Brandywine avenged it Friday with a 51-40 win over the Bucks. Brandywine was the champion in the final season of the Berrien-Cass-St. Joseph Conference Red and hopes to carry that success into the new Lakeland Athletic Conference, which includes BCS Red opponents Buchanan and Berrien Springs as well.
Vassar (3-0) A 2-4 run to end last season put the Vulcans at 9-13 overall, but they’ve turned that around to start this fall. One of those final defeats last season came to Harbor Beach, but Vassar opened this winter with a 59-57 win over the Pirates before defeating Marlette by five and then winning big last week against Mayville.
DIVISION 4
Indian River Inland Lakes (3-0) The Bulldogs have made a strong impression already this season after going 8-13 in 2021-22. Inland Lakes opened with a 64-62 win over Harbor Springs to avenge one loss from last winter, then avenged two more by downing Johannesburg-Lewiston by 41 last week. They’ll have another chance to avenge with a trip Wednesday to Rogers City.
Mackinaw City (3-0) The Comets made major noise last week when their 71-56 win over Ellsworth ended the Lancers’ 61-game Northern Lakes Conference winning streak. Mackinaw City was second last season in the NLC – and 13-8 overall – and also has avenged a last-year loss to Onaway early this winter.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – Warren De La Salle Collegiate (4-0) at Grand Blanc (2-0) – This is a rematch of last season’s Division 1 championship game, won by De La Salle 67-58.
Dec. 28 – Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice (4-0) vs. River Rouge (2-1) at North Farmington – This high-profile matchup helps start the North Farmington Holiday Extravaganza.
Dec. 28 – Bridgeport (4-0) vs. East Lansing (2-1) at St. Clair County Community College – This sets up as the most intriguing matchup of the SC4 Showcase.
Dec. 30 – Warren De La Salle Collegiate (4-0) vs. Grand Rapids Catholic Central (0-2) at Ferndale – This Motor City Roundball Classic matchup pits the reigning Division 1 champion Pilots and Division 2 runner-up Cougars.
Dec. 30 – Detroit Cass Tech (2-0) vs. Grand Rapids Northview (3-0) at Ferndale – Another Motor City matchup pits teams that combined for 46 wins and two Regional titles last season.
MHSAA.com's weekly “Breslin Bound” previews and reviews 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 A Davison player looks for an open teammate while surrounded by Saginaw Arthur Hill defenders Dec. 13. The Cardinals won 66-51. (Photo by Terry Lyons.)