Sweet-Shooting Briggs, Talented Teammates have Muskegon Dreaming Big Again

By Tom Kendra
Special for MHSAA.com

January 10, 2023

Jordan Briggs put on another shooting clinic Saturday night in front of a packed house at Muskegon’s historic Redmond-Potter Gymnasium, repeatedly elevating and hitting 3-pointers and mid-range jumpers, making it look effortless.

While the Muskegon senior has certainly been blessed with plenty of God-given ability, there is so much more to his story.

To fully understand Briggs’ emergence as one of the state’s best pure shooters, you had to be in the gym this summer when there was no crowd, no opposing team, no coaches and no media – just Briggs and the school’s shooting machine.

The only sounds on those days were the squeaks of his shoes echoing off the walls, followed up repeatedly by the swish of a leather ball through nylon. Five-hundred made shots every day. No exceptions. No excuses.

“I love to shoot,” said Briggs, a 6-foot-1 senior who scored a team-high 24 points Saturday to keep Muskegon undefeated with a 62-51 victory over Ferndale in the finale of the three-game Muskegon Basketball Showcase.

“I never get bored, and I could do it all day. That work I’ve put in gives me and my coaches confidence to take those shots in games. I pretty much have the green light.”

He’s not kidding.

Late in the first half Saturday, Briggs had the ball on a 2-on-1 fastbreak when he suddenly pulled up and fired a 3-pointer, which just rimmed out. Muskegon coach Keith Guy, who loves his team to constantly attack the rim, clapped his approval.

“Jordan is a pure shooter,” explained Guy, whose team is 5-0 and 1-0 in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Green. “But he’s also crafty with the basketball. He can get other guys involved and he’s got it on a string, so that’s a nightmare for other teams.

“A lot of great shooters can’t hurt you off the dribble, but he can do both.”

Briggs makes his move toward the basket.Muskegon’s win Saturday was the 400th career victory for Guy as a head coach – with 191 in nine years at Muskegon Heights and 209 wins in 11 years at Muskegon.

Guy, whose tenure at Muskegon is highlighted by a Class A title in 2014 and two Mr. Basketball winners in DeShaun Thrower (2014) and Deyonta Davis (2015), has another team with the makings of a championship run and another Mr. Basketball candidate in Briggs.

Muskegon features two floor general-type point guards in senior David Day III and junior M’Khi Guy, along with a loaded front court with seven players standing 6-4 or taller, led by starting juniors Terrance Davis (6-6) and Stanley Cunningham (6-5).

A pure shooter like Briggs – a three-year starter who has committed to Wayne State – is something that Guy hasn’t always had, and might be what makes the difference in March.

Briggs had his best game of the season back on Dec. 28 at the Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame Classic at Reeths-Puffer High School. Michigan State coach Tom Izzo was there to get a close look at recruiting target Durral Brooks of Grand Rapids Catholic Central, but it was Briggs who stole the show.

Briggs scored a game-high 35 points, including the winning bucket in overtime in an 81-79 victory.

“I just happened to catch fire that night,” said Briggs, who is a 4.0-GPA student and a National Honor Society member. “That was a great win for us and we’re rolling to start the season, which is great. But we want to keep it going and play our best basketball in March, when it really counts.”

In the Big Reds’ first league game Friday night at cross-town rival Muskegon Reeths-Puffer, Briggs got in foul trouble and didn’t score in the first half. He made amends by scoring his team’s first 12 points of the second half (on four 3-pointers), as Muskegon pulled away for a 51-26 victory.

He followed that up with his 24-point performance against Ferndale and is now averaging 24 points, six rebounds and five assists per game.

Guy hopes that, led by Briggs, this year’s team is ready for a long run – literally.

Guy made all of his varsity players that were not on the football team run cross country this fall, and not just for conditioning reasons.

“It put them out of their comfort zones, which is a good thing,” explained Guy, who is also Muskegon’s athletic director. “Take Jordan, for example. Basketball is comfortable for him. I wanted to put him in situations that weren’t as comfortable for him so that he would learn how to adapt and handle being uncomfortable a little better.”

Tom Kendra worked 23 years at The Muskegon Chronicle, including five as assistant sports editor and the final six as sports editor through 2011. E-mail him at kendra.tom@gmail.com with story ideas for Muskegon, Oceana, Mason, Lake, Oceola, Mecosta and Newaygo counties.

PHOTOS (Top) Muskegon’s Jordan Briggs (2) pulls up for a shot at the 3-point arc during his team’s win Saturday over Ferndale. (Middle) Briggs makes his move toward the basket. (Photos by Tim Reilly.)

Breslin Bound: 2024-25 Boys Report Week 12

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

February 17, 2025

Everyone now knows what will happen next week, but let's not allow this final week of the boys basketball regular season slip by without appreciating a few more moments before we begin this winter's final suspenseful ascent. 

MI Student AidDistrict brackets were announced Sunday, and teams no doubt will spend at least a little bit of time this week collecting final information to prep for potential future opponents. But there are still league titles on the line for a few, school history to make for others, and if nothing else last-minute details to cover one more time as playoff tune-ups are underway.  

“Breslin Bound” is powered by MI Student Aid 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. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 58, Detroit U-D Jesuit 57 The Eaglets (14-6) avenged a 63-54 loss to Jesuit (18-3) from Dec. 13 to win the Catholic High School League Bishop championship.

2. Detroit Renaissance 69, Detroit Martin Luther King 62 The Phoenix (14-7) added the Detroit Public School League Tournament title to its PSL Blue championship by adding to a 63-61 win over King (17-4) from Jan. 10.

3. Walled Lake Central 53, Waterford Mott 50 (OT) These two are tied for first in the Lakes Valley Conference with one league game to play as Central (17-4) avenged a 54-51 loss to Mott (18-3) from Dec. 13.

4. Hudsonville 74, Rockford 69 The Eagles (14-5) will need help to grab a share of the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red title from the Rams (19-2), but still made a wave by avenging a 56-54 loss to Rockford from Jan. 14.

5. Bridgman 66, South Haven 58 The Bees (14-5) clinched a share of the Southwestern Athletic Conference Lakeshore title with one league game to play, but South Haven (16-3) still has a chance to celebrate as well – Bridgman finishes up with third-place Coloma, which handed the Bees their only league loss.

Watch List

With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:

DIVISION 1

Ann Arbor Huron (16-4) The River Rats will attempt to finish a perfect run through the Southeastern Conference Red on Tuesday against Saline after tying for second in the league behind Saline a year ago but then advancing to the Division 1 Semifinals. Huron has been gearing up for another run with an 11-2 record since the start of January and its only losses to U-D Jesuit, Muskegon, Warren Lincoln (16-4) and Detroit University Prep (17-5). The River Rats have wins over Grand Rapids Northview (16-4), Dearborn (17-3), Port Huron Northern (13-8) and Ann Arbor Skyline (13-7) twice, and will play in a District with four other SEC Red opponents.

Detroit Renaissance (14-7) The Phoenix opened the season 1-3 but have won 10 of their last 12 games and total are 13-4 against in-state competition. The PSL Blue title included wins over second-place Cass Tech (16-3) and third-place King (17-4), and Renaissance also defeated Detroit Central (15-4) during the PSL Tournament. The in-state losses were to Romulus Summit Academy North (18-3), East Lansing (19-1), East Kentwood and West Bloomfield, and this weekend’s matchup with Orchard Lake St. Mary’s will provide more valuable prep for the District the Phoenix will host that includes U-D Jesuit and Warren Fitzgerald (18-2).

DIVISION 2

Bay City John Glenn (18-2) A 66-55 win over Freeland last Tuesday, followed by a 54-50 nail-biter over Bridgeport on Friday, gave John Glenn the outright Tri-Valley Conference Red title. The Bobcats had finished third in the league last season but this time lost only to Frankenmuth, 57-48 on Dec. 6, and avenged with a 60-48 win Jan. 17. John Glenn’s only other loss this season came Nov. 30 to Mount Pleasant, 47-45. In addition to the season sweep of the Falcons (16-3) and wins over the Eagles (14-5) and Oilers (11-7), the Bobcats downed Gladwin (17-3) and will get a pair of Division 1 tests this week in Midland Dow and Gaylord.

Dearborn Advanced Tech (16-3) The Lakers have built from six to nine to 14 wins a year ago to 16 heading into this week and finished 15-0 in the Detroit Metro Athletic Conference Upper division after placing third in the league a year ago – especially notable as five of six teams in the DMAC Upper have double-digit wins this season. The losses came to Hazel Park (13-8), Jalen Rose Leadership Academy and Lincoln (17-3), and Advanced Tech has won 10 straight and earned the top seed in the District at Detroit Edison that also includes University Prep.

Michigan School for the Deaf's William Booker (right) drives to the basket during a game against Ohio School for the Deaf earlier this month.

DIVISION 3

Alcona (16-2) The Tigers have repeated as North Star League Big Dipper champions, clinching a share of the title with last week’s 34-31 win over second-place Oscoda. Alcona has won 14 straight games, with its losses to Division 2 Standish-Sterling (18-2) and Grayling, and has also won close over Mio (12-6) and Rogers City (12-7) and swept St. Helen Charlton Heston Academy (14-5). Heston and host Oscoda will join Alcona in District play next week. The Tigers also have a win this season over Roscommon, which ended their season in their District a year ago.

Pewamo-Westphalia (18-2) The Pirates wrapped up an outright Central Michigan Athletic Conference title Thursday with a 66-30 win over Bath, and after finishing runner-up to Laingsburg the last two seasons. Only second-place Fowler (18-3) has gotten within single digits of P-W in league play this season, with the Pirates’ losses coming from Division 1 Flint Carman-Ainsworth (15-5) by four points and Division 2 Grand Rapids South Christian (16-5) by 13 in back-to-back games at the turn of the calendar year. P-W downed Division 1 Grand Blanc (12-7) by 17 points on Feb. 7 and will face Division 1 Hudsonville (14-5) on Tuesday.

DIVISION 4

Kingston (12-5) Kingston finished second to Dryden in the North Central Thumb League Stars a year ago, but defeated Dryden on Friday to clinch a share of the inaugural Big Thumb Conference Blue title. The Cardinals will play three league games this week and need to win just one to claim the championship outright. They have played seven straight against opponents with double-digit wins this season and gone 4-3, but with those losses to Division 2 Yale (18-2) and Division 3 Harbor Beach (17-1) and Sandusky (11-9). Competition pays off as Kingston reached the Quarterfinals last season after entering the Division 4 Tournament at 14-8.

Pentwater (16-2) The West Michigan D League leader can clinch the title outright with wins this week over Walkerville and Mesick, and will fit in a makeup game against Division 3 Shelby as well. The Falcons were 11-13 and fifth in the league two seasons ago before jumping to 16-7 and runner-up last winter, and they’ve swept Baldwin after losing both last season, avenged another loss to White Cloud from a year ago and split with Marion after also splitting with the Eagles last season and then losing to them in their District opener. Those two aren’t in the same District this time, but Baldwin will join Pentwater in the bracket at Mason County Eastern.

Can’t-Miss Contests

Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up: 

Tuesday – Centreville (17-2) at Hartford (17-2) – Two league games remain in the Southwest 10 Conference, and Centreville leads Hartford by one win at the top of the standings after claiming their Jan. 27 meeting 59-50.

Tuesday – Kalamazoo Central (15-3) at Muskegon (17-2) – Two of the most long-standing powerhouses in MHSAA history are both league champions again this winter and will get a nice tune-up before playoffs begin.

Tuesday – McBain (17-2) at LeRoy Pine River (17-3) – McBain can finish an outright league title run in the Highland Conference, but a Pine River win would open an opportunity for Beal City to share the championship – although Pine River also plays at Beal on Thursday.

Thursday – Marquette (18-2) at Kingsford (15-3) – The Flivvers are coming off a revenge win over Iron Mountain last week, and another in this matchup might mean a shared Great Northern Conference title.

Saturday – Detroit Renaissance (14-7) vs. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (14-6) at Detroit Mercy – The Operation Friendship game between PSL and CHSL Tournament champions will be one of the final tip-offs of the regular season.

MHSAA.com's weekly “Breslin Bound” previews and reviews are powered by MI Student Aid, a division within the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). 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 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.

PHOTOS (Top) Muskegon's Elija Langston throws down a dunk during his team's 55-43 win over Byron Center on Feb. 7. (Middle) Michigan School for the Deaf's William Booker (right) drives to the basket during a game against Ohio School for the Deaf earlier this month. (Muskegon/Byron Center photo by Tim Reilly. Michigan School for the Deaf/Ohio School for the Deaf photo by Kolleth Photo.)