A Year Older, Buckley Sets Aspirations High
December 15, 2016
By Dennis Chase
Special for Second Half
BUCKLEY – The Buckley Bears are hoping pizza parties become a regular occurrence this winter.
As an incentive to improve defensively, Buckley basketball coach Blair Moss is rewarding his players with pizza parties if they can hold opponents under 40 points.
Through three games, all impressive wins, the Bears have earned one party, beating McBain Northern Michigan Christian 86-39 last Thursday.
“He (Moss) knows we can put up points in a hurry,” junior standout Denver Cade said, “but he wants to see us lock down the other team.”
So far, added emphasis on the team’s man-to-man defense seems to be working. The up-tempo Bears are averaging 92 points offensively, and surrendering 49.
“I know we can score,” Moss said. “That’s not the problem. The problem is locking it down on defense. On nights we’re not making our shots, we’re going to need to have stops (on defense). Since summer, that’s what I’ve been preaching. We’ve talked about it and worked hard on it.”
Focusing on that facet of the game is a priority because Buckley has high aspirations after making a run to the MHSAA Class D Regional Finals last March with a lineup comprised of four sophomores and a freshman. The Bears nearly won the Regional, taking Bellaire to the wire – the teams were tied at 55 with just over a minute to go – before losing 61-57.
“We were young and, as a coach, you wonder how your players are going to handle that kind of pressure,” Moss said. “We threw the ball away in the last couple minutes and that really hurt us. That’s being young. But I think we’ve learned from that.”
That loss became a motivator for the Bears.
“We used it as fuel,” junior Austin Harris said. “We started working even harder after that.”
In the months that followed, players hit the weight room and were in the gym as often as possible. Three starters were heavily involved with AAU. In addition, Moss set up a busy summer schedule that had the Bears traveling all over the state. They competed in scrimmages at Northwood University, Central Michigan University, Ferris State University, as well as local gyms, including Cadillac, where they saw two of the north’s best teams in McBain and Manton. All told, Buckley played nearly 40 games, almost all against larger schools.
“Playing that type of competition has helped prepare us for what’s ahead,” Cade said.
The 6-foot-3 Cade is listed as one of the top 100 players in the state by the Detroit Free Press. He’s off to a solid start, averaging 26 points and eight rebounds a game.
“He’s a winner,” Moss said. “He’s my general on the floor.”
The 6-foot-3 Harris is talented as well. He’s averaging 18 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. He registered a triple-double in Tuesday’s 100-59 win over Suttons Bay. Harris plays on the wing, but also moves to the point on occasion. Moss would like to play him strictly on the wing to increase his scoring opportunities and balance the floor with Cade on the opposite wing.
Cade and Harris are joined in the lineup by juniors Joey Weber and Brock Beeman and sophomore Ridge Beeman. Weber, who also plays the point, and Ridge Beeman average 11 points; Brock Beeman averages nine per game.
All four juniors were on varsity as freshmen.
“You might get one of these groups every 10 years or so,” Moss said. “You’re just so thankful. They’re all so coachable – and they’re just as good in the classroom as they are on the court. They’ve been playing together since they could walk. They’re in the gym all the time. Their basketball IQ is very high.
“How many coaches start four freshmen at the high school level? I knew we were going to take our lumps that year. We were not very physical, but I knew we were talented enough that we could be in every game.”
The Bears finished 11-11 in 2014-15 and improved to 16-7 a year ago. They now have their sights set higher, starting with winning the Northwest Conference.
“It’s not going to be easy,” Cade warned.
Frankfort, heading into Thursday night’s game, has won 26 league games in a row and returns two top players in juniors Jaylon Rogers and Matt Loney. Glen Lake - bolstered by Lake City transfer Cade Peterson, the quarterback on the Lakers’ MHSAA Finals football team – is 2-0 and seems primed for a breakout campaign. And then there’s Benzie Central, which has given Buckley fits in recent seasons.
“This is the toughest I’ve seen this league,” Frankfort coach Reggie Manville said. “And what’s really scary is that all those teams at the top of the league have most of their starters coming back next season.”
Moss previously coached the Benzie Central varsity for seven seasons. After stepping down, he took two years off from coaching and then re-emerged at Buckley. He’s now in his fourth season.
“I still had that drive, that urge to coach,” he said. “I missed working with kids. I missed the camaraderie with the coaches.”
Todd Kulawiak, the elementary school principal at Buckley, reached out to Moss. The two have a connection – they were former standouts at Benzie under coach Will Lynch and are the two all-time leading scorers in school history. Kulawiak was also an all-state distance runner under Blair’s father, Pete.
Although the Bears struggled the first couple years under Moss, the coach could see what he had coming. Now he’s pushing that group, and himself, so they can reach their potential.
“We’re very capable if we keep focused, keep our heads on straight and keep working hard,” he said.
That drive to improve was a major reason he put together such an aggressive schedule in the summer. He wanted his team to face quality competition, and he was pleased with the results.
“It seemed like we were getting better all the time,” he said.
As an offshoot, Moss also wanted to get his players exposure, especially in camps at college venues.
“They deserve it,” he said. “I want (college coaches) to see our kids. It’s like I told Denver’s father, ‘You’re talking $100,000 for a college education. If he puts the time in now, bingo.’”
Buckley is not particularly big – “We’re mostly a five-guard lineup,” Cade said – so the Bears like to use their athleticism and push tempo.
“With Coach Moss, it’s go, go, go,” Cade said. “If the (MHSAA) had a shot clock, we would be one of the teams that would benefit from it the most because we find a way to get quick, quality shots.”
Opposing coaches have noticed.
“They’re extremely good shooters from the perimeter, and that sets up their offense,” Manville said. “You have to defend that shot. Now, they’re all starting to penetrate to the basket and dish, which makes them more difficult to guard. And if you want to help defend, you’ve got a problem.
“The other problem is they run. They want to score a lot of points. They scored 100 points Tuesday night. Scoring 100 is difficult nowadays. They must have been really efficient. And they’re getting better defensively. I know that’s something they’re working on.”
If Buckley needs size, the Bears can turn to 6-5 Nick Kuhn, who is still developing his game. He had eight points off the bench in a season-opening 91-50 win over Bear Lake.
Buckley’s ability to score, combined with its game experience and chemistry, gives the Bears a good base. But there’s another strength that’s just as important to the team’s success, Harris said.
“Our team has a lot of heart,” he said. “We play really, really hard.”
So now the goal is to play off those strengths while continuing to work on other aspects, like defense. It could make the difference in winning a league title and advancing along the March Madness tournament trail.
“Everybody at that next level can score,” Harris said. “It really comes down to who can play defense.”
Dennis Chase worked 32 years as a sportswriter at the Traverse City Record-Eagle, including as sports editor from 2000-14. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco, Alcona, Oscoda, Crawford, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Buckley’s Ridge Beeman (30) works to gather a loose ball against McBain Northern Michigan Christian on Dec. 8. (Middle) Joey Weber (5) blocks off a driving Bobcats player during the 86-39 win. (Photos courtesy of the Buckley athletic department.)
Breslin Bound: 2023-24 Boys District Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 26, 2024
Being “Breslin Bound” takes on a whole new meaning starting tonight for more than 700 boys basketball teams across Michigan.
District play begins this evening, and two weeks from Thursday we’ll be tipping off our first Semifinals at Michigan State University.
We always switch up our “Breslin Bound” format just a bit once the MHSAA Tournament starts, as last week’s most intriguing results below are followed this time by glances at three District brackets of note in each division. Host sites are bolded, and teams playing in those brackets are listed in order of how they stack up by Michigan Power Rating (MPR), with the top seeds listed first.
Everything you could want to know this week about tickets, brackets and more can be found on the Boys Basketball page. To watch any of several games online, visit the NFHS Network.
“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:
2. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 73, Detroit Cass Tech 41 If this Operation Friendship win for the Eaglets (20-1) over reigning Division 1 champion Cass Tech (20-2) is an indication of its momentum heading into the postseason, watch out.
2. Saline 69, Ann Arbor Huron 60 The Hornets (18-4) finished Southeastern Conference Red play by downing then co-leader Huron (17-4) to clinch the league championship outright.
3. Dearborn 65, Canton 52 The Pioneers (22-0) claimed the overall Kensington Lakes Activities Association title and finished a perfect regular season with a solid win over KLAA West champ Canton (18-4).
4. Saginaw Heritage 80, Flint Powers Catholic 40 The Hawks (18-3) clinched a share of their eventual outright Saginaw Valley League title, made more impressive as eight of the league’s 13 teams including Powers (17-5) finished above .500 for the regular season.
5. Mancelona 54, Bellaire 52 Although the Ironmen (17-5) lost their regular-season finale to Charlevoix two days later, this win was the one they needed as it secured a shared Ski Valley Conference title with Bellaire (18-4).
Districts at a Glance
These could be among our most competitive brackets. Host sites are in bold:
DIVISION 1
Detroit Martin Luther King
No. 1 Detroit Cass Tech (20-2), No. 2 Grosse Pointe South (18-4), Detroit Martin Luther King (14-6), Detroit Western (10-10), Grosse Pointe North (9-12).
The reigning Division 1 champion Technicians have been mostly unstoppable again, with their only loss besides last week’s to St. Mary’s (see above) coming to Zeeland West (15-7) on Jan. 20 in East Kentwood. Cass Tech opens against GPN in a District Semifinal, and all three opponents on the other side of the bracket could make for a strong District Final matchup. GPS is coming off a league tournament championship and has won 13 of its last 14 games. The Blue Devils will see in their District Semifinal the King/Western winner; Western gave Cass Tech a four-point game earlier this season before losing the rematch 69-42, and King took Cass Tech to overtime in their Jan. 24 matchup.
Mason
No. 1 East Lansing (20-2), No. 2 Okemos (18-4), Mason (20-2), Holt (9-13), Lansing Everett (9-11).
East Lansing has been among the leaders in Division 1 MPR all season and entered second on the list only to St. Mary’s (see above), with its only losses to St. Mary’s and Warren Lincoln. Holt gave East Lansing a nine-point game in their second meeting Feb. 12, but otherwise the Trojans defeated the Rams and Everett by solid margins. But the District Final matchup against either Okemos or Mason – which face each other Wednesday – should be much more challenging. East Lansing did sweep the regular-season series with the Wolves, 66-54 and 68-55, but winning that third matchup often is tougher – and the home-team Bulldogs would bring some unfamiliarity if they advance instead.
Muskegon Mona Shores
No. 1 Muskegon (19-2), No. 2 Muskegon Reeths-Puffer (19-3), Muskegon Mona Shores (14-8), Greenville (13-9), Cedar Springs (4-18).
The Muskegon High/Reeths-Puffer matchups were among the most followed this regular season, as Reeths-Puffer stunned the reigning Division 1 runner-up 63-45 on Jan. 30, but Muskegon came back to win the rematch 48-28 on Feb. 9. They ended up sharing the Ottawa-Kent Conference Green championship (with Mona Shores fourth) and would see each other again in Friday’s District Final. The Rockets face Mona Shores in a District Semifinal on one side of the bracket, while Muskegon may see Greenville – which finished fifth in an O-K White that was one of the deepest leagues in the state.
DIVISION 2
Detroit Pershing
No. 1 Warren Lincoln (17-4), No. 2 Ferndale (13-8), Detroit Pershing (11-8), Detroit Osborn (10-11), Hazel Park (7-15), Ferndale University (3-18).
Lincoln is the only team that’s been among the top two in Division 2 MPR to begin every week since the start of the calendar year, and its only losses were to Division 1 opponents who all won at least 15 games this season. But Ferndale is the reigning Division 2 champion and also has remained high on that MPR list in part because of its loaded schedule. The Eagles are 9-3 over their last 12, with all of their losses this season to Division 1 opponents – and seven of those defeats to teams that finished the regular season among the top 18 on the statewide D1 MPR list.
Hudsonville Unity Christian
No. 1 Grand Rapids Christian (20-2), No. 2 Hudsonville Unity Christian (18-4), Grand Rapids South Christian (17-5), Wyoming Godwin Heights (16-5), Kentwood Grand River Prep (13-6), Wyoming Kelloggsville (2-20).
Grand Rapids Christian has spent most of the season at the top of the statewide Division 2 MPR list, with its only losses to Warren Lincoln, by two Jan. 20, and then by six to Division 1 Byron Center on Feb. 6. The Eagles face one of the strongest Districts in any division this week, and have seen only one possible opponent – South Christian, who they defeated 58-48 on Dec. 5. South Christian, Godwin Heights and Unity all are on the other side of the bracket, and the Sailors defeated Unity 58-56 in their lone meeting Dec. 15. Godwin Heights faces South Christian tonight and has won 12 of its last 14.
Manistee
No. 1 Ludington (16-6), No. 2 Reed City (18-4), Big Rapids (16-6), Manistee (10-12), Hart (12-10), Mason County Central (9-13).
Ludington was the runner-up in the West Michigan Conference Lakes to undefeated Whitehall, and the Orioles have won 10 of their last 12 games with only defeats to Whitehall and Division 1 Cadillac (20-2) breaking up the string. They could be in for a tough matchup right away Wednesday; Manistee and Big Rapids face off tonight on that side of the bracket, and Big Rapids finished last week with a 48-46 win over Reed City in the Central State Activities Association Tournament final. The Coyotes also lost to Cadillac over the last two weeks, but already have a win over possible District Semifinal opponent Mason County Central and did defeat Big Rapids in their first meeting Dec. 8, 49-30. And don’t forget Hart, which went 23-1 just a year ago and has won nine of its last 12 after a slow start.
DIVISION 3
Charlevoix
No. 1 Charlevoix (17-5), No. 2 Harbor Springs (15-7), Mancelona (17-5), Elk Rapids (15-7), East Jordan (8-14), Johannesburg-Lewiston (6-16).
This District includes two league champions – but not the teams one might expect by the seeding. Elk Rapids won the Lake Michigan Conference with Charlevoix and Harbor Springs tied for second, and Mancelona (see above) was the co-champion in the Ski Valley Conference. The Elks have won 11 straight games and swept both Charlevoix and Harbor Springs, making a 1-6 start this winter a distant memory. They are on the same side of the bracket as Mancelona and Charlevoix and face Mancelona tonight; the Ironmen are coming off a 65-37 loss to Charlevoix last week but did open this season with a 50-41 win over Harbor Springs.
East Jackson
No. 1 Jackson Lumen Christi (18-4), 2. Michigan Center (19-3), Napoleon (19-3), Springport (15-7), East Jackson (8-14).
This District features three league champs, as Lumen Christi shared the Catholic High School League AA title, and Michigan Center and Napoleon were co-champions of the Cascades Conference East – with Napoleon then winning the crossover with West champ Hanover-Horton last week. Michigan Center claimed the first Napoleon matchup 50-38 on Dec. 21, while Napoleon won the second 50-44 on Jan. 25, and they wouldn’t see each other again until the District Final. To get there, Michigan Center will have to get through East Jackson and Lumen – and the Titans took a 72-65 win over the Cardinals on Dec. 28. Napoleon faces Springport in the other District Semifinal, the Spartans coming off a third-place finish in the Big 8 Conference.
Harbor Beach
No. 1 Cass City (21-1), No. 2 Harbor Beach (19-3), Caro (12-9), Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker (13-9), Bad Axe (6-16), Unionville-Sebewaing (5-17).
This could see another colossal District Final matchup, as Cass City’s only loss this winter was 56-43 to Harbor Beach on Feb. 9. But both could run into obstacles on the way to Friday. Cass City faces the winner of Caro and USA in a District Semifinal, and while the Red Hawks swept both during the regular season, they defeated Caro only 62-60 in their second meeting Feb. 2. Harbor Beach won their single matchups with possible District Semifinal opponents Laker and Bad Axe, both by double digits – but both Laker and Bad Axe gave Cass City nail-biters only a few weeks ago.
DIVISION 4
Adrian Lenawee Christian
No. 1 Adrian Lenawee Christian (19-3), No. 2 Britton Deerfield (16-6), Petersburg Summerfield (18-4), Ann Arbor Central Academy (6-13), Morenci (1-20).
Lenawee Christian won the Tri-County Conference and Petersburg Summerfield finished tied for second, with Lenawee winning their matchups 69-62 on Jan. 16 and 56-53 on Feb. 9. They will meet in the second District Semifinal on Wednesday, with Britton Deerfield on the other side of the bracket. The Patriots finished fourth in the TCC and also were swept by Lenawee Christian, but they did split with Summerfield, winning the first meeting 42-41 on Dec. 8 as part of a 9-0 start and before the Bulldogs won the rematch 59-53 on Jan. 23.
Athens
No. 1 Marcellus Howardsville Christian (17-5), No. 2 Colon (13-8), Mendon (14-8), Burr Oak (13-9), Marcellus (9-11), Athens (0-22).
Howardsville Christian finished third in the Berrien-Cass-St. Joseph Conference and has won eight straight and 10 of its last 11 games after a tough January stretch that included a 69-51 loss to Mendon on Jan. 20. Mendon isn’t seeded but did tie Colon for third in the Southern Central Athletic Association West (with Burr Oak fifth), defeating the Magi 55-50 in its season opener but then losing to Colon 65-50 in the Jan. 19 rematch. Mendon and Howardsville Christian could see each other again Wednesday, if the Hornets get by Burr Oak tonight, with Colon on the other side of the bracket.
Maple City Glen Lake
No. 1 Maple City Glen Lake (18-4), No. 2 Frankfort (15-7), Traverse City Christian (16-6), Suttons Bay (7-13), Lake Leelanau St. Mary (7-14), Leland (4-17), Grand Traverse Academy (2-20).
Glen Lake moved into Division 4 this season and enters the tournament 18-4 for the second straight and with victories over every team in this bracket except Grand Traverse, which the Lakers didn’t play. Glen Lake finished second in the Northwest Conference to Division 3 Benzie Central, but did sweep Frankfort along the way and also defeated Traverse City Christian 69-41 on Jan. 19. Another matchup with either would come in the District Final, and Frankfort and TC Christian face off tonight, at TC Christian, for the first time this season. Frankfort reached the Division 4 Semifinals a year ago and defeated a pair of league champions last week in Rudyard and Baldwin to tune up for another run.
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) Saginaw Heritage’s Tyler Ode throws down a dunk during his team’s 80-40 win Thursday over Flint Powers Catholic. (Middle) Laingsburg’s Zander Woodruff (23) puts up a shot during his team’s 90-27 win over Bath last week. (Top photo by Terry Lyons, middle photo by Click by Christine McCallister.)