A-B Preview: 6 Hopefuls Seek 1st Title
March 23, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The MHSAA Boys Basketball Tournament is more than 90 years old – and yet it’s possible that two first-time champions will be awarded in Class A and B on Saturday at the Breslin Center.
Six of eight semifinalists from those classes are playing this weekend for their first championships in the sport – and a seventh would welcome home a boys hoops champion for the first time in more than 75 years.
Class A and B Semifinals are scheduled for Friday, and all four Finals will be played Saturday.
Semifinals - Friday
Class A
Detroit U-D Jesuit (26-0) vs. Macomb Dakota (26-0), 1 p.m.
North Farmington (23-2) vs. Lansing Everett (16-10), 2:50 p.m.
Class B
Detroit Henry Ford (18-6) vs. Williamston (21-3), 6 p.m.
Big Rapids (23-2) vs. Stevensville Lakeshore (19-7), 7:50 p.m.
Finals - Saturday
Class A - Noon
Class B - 6:30 p.m.
Class C - 4:30 p.m.
Class D - 10 a.m.
Tickets cost $8 per pair of Semifinals and $10 per two-game Finals session. All Semifinals will be streamed live on MHSAA.TV on a pay-per-view basis. All four Finals will be broadcast live on FOX Sports Detroit-PLUS. Free radio broadcasts of all weekend games will be available on MHSAANetwork.com.
And now, a look at the semifinalists in Class A and B. Click on the name of the school to see that team’s full schedule and results from this season. (Statistics are through teams' Regional Finals.)
Class A
DETROIT U-D JESUIT
Record/rank: 26-0, No. 1
League finish: First in Detroit Catholic League Central
Coach: Pat Donnelly, eighth season (140-42)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 62-47 over No. 4 Ypsilanti Community in Quarterfinal, 47-39 over honorable mention Detroit Western International in Regional Final, 59-50 over No. 10 Detroit Renaissance in District Final, 92-76 over No. 6 Detroit East English, 66-56 over Class C No. 8 Detroit Allen Academy, 59-48 over Class C No. 2 Flint Beecher.
Players to watch: Cassius Winston, 6-1 sr. G (21.2 ppg, 7.2 apg, 4.9 rpg, 57 3-pointers); Gregory Eboigbodin, 6-9 jr. F (8.8 ppg, 9.3 rpg).
Outlook: After falling in a Semifinal last season to eventual champion Detroit Western International, Jesuit has done just about everything possible to prepare to take this year’s run to the end. The Cubs have remained perfect against a schedule that featured most of the best from the city of Detroit, and they follow the lead of Winston, the Mr. Basketball Award winner who will be playing on his future collegiate home court. Sophomore guard Elijah Collins (6.1 ppg) and junior 6-9 forward Ike Eke (7.0 ppg/8.3 rpg) also provide support.
LANSING EVERETT
Record/rank: 16-10, unranked
League finish: Tied for third in Capital Area Activities Conference Blue
Coach: Desmond Ferguson, fourth season (51-43)
Championship history: Two MHSAA titles (most recent 2004).
Best wins: 63-54 (2OT) over Hudsonville in Quarterfinal, 54-48 over No. 3 East Lansing in Regional Final, 56-49 over honorable mention Kalamazoo Central in Regional Semifinal.
Players to watch: Jamyrin Jackson, 6-3 sr. G (16.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg); LeAndre Wright, 6-2 sr. G (12.5 ppg, 2.8 apg).
Outlook: Everett will play in its second straight Semifinal, but this one came as much more of a surprise. The Vikings played an impressive slate of teams during the regular season – with losses to No. 3 East Lansing (twice), No. 2 Macomb Dakota and reigning champ Detroit Western International, among others – and those games no doubt helped prepare them for another long run. Jackson and Wright started last season as well, and 6-6 junior forward Diego Robinson also is a significant contributor at 10 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.
MACOMB DAKOTA
Record/rank: 26-0, No. 2
League finish: First in Macomb Area Conference Red
Coach: Paul Tocco, fifth season (84-29)
Championship history: Has not played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 68-66 (Regional Semifinal) and 46-35 over No. 7 Clarkston, 74-68 over Rochester Adams in Regional Final, 57-50 over Saginaw Arthur Hill, 79-70 over Lansing Everett.
Players to watch: Jermaine Jackson, 5-10 jr. G (21 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 3.9 apg, 3.6 spg, 65 3-pointers); Steven Marshall, 6-1 sr. G (16 ppg, 3.9 apg).
Outlook: This has been Dakota’s longest run and first time playing during the final week of the season. The team has increased its win total each of the last four seasons under Tocco after finishing 9-10 his first. The Cougars are averaging 75 points per game with Jackson the focus but 6-8 sophomore center Thomas Kithier providing balance down low on both ends of the floor with 11.3 points, 10 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game.
NORTH FARMINGTON
Record/rank: 23-2, No. 5
League finish: Tied for first in Oakland Activities Association Red
Coach: Todd Negoshian, fifth season (87-27)
Championship history: Has not played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 70-57 over Sterling Heights Stevenson in Quarterfinal, 58-53 over No. 7 Clarkston, 61-56 and 69-48 over Rochester Adams, 67-49 over Detroit Henry Ford, 58-53 over Class C honorable mention Detroit Loyola.
Players to watch: Billy Thomas, 6-1 sr. G (19.1 ppg, 63 3-pointers); Amauri Hardy, 6-3 jr. G (14.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 3.2 apg).
Outlook: North Farmington has climbed from 13 to 22 to 23 wins and counting over the last three seasons, with this its first trip to the Semifinals. The Raiders have won 16 straight since falling to Clarkston in their first meeting, and the other loss came early as well to Detroit Western International. Senior guard Jacob Joubert rounds out a talented backcourt with 8.8 points and 4.1 assists per game, and senior guard Josh Hogans comes off the bench and had 36 3-pointers heading into this week. Senior forward Alex Darden is the main force in the frontcourt at 7.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.
Class B
BIG RAPIDS
Record/rank: 23-2, unranked
League finish: First in Central State Activities Association Gold
Coach: Kent Ingles, 13th season (185-104)
Championship history: Has not played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 42-23 over Essexville Garber in Quarterfinal, 54-45 over Benzonia Benzie Central in Regional Semifinal, 55-44 over Reed City in District Final.
Players to watch: Demetri Martin, 6-3 jr. G (19.5 ppg, 8.8 rpg); Kenny Davis, 6-1 sr. G (13.2 ppg, 68 3-pointers).
Outlook: Big Rapids has transformed under Ingles and played in its third Quarterfinal Tuesday in four seasons – finally breaking through to the Semifinals for the first time in program history. The Cardinals’ only losses were to undefeated McBain and 19-win Alma, and they’ve won 13 straight. Junior 6-4 forward Christian Hector adds another 8.8 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.
DETROIT HENRY FORD
Record/rank: 18-6, unranked
League finish: Third in Detroit Public School League West Division 1
Coach: Kenneth Flowers, ninth season (128-67)
Championship history: Class B runner-up 2015.
Best wins: 62-40 over No. 4 New Haven in Quarterfinal, 66-52 over Detroit Martin Luther King, 72-66 over Lowell.
Players to watch: James Towns, 5-10 sr. G (23 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 5.7 apg); Jeremy Crawley, 6-1 sr. G (10.7 ppg, 4.6 rpg).
Outlook: Henry Ford skated a little under the radar again despite finishing runner-up in Class B last season, likely because of its losses although they were against strong competition: ranked Class A teams North Farmington, Detroit Renaissance, Detroit East English twice and reigning A champion Detroit Western International, and to 15-win Detroit Edison Public School Academy. Towns and 6-4 senior Alston Hunter (7.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg) started last season’s championship game, and 6-0 junior Devontaye Webb (9.3 ppg) and 6-4 senior Kavon Bey (8.0 ppg, 9.2 rpg) are significant contributors this time.
STEVENSVILLE LAKESHORE
Record/rank: 19-7, unranked
League finish: Fourth in Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West
Coach: Sean Schroeder, 14th season (236-94)
Championship history: Class B runner-up 2012.
Best wins: 42-40 over South Haven in Regional Final, 64-57 over Marshall in Regional Semifinal, 50-49 over Dowagiac in District Final, 63-60 over Battle Creek Central.
Players to watch: Braden Burke, 6-11 sr. C (15.9 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 3.2 bpg); Logan Steffes, 6-0 sr. G (11 ppg, 4.9 apg).
Outlook: Lakeshore hit its stride late with 10 straight wins including two over Portage Northern and Portage Central, avenging earlier league defeats. The Lancers also had their share of solid losses, including a pair to honorable mention Benton Harbor and another to No. 5 Wayland. Burke is joined in the post by 6-7 junior Max Gaishin (7.8 ppg) and senior Gibson Archer adds another 7.9 points per game, while senior Jake Bushu fills out the starting lineup averaging 4.5 assists.
WILLIAMSTON
Record/rank: 21-3, No. 10
League finish: Tied for first in CAAC White
Coach: Jason Bauer, fifth season (79-31); interim Tom Lewis
Championship history: Lower Peninsula Class C champion 1940.
Best wins: 57-55 (OT) over No. 2 Wyoming Godwin Heights in Regional Semifinal, 70-60 (District Final) and 45-42 over No. 3 Lansing Catholic, 53-46 over No. 6 River Rouge in Quarterfinal, 82-77 over Lansing Everett, 64-51 over Stockbridge in Regional Final.
Players to watch: Riley Lewis, 6-0 sr. G (28.6 ppg, 6.0 apg, 3.1 spg, 82 3-pointers); Kurtis Kodet, 6-2 sr. C (13.3 ppg, 8.3 rpg).
Outlook: The Hornets have established themselves as favorites by beating reigning champion Godwin Heights and three top-six teams total on the way to Breslin for their first Semifinal since 1993. Lewis continues to find ways to score despite being the focus of every team Williamston faces, but in addition to Kodet he also has plenty of scoring help from emerging 6-6 freshman forward Sean Cobb (9.0 ppg, 6.1 rpg) and sophomore guard Cole Kleiver (10 ppg, 3.2 apg). The Hornets are playing with added inspiration only a few weeks after coach Jason Bauer was forced to take on a much smaller role while undergoing cancer treatments.
The Boys Basketball Finals are presented by Sparrow Health System.
PHOTO: Macomb Dakota's Tavin Allison goes for a steal earlier this season against Saginaw Arthur Hill. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Senior Leaders, 'Legendary' Coaches Bring Plenty of Experience to Hackett Hoops
By
Pam Shebest
Special for MHSAA.com
January 27, 2026
KALAMAZOO — In their four years on varsity, Leland Berg and Lukas Husovsky have played for three head coaches, plus a fourth with the junior varsity while playing on both teams as freshmen.
This year, the seniors are ending their Hackett Catholic Prep basketball careers with pair of “crafty veterans” – head coach Dan Hoff and assistant Nib Reisterer.
“It’s definitely been a struggle because every coach has their own way: the way they run practice, games, plays, everything,” Berg said of adjusting to new coaches.
“So from my freshman year, I walked into a program that had been a program a couple years, and then my freshman and sophomore years it totally flipped around.”
Berg, who has signed to play basketball next at Hillsdale College, said Hoff stepped in and brought a new culture.
“Hoff knows exactly what he wants to do,” the 6-foot-5 guard/forward said. “He’s very meticulous, and I feel that order and that tidiness has really cleaned up our team and the culture of Hackett basketball.”
Berg added that there are a lot of small changes, “like what time to show up for games, how practice is run, the kinds of drills we run, the kind of plays we run.
“I know it’s for the better, but it’s been difficult to adjust for me and my teammates.”
During their freshman season, Berg and Husovsky played on both the varsity and junior varsity teams, a challenge for the young athletes.
“It was really an adjustment because everybody had different plays,” the 6-7 Husovsky said. “There were so many plays you had to memorize. Not only was it physically (challenging), but mentally tough.”
Husovsky said that the seniors helped him and Berg as freshmen, and now he sees that as their job with the younger players.
Berg said this season the players are more appreciative of each other.
“When it comes to stuff off the court and personality-wise, we know how everybody is,” he said. “It makes it easier to play with these guys and it’s fun. It makes it a super comfortable team.”
Senior-led on the floor
Berg and Husovsky are two of four senior starters with Cullen McBride, David Verduzco and junior Elijah Brooks rounding out the starting five.
Hoff, who alphabetizes his personal players list by first names, said this is the first time he has no first names past “L”.
“There are four Lukes and two Elijahs out of 12 players,” Hoff laughed.
Those four are Husovsky, senior Luke Napolitan and juniors Lucas Cosby and Luke Widman. Junior Elijah Nabors is also on the team.
Seniors Keegan McCue and Ezra Rowekamp-Ambs plus junior Joey Gamsho round out the Hackett dozen.
After a tough loss to Kalamazoo Christian on Friday, the Irish take an 8-5 record into a tough Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley matchup against Schoolcraft.
Berg said no matter how the first half goes, this Irish team is unwilling to give up in any game.
“We had a couple of tough games where we got punched in the mouth early and we were down at halftime,” he said. “But most of those games we really found a way to group together and keep on pushing.
“I think that’s the difference between this year’s team and teams in the past. In the past, when we’d get down a lot of points early, the game would be over. Lately, there’s been a change in mentality. That’s super impressive. We don’t give up.”
Hoff said Berg is a “hidden gem” on the team.
“He’s a really good outside shooter,” Hoff said. “His energy. He starts every practice and leads us after every game with our team cheer.
“He leads our stretching. He does a lot of leadership things on the court that people don’t even know about.”
As for Husovsky, Hoff said he brings a lot of athleticism to the post with some really good skills as a shooter.
Brooks said he is comfortable with his role on the team and looks up to the seniors.
“Before games, our seniors are making sure we’re there and in the head space we need to be in,” he said.
Brooks added that he feels he’s a link that “brings everybody together. If my energy’s up, then everybody’s energy is going to be up.”
He also appreciates the new culture Hoff brings to the team.
“Coach is really fundamentally sound, making sure every step is done precisely and on point,” he said. “Coach is a great listener and a great motivator.”
Hoff appreciates Brooks’ passion for the game.
“Basketball is really big in his life,” Hoff said. “He brings a toughness and a skill set that is demonstrative of how much work he’s put into it.
“He’s really such a capable player and a person whose personality is extremely powerful, and that’s what allows him to be successful at key times and with any team he happens to be on.”
More than 100 years of experience on the bench
Hoff is in his 50th season as a basketball coach, the first 49 including 27 at Mattawan and five at Western Michigan University.
“Most of what I do is in practice,” Hoff said. “During games, players tell me information and I just give them information back.
"It’s like my classroom experience. When it’s time for a test, it’s time for them to do the test. My job is to prepare them. I find that as liberating for them as for me because I’m not yelling things to them or at them (during games).”
Hoff also said he expects his players to live up to his standards.
“When you have a 3 o’clock start, it’s a 3 o’clock start,” Hoff said. “It’s been a learning curve. I told them, one of my major flaws is I don’t know how to lower my standards so you’re going to have to come to mine.”
Hoff isn’t the only veteran coach at Hackett.
Reisterer is also closing in on 50 years coaching, including several at Hackett with both boys and girls teams.
“Staying around the players keeps us young,” he said. “I’m betting we’re one of the oldest coaching staffs in the state. We’re both 71.
“Dan is the most organized coach I’ve ever been around. He teaches the fundamentals as good or better than anybody I’ve ever come across, and he’s the perfect mentor for any young guys who want to coach.
Reisterer, who graduated from Hackett in 1971, is also a member of the Irish Athletic Hall of Fame.
“Nib and I’ve known each other since I moved here in 1986,” Hoff said. “He coached as an assistant for me in Mattawan. We coached against each other many, many, many times and we had some really great Hackett-Mattawan rivalries.”
Another assistant also has Hackett ties.
Kevin White, class of 1998, is in his first year as the school’s dean of students.
White also has a lot of experience coaching basketball, most recently at Portage Northern.
“I’ve known Kevin almost since I moved here because he’s been with Nib all these times,” Hoff said. “I knew him when he was at Portage Northern and at (Kalamazoo College).
“He’s an in-school person, which is what an out-of-school coach needs. He’s really good at that. He keeps track of the kids in a healthy way.”
Berg said the team is responding well to a new coaching style.
“We have a legendary coaching staff, a lot of great minds,” he said.
Pam Shebest served as a sportswriter at the Kalamazoo Gazette from 1985-2009 after 11 years part-time with the Gazette while teaching French and English at White Pigeon High School. She can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Calhoun, Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Hackett Catholic Prep boys basketball head coach Dan Hoff, kneeling, talks with his players during a break this season. (2) Leland Berg (10) makes a move toward the lane against Coloma. (3) Hackett junior Elijah Brooks. (4) Hackett assistant coaches Nib Reisterer, left, and Kevin White. (5) Lukas Husovsky attempts a free throw. (Action shots by Micah Jones. Headshots and huddle photo by Pam Shebest.)