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.)
Breslin Bound: 2025-26 Boys Report Week 7
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 19, 2026
League play is taking over the spotlight as boys basketball season moves through its second month and several conferences reached their midway points last week.
We highlight several of those races below, and there will be more details to come as Michigan’s statewide contenders focus first on local rivals before stretching out their championship chases with the MHSAA Tournament beginning a month from Friday.
“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. East Kentwood 69, Rockford 68 Add East Kentwood (10-1) to the contenders in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red, which top-to-bottom might be strongest league in Michigan after the first half as Rockford (10-2) has been ranked among the top few statewide.
2. Detroit Catholic Central 86, Benton Harbor 82 The Shamrocks (8-4) stopped a two-game slide with a win over Orchard Lake St. Mary’s followed by handing Benton Harbor (14-1) this first defeat at the Rocket Classic at Westland John Glenn.
3. Fowler 56, Concord 52 These two remain among the top three in Division 4 MPR statewide but with a little shuffling as Fowler (12-1) dealt Concord (11-3) this loss.
4. Saginaw Heritage 62, Mount Pleasant 42 The Hawks (11-3) finished the first half of the Saginaw Valley League North schedule by moving into first place alone and sending the Oilers (10-2) into second.
5. Auburn Hills Avondale 43, Clarkston 38 Similarly, Avondale (12-1) finished the first half of the Oakland Activities Association schedule in first place with Clarkston (10-3) now a game back.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
East Lansing (13-0) The reigning Division 1 champion has now won 36 straight games and capped the weekend with a 47-31 victory over Warren Fitzgerald in the Horatio Williams Freedom Classic at Wayne State. A week earlier, the Trojans downed Rockford 80-71 in overtime in what was a matchup of the top two teams in Division 1. Also among the most notable this winter are a 62-41 win over Brother Rice, a 63-60 win over Roseville and a 41-40 victory over Detroit Martin Luther King.
Grandville (9-0) The O-K Red has four teams with at least 10 wins this winter and one undefeated team in Grandville, which saw its matchup with Grand Haven on Friday postponed but can continue to build on its big start this week against Rockford and Hudsonville. The Bulldogs already have all but guaranteed bettering last season’s 9-15 finish, with a 47-45 win over Pewamo-Westphalia at the Cornerstone University Holiday Showcase among the most impressive victories during the turnaround.
DIVISION 2
Frankenmuth (11-0) Although the Eagles finished last season third in the Tri-Valley Conference Red, they defeated champion Bay City John Glenn in a District Final and appear to have carried that momentum into this season as they capped the first half of league play undefeated. Frankenmuth sits in first place thanks to a 47-43 win over second-place Freeland on Jan. 9, and remains undefeated overall in part because of a 47-46 overtime win over the host Raiders at the Flushing Winter Classic.
South Haven (10-0) The Rams have won 15 or more games all of the last three seasons and could be on the verge of taking another step up coming off their 17-4 finish a year ago. That run included finishing second in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Lakeshore after being swept by champion Bridgman, but South Haven already owns a 59-41 win over the Bees and also handed Coloma its only league loss. A Feb. 10 trip to currently-undefeated Gobles should be circled on the calendar.
DIVISION 3
Harbor Beach (8-2) A 49-48 loss to Division 1 Marquette may have been a tough way to end the week, but it couldn’t have started much better than handing Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker a 45-42 defeat – Harbor Beach is in first in the Big Thumb Conference Black, while Laker leads the BTC White. The Pirates finished 23-2 a year ago, so they have plenty to build on and they’ve lined up some nice postseason prep taking on Marquette and with their other loss to Division 2 contender Freeland on Jan. 2.
McBain (9-1) The Ramblers are chasing Beal City in the Highland Conference after falling to the Aggies 49-41 on Dec. 19. But McBain also lost their first meeting with Beal City last season and rebounded to win a third-straight league title. Those two face off again Feb. 3 in Beal City. In the meantime, McBain finished this past week dealing third-place LeRoy Pine River a 68-45 loss and on Jan. 2 avenged its other regular-season defeat from a year ago by downing Cadillac 64-37.
DIVISION 4
Allen Park Inter-City Baptist (10-1) The Chargers have a new all-time leading scorer in Ethan Esse, who broke coach Mark Kraatz’s career record for career points during a 78-54 win over Whitmore Lake last week. Their team also is off to another stellar start coming off last year’s run to the Division 4 Quarterfinals. After losing to Detroit Country Day in the season opener, Inter-City has played only two single-digit games – in wins over Division 1 Grosse Pointe South and Allen Park. The Chargers are first in the Michigan Independent Athletic Conference Blue thanks to last week’s 67-51 win over Southfield Christian.
Felch North Dickinson (9-1) Coming off a Division 2 runner-up finish in 8-player football, the Nordics have brought their successful run into basketball season with their only loss Dec. 16 to Stephenson. North Dickinson finished 18-6 a year ago and last week avenged last-winter losses to both Norway and Munising. Next up is arguably the biggest of all; the Nordics visit Crystal Falls Forest Park, which defeated them three times last season including in a Regional Semifinal.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – Greenville (11-1) at Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills (13-0) – These two are tied atop the River Cities Alliance, with Greenville the reigning league champion.
Tuesday – Croswell-Lexington (10-3) at Yale (13-0) – Yale shared the Blue Water Area Conference title last year, with Cros-Lex a game back in third, and missed winning the league outright in part because of a 42-40 loss to the Pioneers that Yale then avenged with a three-point District Final win.
Tuesday – Ludington (11-0) at North Muskegon (12-1) – These are the league leaders in the West Michigan Conference Lakes and Rivers, respectively.
Tuesday – Detroit Western (13-0) at Detroit Davis (9-1) – The Cowboys own a half-game lead over the Aviators in the Detroit Public School League Gold as both head into the final stretch of league play.
Friday – Grand Haven (12-1) at East Kentwood (10-1) – The O-K Red will continue to sort itself out as these are two of three teams undefeated in league play entering this week.
MHSAA.com's weekly “Breslin Bound” reports 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. Click to connect with MI Student Aid and find more information on Facebook and X @mistudentaid.
PHOTOS (Top) Surrounded by Negaunee’s entire lineup, Ishpeming Westwood's Ethan Marta makes a move into the lane to score two points during a 65-41 win Friday; he set a school record with 46 points. (Middle) Saginaw Heritage senior Jaylin Cooper (5) drives past a Freeland defender during their Jan. 6 matchup, won by the Falcons 65-58. (Negaunee/Westwood photo by Cara Kamps. Heritage/Freeland photo by Kolleth Photo.)