Boys Finals: Points A to B
March 22, 2012
Loaded expectations come with being the favorite for any MHSAA championship.
But a pair of favorites and two groups of strong contenders make for loaded fields for both the Class A and B Boys Basketball Finals this weekend at Michigan State's Breslin Center.
In Class B, reigning champion Lansing Sexton is a heavy favorite, but 2011 runner-up Muskegon Heights and 2010 champion Detroit Country Day also are in the mix. And in Class A, top-ranked Saginaw and No. 2 Romulus both have reached the final weekend of the MHSAA winter season.
Below is a schedule for Friday's Semifinals and all four Saturday Finals. Tickets cost $8 per session, and parking at Michigan State is $5. All Semifinals will be streamed live at MHSAA.tv along with the press conferences after each, and the A Final will be broadcast live on Fox Sports Detroit -- with Class B then broadcast on delay at 10:30 p.m. Saturday. Click for scores as they come in, and return to Second Half for coverage of all 12 games this weekend at Breslin.
Friday's Semifinals
Class A
Rockford (21-5) vs. Romulus (22-3) - 1 p.m.
Saginaw (24-2) vs. Macomb L'Anse Creuse North (22-4) - 2:50 p.m.
Class B
Stevensville Lakeshore (23-2) vs. Muskegon Heights (20-6) - 6 p.m.
Detroit Country Day (21-5) vs. Lansing Sexton (25-1) - 7:50 p.m.
Saturday's Finals
Class A - 4 p.m.
Class B - 8 p.m.
Class C - Noon
Class D - 10 a.m.
Now, a look at this season's Class A and B Semifinalists (Click for previews of the Class C and D Semifinalists.):
Class A
MACOMB L’ANSE CREUSE NORTH
Record/rank: 22-4, unranked
League finish: First in Macomb Area Conference Red
Coach: Jay Seletsky, 10th season (140-80)
Championship history: Has not appeared in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 54-52 and 64-59 over Romeo, 51-50 over Fraser (Regional Semifinal), 43-41 over Detroit Denby (Regional Final).
Players to watch: Tyler Conklin (6-3 jr. G – 12 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 3.0 apg), Robert Hopkins (6-3 jr. G – 9.5 ppg).
Outlook: L’Anse Creuse North might be the biggest surprise of this weekend after finishing 10-11 a year ago and posting two sub-.500 records over the last three seasons. But Seletsky has led the team to three league titles in five seasons, and his team knows not only how to win, but how to win close games – eight wins this season were by three or fewer points, and two more were by four points.
ROCKFORD
Record/rank: 21-5, unranked
League finish: Tied for first in O-K Red
Coach: Nick Allen, first season (21-5)
Championship history: One MHSAA title (2003).
Best wins: 62-55 over Class B honorable mention Grand Rapids Christian, 36-35 over Hudsonville, 43-32 over East Kentwood, 55-53 over Okemos (Quarterfinal).
Player to watch: Chad Carlson (5-9 jr. G – 13.2 ppg, 59 3-pointers).
Outlook: After a tough league race that ended with Rockford sharing the championship with both Hudsonville and East Kentwood, Rockford was plenty prepared for the tournament – and came back from 10 down in the second half to win the Quarterfinal. Carlson runs the point and is the player teams focus on most. But four more – 6-1 Alex Durkin, 6-3 Mitch Caywood, 6-1 Chase Fairchild and 6-6 Ivy Johnson – all average 5.5 points per game and help bring a physical edge.
ROMULUS
Record/rank: 22-3, No. 2
League finish: First in Western Wayne Athletic Conference
Coach: Nate Oats, 10th season (195-50)
Championship history: One MHSAA title (1986), one runner-up finish.
Best wins: 67-62 over No. 5 Detroit Pershing (Quarterfinal), 76-62 over No. 10 Saginaw Arthur Hill, 83-67 over No. 9 Kalamazoo Central, 86-51 over Class B honorable mention Muskegon Heights, 60-59 over Class B No. 3 Detroit Country Day, 69-57 over Class B No. 9 Dearborn Heights Robichaud.
Players to watch: Elbert Matthews (6-4 jr. G – 13.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.3 apg), Raven Lee (6-3 sr. G – 12.7 ppg, 3.0 apg), Wesley Clark (6-0 jr. G – 12.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.3 apg, 2.4 spg, 37 3-pointers).
Outlook: Romulus regularly plays one of the state’s toughest regular-season schedules, and regularly drives deep into the Class A tournament. The Eagles’ run to a runner-up finish in 2005 was the first of five Regional and six District championships in the last eight seasons under Oats. Lee has committed to sign with Eastern Michigan.
SAGINAW
Record/rank: 24-2, No. 1
League finish: First in Saginaw Valley League
Coach: Julian Taylor, first season (24-2)
Championship history: Five MHSAA titles (most recently 2008), four runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 88-76 and 66-62 (District Final) over No. 10 Saginaw Arthur Hill, 71-62 over No. 2 Romulus, 73-59 over Bay City Western.
Players to watch: Travontis Richardson (6-2 sr. G – 15 ppg), Julian Henderson (6-2 jr. F – 12 ppg).
Outlook: Like Romulus, Saginaw annually plays a strong regular-season schedule featuring not only tough competition from the Saginaw Valley, but also many of the best from the Detroit area and beyond. Those two losses this season were by five to Arthur Hill – a loss which Saginaw later avenged – and late, by a point, to No. 9 Kalamazoo Central. Five other players average at least eight points per game behind solid backcourt duo Richardson and Henderson.
Class B
DETROIT COUNTRY DAY
Record/rank: 21-5, No. 3
League finish: Does not play in a league.
Coach: Kurt Keener, 34th season (653-176)
Championship history: Eight MHSAA titles (most recently 2010), one runner-up finish.
Best wins: 89-52 over Harper Woods Chandler Park (Regional Final), 110-75 over Class D No. 7 Southfield Christian, 65-55 over Class A No. 10 Saginaw Arthur Hill.
Players to watch: Robert Puleikis (6-9 sr. C – 12.5 ppg, 9.8 rpg), Jodan Price (6-7 sr. F – 11.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.1 apg), Austin Price (6-3 jr. G – 10.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.9 apg).
Outlook: All eight of Country Day’s championships have come under Keener, and the Yellowjackets face a familiar opponent to start this potential run – Sexton, which Country Day beat in the 2010 Final and lost to in a 2011 Semifinal. Puleikis earned an all-state honorable mention this week and is one of a number of sizable Yellowjackets – the team also brings 6-6 and 6-3 players off the bench.
LANSING SEXTON
Record/rank: 25-1, No. 1
League finish: First in Capital Area Activities Conference Blue
Coach: Carlton Valentine, sixth season (122-25)
Championship history: Four MHSAA titles (most recently 2011), two runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 56-37 over No. 9 Dearborn Heights Robichaud (Quarterfinal), 66-56 over No. 4 Lansing Catholic (District Final), 80-71 over Class A No. 9 Kalamazoo Central, 70-57 and 93-80 over Class A honorable mention East Lansing, 72-60 and 75-58 over Class A No. 3 Lansing Eastern,
Players to watch: Bryn Forbes (6-3 sr. G – 18 ppg, 44 3-pointers), Anthony Clemmons (6-1 sr. G – 15 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 4.1 apg), Denzel Valentine (6-6 sr. G – 14.2 ppg, 10.9 rpg, 8.4 apg), Jalen Hayes (6-7 jr. F – 12.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg).
Outlook: Despite a one-point loss to Detroit Pershing during the season’s first half, it’s fair to argue Sexton is the state’s top squad, regardless of class. Four starters are back from last season, and all will play at the Division I college level – Valentine was named Associated Press Class B Player of the Year this week and has signed with Michigan State, while Clemmons has signed with Iowa, Forbes with Cleveland State and Hayes has a number of offers. The team’s top two guards off the bench last season also are back, and 6-9 freshman Trevor Manuel mans the middle.
MUSKEGON HEIGHTS
Record/rank: 20-6, honorable mention
League finish: Does not play in a league.
Coach: Keith Guy, ninth season (189-39)
Championship history: Six MHSAA titles (most recently 1979), eight runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 51-44 over No. 8 Cadillac (Quarterfinal), 64-51 over Rockford, 84-78 over Class A honorable mention Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills, 67-54 over Class C No. 7 Shelby
Players to watch: Juwon Martin (6-5 jr. F – 15.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg), Deshaun Thrower (6-0 soph. G – 11 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.4 apg), Mike Davis (6-4 soph. F – 10.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg).
Outlook: Although Muskegon Heights is seeking its first championship in more than three decades, few teams are more regular guests at Breslin Center. The Tigers are reigning runners-up and also finished runners-up in 2005. They’ve won their District every season under Guy, and also five Regionals including their last three. And this could be just the start on that next championship – the team has just three seniors, but six sophomores including two who start and Davis, a big contributor off the bench.
STEVENSVILLE LAKESHORE
Record/rank: 23-2, No. 7
League finish: First in Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference
Coach: Sean Schroeder, 10th season (164-70)
Championship history: Has never appeared in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 44-35 over Sturgis (Regional Semifinal), 65-55 over No. 10 Otsego (Regional Final), 58-48 over honorable mention Grand Rapids Christian (Quarterfinal), 69-63 over Class A No. 9 Kalamazoo Central.
Players to watch: Austin Kaiser (sr. G – 10.1 ppg, 36 3-pointers), Loren Johnson (sr. G – 10 ppg, 3.4 apg).
Outlook: Lakeshore has won 16 straight and lost only to Kalamazoo Central and Niles this season. The Lancers won their second Regional title and third District and league titles in six seasons. Balance is key – seven players average between six and 10 points per game, with senior Ryan Avery also among three at 10 ppg.
PHOTO: Lansing Sexton senior guard Anthony Clemmons (right) is back trying to lead the Big Reds to a second-straight Class B championship.
Breslin Bound: 2024-25 Boys Report Week 3
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
December 16, 2024
If you’re looking to spend some free times during holiday break watching high school boys basketball, does the state of Michigan have a show for you.
Beginning Friday and continuing until most schools return to class Jan. 6, there are 58 boys hoops events over 13 dates featuring teams from all over both peninsulas playing hundreds of games to keep you in game shape until we get back into the regular routine next month.
We highlight just a few of those matchups below; find the rest on the Scores page of this website. “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 Lansing 69, Warren Lincoln 54 East Lansing (4-0) has championship aspirations in Division 1, and handing the reigning Division 2 champion Abes (3-1) their first loss at the Moneyball Tip Off Classic was a strong early statement.
2. Belleville 47, North Farmington 45 The Tigers (3-1) also impressed, downing the reigning Division 1 runner-up Raiders (3-2) at the Northville Showcase.
3. Grand Haven 78, Grand Rapids Christian 61 Grand Haven (3-1) is bouncing back nicely from last year’s 11-12 finish, including with this win over last season’s Division 2 runner-up Eagles (3-1) at The Invite at Calvin University.
4. Saginaw United 58, Freeland 49 After opening with a pair of losses, United (2-2) earned its first victory in program history over a Freeland team that won 20 last season.
5. Birmingham Groves 82, Wayne Memorial 78 The Falcons (5-0) already are gaining quickly on last season’s 13 wins, with this one at the KLAA/OAA Challenge arguably the most impressive so far.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Dearborn (5-0) The Pioneers are a combined 64-17 over the last three seasons plus the start of this one and finished 23-1 a season ago. They handed Grand Haven (see above) their only loss this winter, 60-59 on Dec. 6, and last week outlasted Chelsea for a 70-67 triple-overtime victory. Wayne Memorial on Thursday to kick off the Kensington Lakes Activities Association East schedule should tell us more; Wayne was third in the league last winter.
Rockford (4-0) The Rams also are off to quite a start, with Saturday’s 57-49 win over Grand Rapids Northview at The Invite their only single-digit win during these first few weeks. Rockford was 18-5 a season ago, winning the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red but losing its District opener. This impressive start should make that quick end a distant memory – Northview won 18 games last winter – and the Rams also closed the first week with a 27-pointer over Grand Rapids Catholic Central, a 20-win team in 2023-24.
DIVISION 2
Hudsonville Unity Christian (5-0) Back-to-back overtime victories on back-to-back days has Unity still undefeated, as the Crusaders downed Grand Rapids South Christian 62-56 on Friday and came back Saturday with a 53-49 win over Grand Rapids Catholic Central at Calvin. Unity is seeking to build on last season’s 18-5 run and has to be excited already – two of those 2023-24 losses, including the season-ender in a District opener, came to South Christian.
South Haven (5-0) The Rams have busted through the gates winning their first five games by an average of 19.6 points. The most notable victory had to be 70-56 over Watervliet on Dec. 6, as Watervliet swept South Haven last season and they finished first and second, respectively, in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Lakeshore. Up next is Kalamazoo Christian on Tuesday and another chance to avenge a 2023-24 defeat, as the Rams fell by nine to the Comets a year ago.
DIVISION 3
Harbor Springs (5-0) A pair of close wins last week has these Rams also undefeated, as Harbor Springs came off three big victories during the first two weeks to edge Boyne City 59-53 and Charlevoix 50-47. The latter was especially notable, as the Rams split with the Rayders last season as they tied for second in the former Lake Michigan Conference. They’ve both moved to the Northern Shores Conference this season, as has last season’s LMC champion Elk Rapids.
Springport (5-0) The Spartans quickly have pushed to the top of the Big 8 Conference standings as the only team undefeated in league play after three games. They edged new league member Stockbridge 49-47 on Friday after earlier in the week getting past Union City 58-53; Springport and Union City split last season. Last week’s win is Union City’s only loss this winter, and the Spartans also have handed Hillsdale its only defeat.
DIVISION 4
Burr Oak (4-0) The Bobcats have created some momentum early, most notably with Thursday’s 63-45 win over Colon after falling to the Magi by five and 10 points last season. All four of Burr Oak’s wins have come by at least 15 points as they look to build on last winter’s jump that saw the Bobcats finish 14-10 after going 8-14 in 2022-23. Coming up this Thursday is Bellevue, which defeated Burr Oak by 24 and 17 points during 2023-24.
Peterburg Summerfield (6-0) There are only six 6-0 teams in the state so far, and Summerfield has been on an absolute tear winning its games by 34 points on average. Among those victories in a 67-54 turn back of Erie Mason after those two split last season on the way to Summerfield finishing 19-5 overall. Circle Jan. 17, when the Bulldogs meet Adrian Lenawee Christian for the first time after losing three times to the Cougars last winter.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – Birmingham Groves (5-0) at North Farmington (3-2) – Although both play major showcase games over break, this could be part of deciding the Oakland Activities Association Red title in a few months.
Saturday – Detroit U-D Jesuit (4-0) at Clarkston (4-0) – The host Wolves play one of the premier games with this 1:45 p.m. tip at the D Zone Invitational.
Saturday – East Lansing (4-0) vs. Muskegon (2-0) at Clarkston – This is the 7 p.m. game at the D Zone Invitational and features another pair of Division 1 contenders.
Saturday – Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (2-1) vs. Rockford (4-0) at Clarkston – This D Zone Invitational finale tips off at 8:45 p.m. and showcases two more of the best in Division 1 including the reigning champion Eaglets.
Jan. 4 – Wyoming Tri-unity Christian (3-1) vs. Adrian Lenawee Christian (5-0) at Schoolcraft – These appear to be two of the best in Division 4 again, and they’ll match up in the Schoolcraft Champions Classic; Tri-unity is the reigning D4 champion and Lenawee a 20-game winner a year ago.
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) Mason’s Cason Carswell (5) considers his options during a 65-63 win over Haslett on Friday, as the Vikings’ Wardrell Wicker (5) and Rishon Karikalan (21) defend. (Middle) Flint Powers Catholic’s Jesse Cull (13) gets up a shot during his team’s 69-59 win over Flushing on Tuesday. (Mason/Haslett photo by John Johnson. Powers/Flushing photo by Terry Lyons.)