Breslin Bound: 2022-23 Boys Report Week 10
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 13, 2023
From strictly an anecdotal point of view, it’s appeared Michigan’s best boys basketball teams have matched up more this regular season than most in recent memory.
No doubt, expanding the schedule to 22 games has helped provide a few more opportunities. And it seems like every Saturday over the last 10 weeks has included one or more showcase events where several of the elite have faced off – which makes the nine undefeated teams we have left all the more impressive.
Detroit Cass Tech stands alone among the undefeated in Division 1, while Hart, Olivet and Standish-Sterling are without a loss in Division 2. Laingsburg and Napoleon are undefeated in Division 3, and Mio, Painesdale Jeffers and Taylor Trillium are at 1.000 winning percentages in Division 4. Another 24 teams have only one loss this season, and 20 have only two defeats – and we highlight a number of these teams below.
“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. Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice 73, Detroit U-D Jesuit 62 The Warriors (16-1) completed an outright championship run through the Detroit Catholic League Central, leaving the Cubs (15-3) in second place, and after finishing second to Jesuit last season.
2. Ferndale 82, Port Huron Northern 65 The Division 2 Eagles (9-6) are up to eight wins over their last nine games, this one over another Division 1 contender in PHN (16-2).
3. Munising 54, Powers North Central 49 The Upper Peninsula has four of the top nine teams in Division 4 MPR, and Munising (16-1) sits No. 9 but has another argument to be regarded higher after defeating No. 4 North Central (11-3).
4. Davison 94, Flint Hamady 90 (5OT) The finale of Davison’s Cardinal Classic was classic and memorable finishing in just under two hours and 10 minutes as the Cardinals (13-5) edged the Hawks (15-3).
5. Pittsford 71, Hillsdale Academy 66 (3OT) The Wildcats (12-3) avenged a 12-point loss to Hillsdale Academy (11-4) from Jan. 12 as the top teams in the Southern Central Athletic Association East met for the rematch.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Ann Arbor Huron (16-1) A loss to Saline on Jan. 31 is the only misstep during an otherwise perfect run. Huron can clinch a share of the Southeastern Conference Red championship Tuesday against Monroe, which will go well with showcase victories over Port Huron Northern (16-2) and Benton Harbor (13-4) over the last three weeks. The River Rats also are coming off a 57-41 win over Ypsilanti Lincoln – which defeated Huron in its District opener last season after Huron had finished Division 1 runner-up in 2020-21.
Grosse Pointe South (15-3) The Blue Devils have gone from 11-11 overall and nearly worst to first in the Macomb Area Conference Red, having tied for fourth last season but clinching a perfect run to the league title with last week’s win over Macomb Dakota. This potential showed during two losses to start the season as they fell by only three to Detroit Loyola (17-1) and six to Ferndale, and the third loss was by just seven to River Rouge (12-5). South meanwhile has downed West Bloomfield (12-3), Saline (12-5), Birmingham Groves (11-5) and Roseville (11-6) twice.
DIVISION 2
Warren Lincoln (15-3) The Abes have built on last season’s 19-3 momentum with another league championship, this one in the MAC Gold, and Saturday’s 74-63 win over host Benton Harbor at the Wilson Chandler Shootout was the team’s ninth-straight win. Lincoln has done it against a stacked schedule, falling only to Brother Rice, Warren Fitzgerald and Muskegon (15-1) while defeating North Farmington (15-1), Detroit Martin Luther King and Grand Rapids Northview (13-4) and sweeping Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse (13-4) and Warren Woods Tower (13-5).
Warren Michigan Collegiate (14-2) A two-point double-overtime loss to Grand Rapids Christian on Feb. 4 broke a 12-game winning streak, but the only other defeat came to reigning Division 1 champion Warren De La Salle Collegiate as the Cougars have mostly dominated. A 45-44 victory over Orchard Lake St. Mary’s and 63-56 win over Detroit Edison are among the most notable work, with the latter earning Michigan Collegiate the Charter School Conference East championship.
DIVISION 3
Grandville Calvin Christian (15-1) The Squires have followed up last season’s 19-4 finish in part with a 14-game winning streak, their lone loss to Hudsonville Unity Christian on Dec. 9. The two months of undefeated play have included eight wins over teams with double-digit victories, including 62-54 over Hopkins and 60-54 over Wyoming Godwin Heights last week as Calvin Christian finished regular-season sweeps of those opponents. The Squires lead Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian by two games in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Silver with four to play – and they meet Feb. 24 after Calvin won the first round 83-66 on Jan. 27.
Ovid-Elsie (14-2) The Marauders are a combined 30-6 over the last two seasons as they play for a second-straight Mid-Michigan Activities Conference championship. Chesaning (15-3) has become a solid rival – those two have decided the last three league titles – and they’re tied for first with their rematch Friday deciding a share of the MMAC crown. Ovid-Elsie won the first meeting 55-51 in overtime Jan. 16, but had an early loss to Durand (14-3) – which it avenged 49-47 on Friday. Ovid-Elsie’s only other defeat came to undefeated Laingsburg (16-0) – a possible District opponent.
DIVISION 4
Bellevue (14-1) Going over 20 wins with a league championship has become the norm for the Broncos, and they’re working on a possible eighth-straight conference title this winter with their only loss nonleague to Bronson on Dec. 28. They’ve otherwise been perfect and mostly unchallenged, with only one single-digit win. The defensive work has been especially impressive; Bellevue has held three straight opponents (including Pittsford, see above) to under 20 points, and only three opponents all winter have scored more than 32.
Ironwood (13-3) The Red Devils followed two straight sub-.500 finishes with a 12-10 run last season, and they’ve raised their play a few more levels – especially over the last three weeks as they’ve won seven straight beginning with a 54-51 overtime victory over Watersmeet. Ironwood and Watersmeet are the main contenders in the Copper Mountain Conference Porcupine Mountain title race, and they meet again Feb. 16. A pair of strong in-state losses – to undefeated Painesdale Jeffers (16-0) and Houghton (12-3) – also are part of the resume.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Monday – Hillman (14-1) at Mio (14-0) – The leaders of the North Star League’s divisions meet in advance of a possible rematch at their Division 4 District.
Wednesday – Pewamo-Westphalia (12-3) at Laingsburg (16-0) – There are still tough games to win in the Central Michigan Athletic Conference, but getting two clear of the second-place Pirates would go a long way for the league-leading Wolfpack.
Thursday – Richmond (15-1) at Croswell-Lexington (13-3) – The Blue Devils are threatening Croswell-Lexington’s three-year hold on the Blue Water Area Conference title, having won their first matchup 53-44 on Jan. 19 to take the league lead.
Friday – Benton Harbor (13-4) at Niles Brandywine (14-1) – The Tigers’ 73-54 win over Brandywine on Jan. 13 is the difference at the top of the Lakeland Conference standings, and Benton Harbor can clinch a share of the title by finishing a regular-season sweep.
Saturday – Muskegon (15-1) at Grand Blanc (15-2) – The cross-state tilts among contenders are winding down for the regular season, and this will be one of the last but also could be one of the best.
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PHOTOS (Top) Fowler and Bath tip off Friday in a game Bath would eventually win 75-66 in overtime. (Middle) Jakobie Boose (4) elevates for a jumper as Flint Hamady and Davison closed the Cardinal Classic with a five-overtime matchup won by the Cardinals 94-90. (Below) Negaunee's Gavin Saunders (23) is defended by Ishpeming's Griffin Argall (24) during the Miners' 63-42 win. (Photos by John Johnson, Terry Lyons and Cara Kamps, respectively.)
Muskegon's Martin 'Back and Better Than Ever,' Ready to Make Up for Lost Time
By
Tom Kendra
Special for MHSAA.com
December 4, 2025
If toughness is a key criteria, then Muskegon senior James Martin might have a leg up on the rest of the Mr. Basketball Award field.
Martin, a 6-foot-4 guard/forward who has committed to the University of Detroit Mercy, returns as the spark for a young, but deep, Muskegon team after missing the final 13 games last season with a broken left arm.
“I think he is back and better than ever,” said 14th-year Muskegon coach Keith Guy, who coached back-to-back Mr. Basketball winners in Deshaun Thrower (2014) and Deyonta Davis (2015).
“A lot of people kind of forgot about James because he’s been out. He is so tough and so versatile. He does whatever we need him to do.”
Martin hasn’t played for the Big Reds since Jan. 17, when he crashed to the floor during the first minute of their rivalry game at Muskegon Mona Shores and landed awkwardly on his left arm, resulting in two broken bones.
While the entire packed gym grimaced at the somewhat grotesque injury, Martin actually tried to keep going – briefly.
“I got up and was trying to put the bone back and fix my arm, running up the court,” the soft-spoken Martin recalled. “But then I started getting dizzy and went down.”
Martin had surgery the next morning in hopes of possibly being able to return last season, but the injury was too severe. The injury took its toll on Martin physically (he now has two plates and 14 screws in his arm), but even more so mentally and emotionally.
“At first, it was hard for me to even be around basketball because I wanted to be playing so bad,” Martin explained. “But the thing is, I’ve never really sat on the bench during games, so I felt like I learned a lot when I was out, just watching from a different perspective.”
Muskegon recovered from the loss of its star player and put together 10 straight wins at the end of last season before losing to Rockford in a Division 1 District Final on a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
The Big Reds won 20 games last season for the 11th time in Guy’s 13 seasons as head coach, which has been highlighted by two championship game appearances – a 91-67 win over Bloomfield Hills in Class A in 2014 to complete a perfect 28-0 season and a 78-63 loss to Detroit Cass Tech in Division 1 in 2023.
This year’s team has hopes of getting back to the Breslin, led by the multi-talented Martin and a young, but extremely talented, supporting cast.
“James can honestly play anywhere from the 1 to the 5 at the high school level,” said Guy, noting that Martin was shooting 40 percent from the 3-point line last year before his injury. “He is a four-year varsity player who has the toughness and the work ethic that the rest of his teammates respect.”
Martin actually received three Division I college offers (Central Michigan, Bowling Green and Western Michigan) during the summer following his freshman year, when he averaged just five points and two rebounds per game in a support role.
His production increased to nine points, five rebounds and two assists per game his sophomore year, and he was off to a fast start last year as a junior, averaging 16 points, seven rebounds and three assists through 10 games.
Now, he is determined to make the most of his return to the court for his senior year.
“My role this year is to attack the basket hard and get downhill as much as I can,” Martin said. “If people collapse on me, I can either draw a foul or kick it back out to my teammates.”
Among those waiting on the wings will be underclassmen marksmen Tyson Worthington, a 6-3 junior, and AJ Lambers, a 6-1 freshman, along with senior leaders Arquez Petty and Ehman Guster.
Guy said one of the strengths of this team entering the season is its long-range shooting.
“Having those guys out on the arc who can knock it down really spaces the floor and allows James and our other athletes to get to the basket,” said Guy, who is assisted on the varsity level by Josh Wall, Thrower and Takarri Churchwell. “I would say our depth and our shooting are big strengths going into this season.”
The Big Reds also have good size along the front line with senior Ky’ren Noble (6-5), juniors Ethan Matthews (6-6) and Jayvon Burmeister (6-4) and sophomore William Whyms (6-5).
Muskegon fans will have to wait until Dec. 12 to see their team play, as the Big Reds open at home against Upper Peninsula power Marquette before playing three holiday tournament games against Grand Ledge, Detroit University Prep and Ferndale. The Big Reds have won four consecutive Ottawa-Kent Conference Green championships and 11 league titles over the past 12 years.
Guy anticipates an exciting winter at Muskegon’s historic Redmond-Potter Gymnasium with Martin and also a legitimate Miss Basketball Award candidate in Mariah Sain, who coincidentally also missed more than half of last season with an injury.
“I love this group, and we are ready to get going,” said Guy, who stopped scheduling games for the first week of the regular season after Muskegon’s football team made the championship game in seven of eight years from 2012 to 2019.
“When James got injured last year, I looked down and every single kid on the bench was crying. Believe me, this is a big deal to these guys, and they are thankful every day to come into the gym and play the game of basketball.”
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 [email protected] with story ideas for Muskegon, Oceana, Mason, Lake, Oceola, Mecosta and Newaygo counties.
PHOTOS (Top) James Martin (1) puts up a shot from the top of the key during Muskegon’s matchup with Lansing Everett last season. (Middle) The 6-foot-4 Martin is returning this winter after missing more than half of last season with an injury. (Photos by Tim Reilly.)