Breslin Bound: 2024-25 Boys Report Post-Break
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 7, 2025
Believe it or not: Boys basketball season is only seven weeks away from the start of District play.
Things have heated up quickly coming out of a busy holiday break for several championship hopefuls. League play will take over from here on out for most, but this weekend also will include another big showcase in East Kentwood featuring two more massive matchups of Division 1 contenders.
Today’s “Breslin Bound” catches us up after three weeks away and is powered by MI Student Aid 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. Muskegon 69, East Lansing 65 (OT) The Big Reds (6-0) opened a 4-0 run through the break at the D Zone Invitational with this matchup of Division 1 contenders – and by dealing East Lansing (7-1) its only loss.
2. Detroit Martin Luther King 48, Kalamazoo Central 38 The Crusaders (8-1) also put together a 4-0 run through the break, finishing it with this win over the previously-undefeated Maroons (6-1) at the Muskegon Basketball Showcase.
3. Byron Center 65, Warren Lincoln 63 Byron Center (7-2) is riding a six-game winning streak thanks in part to emerging from this close call against the reigning Division 2 champion Abes (3-3).
4. Flint Powers Catholic 69, Riverview Gabriel Richard 66 These two both finished last season at the Breslin Center in Semifinals and gave each other a great test at the D Zone Showcase.
5. Grand Rapids Catholic Central 54, Grand Rapids Christian 43 The Cougars (5-3) bounced back from a loss to Byron Center to take a strong first step in the Ottawa-Kent Conference White with this victory over the 2024 Division 2 runner-up Eagles (4-4).
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice (9-1) The Warriors trail the Catholic High School League Central leaders by a game with their lone loss to Detroit U-D Jesuit a month ago. But they are coming off a holiday break that included wins over East Kentwood, Warren Lincoln, Flint New Standard Academy and Jackson and should surge into the remainder of the league schedule which picks back up Friday at Detroit Catholic Central. Circle that one and matchups Saturday against Muskegon and Jan. 24 at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s as ones to watch over the next few weeks.
Hudsonville (6-1) Nearly half this team’s roster made a quick turnaround from playing for the Division 1 football championship at Ford Field to hitting the basketball floor running, and did so successfully. The lone defeat was by a point in overtime to Grand Rapids Christian on Dec. 10, but Hudsonville pulled out a notable five-point win over Hudsonville Unity Christian – Unity’s only loss so far. The Eagles also downed Detroit Catholic Central by 13 at their showcase event in mid-December and posted impressive double-digit victories against Whitehall in the season opener and Holland West Ottawa last week to kick off the O-K Red schedule.
DIVISION 2
Flint Powers Catholic (8-0) As noted above, the Chargers reached the Division 2 Semifinals last season and have continued to accelerate to start this winter. Their best two wins, arguably, have come in their last two games as they edged Gabriel Richard and then downed Schoolcraft 68-60 at its Champions Classic on Saturday. Six of their first eight opponents remain .500 or better, and it’s already easy to circle a Feb. 18 game at currently-undefeated Flint Carman-Ainsworth that could not only decide the Saginaw Valley League championship but indicate Powers’ potential to power through another deep postseason run.
Kingsford (7-1) Although the Flivvers stumbled just a bit with their first loss of the season last week against Marquette, 58-53, they came into that game off a 10-day break and came back to defeat Crystal Falls Forest Park by 17 on Monday. Kingsford finished off their 2024 slate with a championship at the Elk Rapids Invitational, defeating the host Elks by 27 and then Jackson by 20 to clinch the title. Three more wins this season have come against opponents that have at least six victories. The Flivvers reached the Regional Finals last season (where, coincidentally, they fell by four to Flint Powers).
DIVISION 3
Jackson Lumen Christi (8-0) Lumen Christi is another team coming off a trip to the Quarterfinals and also an eight-win jump from 2022-23. They’ve started out the right way to continue the climb, with all of their wins this season by double digits including a 73-36 victory over Clarkston Everest Collegiate on Saturday that was the Mountaineers’ first defeat. The Titans shared the CHSL AA title last year with Riverview Gabriel Richard before falling to RGR in the CHSL Cardinal championship game and MHSAA Tournament, and those two will face off for the first time this season Jan. 21.
Maple City Glen Lake (5-1) The Lakers finished second in the Northwest Conference last season but reached the Division 4 Quarterfinals, and they’ve impressed this winter already despite facing five opponents playing better than .500 ball and a sixth that’s just a smidge below. Wins over Harbor Springs 71-63 and Charlevoix 68-62 avenged 2023-24 defeats, and they’ll get a chance to do the same for last year’s Quarterfinal loss to Mount Pleasant Sacred when they face the Irish next week. The Lakers did fall to Frankfort, 49-42, and will attempt to reset the top of the Northwest Conference standings when they see the Panthers again Jan. 30.
DIVISION 4
Crystal Falls Forest Park (7-1) Monday’s loss to the Division 2 Flivvers came after a perfect December for the Trojans as they look to build off last season’s 22 wins and trip to the Quarterfinals. A 62-56 win over Munising avenged a 2023-24 loss, and the Trojans defeated Norway last week after splitting with the Knights last season. Forest Park also handed Dollar Bay its only loss, 67-49 on Dec. 30 at Michigan Tech, and perhaps their most impressive win came 44-41 over Division 3 Menominee. They’ll get a similar opportunity again Division 2 Escanaba on Thursday and finish the regular-season at Division 1 Marquette.
Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (8-0) The Irish played as long as they could last winter, finishing Division 4 runners-up, and they are thriving again with all eight wins by double digits and six by at least 30 points. Sacred Heart opened with a 63-53 win over Fulton, which finished second to the Irish in the Mid-State Activities Conference a year ago, and the Irish lead the league again thanks as well to a 69-37 win over second-place Vestaburg. Games next week against Glen Lake and Jan. 25 at Lumen Christi could tell even more about Sacred Heart’s potential to march again.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Wednesday – Flint Carman-Ainsworth (7-0) at River Rouge (7-2) – Rouge’s schedule is loaded again playing as an independent, and coming off two-straight two-point losses the Panthers next will welcome the SVL leader.
Friday – Michigan Center (8-1) at Grass Lake (7-0) – Grass Lake is finding itself in a league title mix for the first time in half a decade in the Cascades Conference East, and reigning co-champion Michigan Center shares first place again.
Friday – Detroit Old Redford (6-0) at Romulus Summit Academy North (7-1) – Reigning Division 3 runner-up Old Redford somewhat kicked off that Breslin run last season with a 52-51 win over Summit in the Charter School Conference Tournament final.
Saturday – Muskegon (6-0) vs. Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice (9-1) at East Kentwood – Less than 24 hours after playing Byron Center in a game that could have massive league title implications, the Big Reds will tip off at the Gottagetit Hoop Classic against another statewide Division 1 power.
Saturday – Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (6-3) vs. East Lansing (7-1) at East Kentwood – Two more Division 1 contenders will finish off the Gottagetit event with a highly-anticipated 7 p.m. matchup.
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) River Rouge's Roland Berry III (21) drives to the basket against Birmingham Groves on Dec. 30. (Middle) Kingsford's Gavin Grondin (20) makes a move toward the basket while being defended by Marquette's Jacob MacPhee on Friday. (Top photo by Team Arreguin Photos; middle photo by Cara Kamps.)
Detroit 'Longtime' Boys Coaches Down to Few
By
Tom Markowski
Special for Second Half
December 14, 2016
Gary Fralick considers himself one of the fortunate ones.
Fralick, 66, is in his 32nd season as a head boys basketball coach. He retired from his teaching position in 2013. He started coaching at Redford Thurston in 1979, went to Royal Oak Kimball in 1984 and is in 23rd season as the head coach at Troy.
Fralick might be lucky, but he is unquestionably rare. Fralick is believed to be one of three coaches in the Macomb/Oakland/Wayne area who has coached for more than 30 seasons.
There’s Dan Fife at Clarkston and Kevin Voss of Clinton Township Chippewa Valley, both of whom in their 35th seasons, all at the same school.
Another, Greg Esler at Warren DeLaSalle, is in his 30th season. He was the head coach at St. Clair Shores Lake Shore for seven seasons before going to DeLaSalle in 1994.
“We’re part of a dying breed,” Voss said.
It certainly appears so. Coaching longevity has taken on a different meaning recently. Twenty seems like a lot in these times, and in reality it is a long time. Twenty years or so ago, 20 years was normal. There’s a new normal, and 20 or 25 years isn’t it.
Many factors have contributed to this change. A person’s personal and family life often don’t coincide with the demands of coaching basketball. The responsibilities that come with coaching have increased. Some coaches say that to be an effective coach, it can be a 10- or 11-month job.
Two factors are at the forefront, and they are both financial. Coaches used to be educators as well as coaches. Yes, coaching can be viewed as teaching on the court, but at one time teaching in a classroom and coaching used to go hand in hand.
Then there’s the subsidy coaches receive. It varies from school district to school district. Some make $4,000 a season, others can make $7,000. And it also costs money to run a program; unless the coach receives financial help from a booster club or parents, the money he or she receives begins to dwindle.
But the most important factor is time.
“A tremendous amount of time is devoted to watching DVD or tapes,” Fralick said. “I know I’m dating myself with saying that. The point is, you’re watching a lot. There’s more scouting. And you don’t get paid much. Why don’t they stay as long as they used to? They get burned out. They want to spend more time with their families.
“You don’t see as many of the young coaches stay. Coaches don’t have the ambition to coach a long time. It’s not a profitable job. I don’t know what other coaches make. We used to compare what we made. Not anymore.
“Thirty years or more? I don’t see it happening. There’s the dual job thing. Things have changed. To me, it’s been a great job.”
To compensate for being away from home, Fralick brought his family with him. Sort of. He coached his son Gary, Jr., and Tim. Gary, a 1996 Troy graduate, played for his father his junior and senior seasons and Tim, a 1999 graduate, played four seasons on varsity. Fralick said he was even more fortunate to coach both on the same team (during the 1995-96 season).
Then there’s his wife, Sharon, who remains the scorekeeper.
“I’ve always had a passion for coaching and teaching,” Fralick said. “I love the game of basketball. I love the kids. There’s never a dull moment. It’s been a great ride.”
Vito Jordan has been around basketball all of his life. His father, Venias Jordan, was the boys head varsity coach at Detroit Mackenzie and Detroit Mumford before stepping down as a head coach only to return to the bench assisting his son the last six seasons.
Vito Jordan, 31, became a head coach at Detroit Osborn when he was 24. He started his coaching career the year before as an assistant to Henry Washington at Macomb College. Jordan went to Detroit Community after one season at Osborn and guided Community to its only MHSAA Finals appearance (Class B, 2013). He’s now in his fourth season as the head coach at Detroit Renaissance.
“I followed my father all of my life,” Jordan said. “I knew what I wanted to do when I was in college (Alma College). This is what I want to do the rest of my life.”
It’s different in Detroit. Schools close. Job titles change. Jordan, for instance, teaches at the Academy of Warren, a middle school in Detroit. It’s a charter school, not within the Detroit Public School system, therefore he receives his pay from two separate school systems (Renaissance is in the DPS).
There is a distinction. In some school systems coaches will receive a percentage – let’s say for argument sake, 10 percent – of their teaching salary to coach. Let’s say a person makes $60,000 a year to teach. He or she would then receive $6,000 to coach. If you coach two sports, that’s $12,000.
Jordan is not privy to such a contract. Each job is separate. Jordan loves to coach, and he understands he must be a teacher to earn a decent living, and he’s content to continue on the path he is following. But he also knows that to make a good salary just coaching one must move on to the collegiate level like others have done.
“When there were coaches like my dad, Perry Watson (Detroit Southwestern), Johnny Goston (Detroit Pershing) and others, they all worked in the (Detroit Public) school system. Everyone was teaching. That was your career. None of them had aspirations of being a college coach. Not even Watson. Now everyone isn’t in the teaching profession. Maybe they do have a degree and maybe they don’t. The point is, most aren’t teachers. I can count on one hand those (in Detroit) who have their teaching certificate and coach.”
Jordan noted such successful PSL coaches like Derrick McDowell, Steve Hall and Robert Murphy who left high school to pursue a coaching career in college. Murphy guided Detroit Crockett to the Class B title in 2001 and is now the head coach at Eastern Michigan. McDowell has had two stints as a collegiate assistant coach, most recently at EMU. He’s since returned to coach at Detroit Western. Hall coached Detroit Rogers to three consecutive Class D titles (2003-05) before going to Duquesne University and Youngstown State as an assistant coach. Hall returned to Detroit last season and is in his second season as head coach at Detroit Cass Tech.
Jordan said they left high school to challenge themselves professionally, among other considerations. Voss said there are variables that influence how long a person lasts, in one school district or in coaching in general, that didn’t exist 20 years ago.
“Athletics have become pervasive in high school,” he said. “The whole booster situation you find in college is here. You can be winning but not winning enough. It’s a trickle down affect.
“Coaches complain about parents. Parents complain about playing time. High school sports is not as pure as it once was. Winning is way more important now. Now a coach comes in with a three-year window. You can have one or two down years, and the third you’d better win.
“Then there’s the pressure on your family. I’ve been lucky. My wife and I have had the players over for team dinners. We create a family atmosphere. It’s a change of society. I don’t envy the young coaches coming in.”
Community involvement has always been a priority for Voss. To keep a hand on the pulse, Voss heads the elementary basketball program within the Chippewa Valley school district. Games are held on Saturdays, and approximately 750 students take part.
“You have to have the right fit,” he said. “I’m in the right spot. You coach for different reasons when you get older. I’m enjoying the game. There’s a different level of satisfaction.”
Tom Markowski is a columnist and directs website coverage for the State Champs! Sports Network. He previously covered primarily high school sports for the The Detroit News from 1984-2014, focusing on the Detroit area and contributing to statewide coverage of football and basketball. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Troy boys basketball coach Gary Fralick, left, is in his 32nd season coaching. (Middle) Detroit Renaissance boys coach Vito Jordan is following in the coaching footsteps of his father, Venias. (Below) Chippewa Valley boys coach Kevin Voss, left, is in his 35th season at his school. (Top and below photos courtesy of C&G Newspapers; middle photo courtesy of Detroit Public School League.)