Breslin Bound: 2025-26 Boys Report Post-Break
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 5, 2026
Holiday break is showcase season for several basketball teams all over the state, and there’s plenty to catch up on as "Breslin Bound” returns for the start of calendar year 2026.
While championship hopefuls will continue to play in special events (mostly on Saturdays) over the next many weeks as well, there were 58 tournaments and one-or-several-day showcases over the last two weeks featuring Michigan boys hoops teams.
“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. Rockford 81, Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice 78 (2 OT) The Rams won a classic at the D Zone Showcase and remain undefeated at 8-0 while the loss was the second over three games for Brother Rice (7-3).
2. Auburn Hills Avondale 50, Grand Blanc 49 In another D Zone Showcase nail-biter, Avondale (8-1) bounced back from losing to Freeland two days before to hand Grand Blanc (8-1) its only defeat this season.
3. Grand Haven 77, Freeland 74 (OT) Grand Haven (8-1) handed Freeland (7-1) its lone defeat, during the Cornerstone University Holiday Showcase.
4. Clinton Township Chippewa Valley 69, Detroit Cass Tech 67 Chippewa Valley (7-1) has been consistently successful over several seasons, but defeating Cass Tech (5-3) at the D Zone Showcase certainly earned additional attention.
5. East Lansing 62, Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice 41 The reigning Division 1 champion Trojans (8-0) have had a few close calls this winter but impressed against one of their most highly-regarded foes.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Grand Blanc (8-1) The Bobcats have won at least a District title every season this decade, and appear on the right track for another run with their only loss by a point to Avondale (see above). Grand Blanc also has navigated a one-point overtime victory over Hamtramck and three-point win over Saginaw United, and perhaps most impressively downed Clarkston 54-47 at its home Charlie Carmody Classic to begin this month. Friday’s game at Grand Haven (8-1) will be another that could shake up rankings.
Ypsilanti Lincoln (8-1) The Railsplitters have continued to roll after finishing last season 16-10 but with six wins over their last seven games including a District title clincher. After finishing fourth in the Southeastern Conference Red last winter, Lincoln is the early leader in the SEC White. Its lone loss was during the first week of December to Wayne Memorial, and the Railsplitters have four wins by one or two points.
DIVISION 2
Benton Harbor (10-0) The Tigers are among five teams statewide that have reached double-digit wins, with six of those first 10 coming during showcase games including by two over Detroit Douglass and three in overtime over Berrien Springs. Benton Harbor has several more matchups of note coming up; circle Jan. 13 at Niles Brandywine, Jan. 17 against Detroit Catholic Central at Westland John Glenn’s Rocket Classic and Feb. 7 against Warren Lincoln at Grand Rapids Community College’s 2K26 Showcase.
Grand Rapids South Christian (7-1) The Sailors are coming off a 20-5 season that included sharing the Ottawa-Kent Conference Gold title and winning their District despite opening 1-3. They’re off to a much faster start this winter, already avenging last-winter losses to Grand Rapids Christian and Grand Rapids Catholic Central – the latter which ended South Christian’s 2024-25 season. The Sailors shared last year’s league title with Grand Rapids Northview and will see the Wildcats for the first time Friday.
DIVISION 3
Beal City (7-0) The Aggies opened the new year with wins over Mason County Central and Vestaburg to win the Reed City Holiday Tournament, and total five of their seven victories have come over teams currently with winning records. Beal City handed Highland Conference rival McBain its only loss and sits tied atop the league standings with LeRoy Pine River, with their first matchup slated for Jan. 20. Beal City finished second in the league to McBain last season and ended their tournament run with a Regional Final loss to the Ramblers.
Menominee (7-1) The Maroons began this season with a defeat against Division 2 contender Freeland at Petoskey’s Sean Pollion Invitational, but haven’t lost again – a substantial bounce-back from last year’s 2-4 start on the way to a 13-12 finish. The difference in part has been wins over Negaunee, Crystal Falls Forest Park and Green Bay West (Wis.) – after losses to those opponents during last winter’s start – and it’s important to note as well that all seven wins this season have come by at least 23 points.
DIVISION 4
Dollar Bay (6-1) Although the Blue Bolts are coming off a loss to Division 1 Marquette last week, a 49-45 overtime win over Forest Park has highlighted this early run and avenged an 18-point loss to the Trojans a year ago. Dollar Bay went on last season to share the Copper Mountain Conference title and win its District, and the Blue Bolts will see the other two co-champions Wakefield-Marenisco and Ewen-Trout Creek this month, as well as Bessemer – which ended Dollar Bay’s 2024-25 season in a Regional Semifinal.
Pickford (7-0) The Panthers just missed out on a trip to Breslin last season, falling to Forest Park by two points in their Quarterfinal while finishing 23-3 overall. They’ve already avenged last year’s regular-season loss to Harbor Springs as they opened this winter with six wins by at least 18 points before handing Harbor Springs Harbor Light Christian its only loss, 59-54 last week. Undefeated Cheboygan on Jan. 17 could present another intriguing challenge.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Wednesday – Fowler (7-0) at Pewamo-Westphalia (5-1) – The only loss between these Central Michigan Athletic Conference rivals this winter was P-W’s by two points to Division 1 Grandville.
Friday – Detroit Loyola (8-0) at Dearborn Divine Child (8-2) – The Catholic High School League AA kicks off its second half with a rematch of a season-opening 62-56 win by league leader Loyola.
Friday – Frankenmuth (7-0) at Freeland (7-1) – These two are both undefeated in early Tri-Valley Conference Red play, with the only loss between them Freeland’s to Grand Haven noted above.
Saturday – Wayne Memorial (4-0) vs. Muskegon (4-0) at East Kentwood – These are two of 10 remaining undefeated Division 1 teams, and they face off at 4:45 p.m. in the Gottagetit Classic.
Saturday – Rockford (8-0) vs. East Lansing (8-0) at East Kentwood – These are two more of the Division 1 unbeatens, and they play in the 8:15 p.m. slot at East Kentwood.
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PHOTOS (Top) Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central senior Rahmaan Kelley Jr. drives to the basket during the third quarter for two of his team-leading 20 points in the Panthers’ 44-35 victory over Saginaw Swan Valley on Dec. 17. (Middle) Harbor Beach guard Benson Harper works his way through the paint toward a second-quarter basket in his team’s Jan. 2 game against Freeland. (Photos by Kolleth Photo.)
With Lee in Lead, Beecher Seizes Day Again with 2nd Title in 3 Seasons
By
Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com
March 25, 2023
EAST LANSING – Robert Lee Jr. didn’t mind shouldering the scoring load in Saturday’s Division 3 Final.
Especially with a championship at stake.
The Flint Beecher senior guard scored a game-high 29 points to lead Flint Beecher past Traverse City St. Francis 64-50 at Breslin Center.
“Before the game I got up some shots at a high school, and usually when I do that I feel good,” Lee Jr. said. “I felt like I had to step up for my team. I did my part, and my teammates did their part. We won it together.”
It was Beecher’s second Finals title in three years and sixth since 2012. The Bucs lost in the Semifinals last year and were eager to return and reclaim the championship.
“Last year I brought my team up here and it was tears of hurt and disappointment, and that's something we talked about not just tonight, but all season long,” Beecher coach Marquise Gray said. “I constantly reminded the guys of that feeling and I think it drove us, and we are fortunate and blessed to come away with a title tonight.”
The 6-foot-2 Lee Jr. scored 18 of his 29 in the second half. He was 12 of 19 from the field and also grabbed 11 rebounds.
“I couldn’t score that many points without my teammates,” said Lee Jr., who also was part of a Division 3 title team as a sophomore. “It feels good … and spring break is going to feel a lot better, and food is going to taste better.”
Beecher (24-4) blitzed St. Francis early and led 8-0 after the first three minutes. The opening run included a pair of layups and an emphatic dunk by Lee Jr.
However, the Gladiators fought back and ended the quarter on a 7-0 run. Senior Wyatt Nausadis drilled a long 3-pointer at the buzzer to give St. Francis a 17-15 lead.
The Gladiators carried the momentum into the second quarter and built a 28-21 lead. But defense helped bring Beecher closer as it scored the last four points of the half and trailed 30-27.
Lee Jr. helped Beecher reclaim the lead (35-32) with back-to-back buckets. He then had a three-point play and mid-range jumper to make it 42-34 – and a steal and layup to push the lead to 10. A 3-pointer from Wasir James in the final minute of the quarter gave Beecher its biggest lead (47-35) of the game.
Lee Jr. then added 13 points in the third quarter as Beecher outscored the Gladiators 20-7.
“Both of my calves started cramping up (at the end of the third quarter),” Lee Jr. said. “I tried to do whatever I could to prevent it, but I had to fight through it. When we got the win, I knew it was going to feel good.”
In the fourth quarter, St. Francis got to within five (47-42), but a Lee Jr. 3-pointer ignited a 7-0 surge that put the game out of reach.
Lee Jr. was the only Beecher player in double figures. Senior Jaylen Townsend had nine points and five rebounds, while senior Kevin Tiggs Jr. had eight points.
The Bucs shot 50 percent (26-52) from the field and recorded nine steals.
“We talked all year about seizing the moment, and tonight I think we did a great job of that,” Gray said. “Our road wasn't easy, but we continued to believe.”
St. Francis (24-4) was seeking its first Finals championship. Its best finish was Class C runner-up in 2012.
“That’s a good team, and we battled well,” Gladiators coach Sean Finnegan said. “We had a good first half and put ourselves in position, but they made a couple runs in the second half and we struggled to finish a little bit at times.
“But I can’t say how proud I am of the boys and the fact that we’re here and had the opportunity we had.”
Nausadis finished with a team-high 20 points, while senior center John Hagelstein added 12 points and seven rebounds. Senior Drew Breimayer had nine points.
PHOTOS (Top) Flint Beecher celebrates its Division 3 championship Saturday at Breslin Center. (Middle) The Bucs’ Keyonta Menifield (2) finds his way to the basket with Drew Breimayer (3) and John Hagelstein (23) defending. (Below) Kevin Tiggs Jr. elevates for a shot as Hagelstein and Joey Donahue (13) look to block it.