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.)
Breslin Bound: Boys District Preview
March 7, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
A total of 11 boys basketball teams head into the MHSAA Tournament today with perfect records.
But there are plenty of others expected to make strong pushes toward a trip to East Lansing in a little more than two weeks.
Below is a look at four teams from each class that look good to be in the hunt. Follow all of the scores and brackets in real time at MHSAA.com, and click for a glance at every team with three or fewer losses heading into the postseason.
Class A
Canton (20-0) – The Chiefs have improved from 15 to 16 to now 20 wins over the last three seasons, and after repeating as Kensington Lakes Activities Association South champions went on to win the league’s overall title with an overtime victory over Walled Lake Western. Canton also put up an incredible 35-point win in early January over Grosse Pointe South, which finished 17-3.
Detroit U-D Jesuit (20-0) – The Cubs might be the favorites after making the Class A Semifinals last season and losing to eventual champion Detroit Western International. Led by Mr. Basketball finalist guard Cassius Winston, U-D Jesuit has beaten an impressive slate including Class C contenders Flint Beecher and Detroit Allen Academy and last week Detroit East English by 16 points.
East Lansing (19-0) – A young Trojans team will have to be careful in a District featuring tough familiar opponents. But led by sophomore Brandon Johns, arguably the best in his class in the state, East Lansing hasn’t had a ton of trouble yet, with only five wins by fewer than 10 points (although that includes two in overtime).
Macomb Dakota (20-0) – The Cougars did go 21-3 before falling in the Regional Final last season, but haven’t been considered this strong of a contender arguably ever. They avenged that postseason loss on Dec. 15 by downing Clarkston by 11, and nonleague wins against Lansing Everett and Saginaw Arthur Hill also provided valuable experience against unfamiliar but solid opponents.
Class B
Lansing Catholic (18-1) – A game against East Lansing last week that would have been telling was canceled because of bad weather, but the Cougars have shown a great combination of post strength and perimeter play while facing most of the rest of the Lansing area’s best. The loss came to rival Williamston by three after Lansing Catholic won the first meeting in overtime by three.
New Haven (18-2) – Unlike last season, New Haven enters the tournament with losses – its first during 2014-15 didn't come until the Quarterfinal. But those defeats this time have come against Class A schools Utica Ford and contender East English (16-4), and the Rockets built their record against a Class A-heavy schedule.
Onsted (19-0) – Mr. Basketball candidate and sizable center Austin Davis gets most of the attention, and with great reason. But he’s also got plenty of help, especially in a veteran backcourt, and it’s paid off in a league with three teams that have won at least 14 games; Hillsdale’s only losses were twice to the Wildcats.
Wyoming Godwin Heights (17-3) – The reigning Class B champion has two more losses heading into the tournament this season than a year ago. But the three defeats came to Class A teams that have won 15, 14 and 19 games, respectively. Tonight’s opponent, Wayland (17-2) provides another tough challenge out of the gate.
Class C
Detroit Allen Academy (18-2) – Allen has taken a big jump from 11-11 last year playing a schedule that hardly resembles the typical for a Class C team. The Wildcats’ best wins were arguably against Class B River Rouge (17-3) by 11, Class A Saginaw Arthur Hill (14-5) by 20 and Class A Detroit Renaissance (16-4) by four.
Flint Beecher (17-2) – The Class C champion three of the last four seasons prepares by facing a number of larger power programs, and this winter was no different; Beecher beat East English by three but also played and lost to reigning Class A champion Detroit Western International and likely Class A favorite Detroit U-D Jesuit.
Kalamazoo Hackett (20-0) – Hackett earns the mention among four undefeated Class C teams because it saw the toughest competition; four of six other teams in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley won at least 10 games, and Kalamazoo Christian’s only losses were twice to the Fighting Irish. All of that said, only Christian once and Schoolcraft twice got within 10 points of Hackett this winter.
Southfield Christian (18-2) – The Eagles are regulars in later rounds of the tournament and fell to Beecher in a Regional Semifinal last season. They’ve again prepped for a long run by facing bigger opponents, with a win over Class A Belleville (16-4) and Southfield and that only loss by a point in overtime in December to Class A West Bloomfield.
Class D
Bellaire (19-1) – Aside from a loss to Class C East Jordan in December, Bellaire has dominated winning a Ski Valley Conference featuring five teams with at least 10 wins including Class C Johannesburg-Lewiston (18-2) and Class D Onaway (16-4). The Eagles won their four games against those two opponents all by double figures.
Frankfort (18-2) – The Panthers have made it to at least the Quarterfinals the last three seasons and the Semifinals in 2014, and there’s little reason not to anticipate a similar run. The losses this winter were in overtime to undefeated Class C contender McBain and also-Class C Traverse City St. Francis, and Frankfort has beaten its share of larger schools too.
Hillman (20-0) – The Tigers have made the Regional Finals three straight seasons and played in a Quarterfinal last year, losing to eventual champion Powers North Central. They opened this winter with a 17-point win against Cedarville and have allowed only one opponent to come closer than 11.
Powers North Central (20-0) – The Jets have won 47 straight games and 72 of their last 73 with junior Jason Whitens again leading a group that includes more teammates from their MHSAA 8-player football champion. North Central handed Crystal Falls Forest Park its only two losses and beat Class B Menominee (16-4); no other opponents came close.
PHOTO: Macomb Dakota defenders surround a Saginaw Arthur Hill player working to get to the hoop during a game earlier this season. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)