Breslin Bound: 2025-26 Boys Report Week 2
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
December 15, 2025
The calendar year may be drawing to a close, and schools soon shutting down for break. But there will be little rest for basketball fans seeking to see several of the state’s title contenders in action over the next three weeks.
Several leagues have either started play or will over the next few days, and this weekend starts full schedule of boys hoops showcases that will see many teams across the state playing at least once over the holidays before the regular-season schedule falls into routine in January.
“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. Arts & Technology Academy of Pontiac 60, Warren Lincoln 59 Last season’s Division 3 runner-up Lions (2-0) earned one of their most impressive wins over the last two winters by edging reigning Division 2 champ Lincoln (2-2) at the Best of Michigan Tournament at Detroit Mercy.
2. East Lansing 41, Detroit Martin Luther King 40 The reigning Division 1 champion Trojans (4-0) answered their closest call of the early season to win one of the most notable matchups at the Moneyball Tip-Off Classic at Don Johnson Fieldhouse.
3. Ishpeming Westwood 59, Kingsford 54 These two both made Semifinals at Breslin Center last season, and Westwood (5-0) came back from 17 points down to avenge a seven-point loss from last year to the Flivvers (3-1).
4. Lansing Sexton 86, Detroit Cass Tech 81 Sexton (2-1) opened this season with a loss at East Lansing but has rebounded to make a statement about its potential to build on last season’s Division 2 Quarterfinal run with this win over the Division 1 Technicians (3-1) at Don Johnson.
5. Grand Rapids Northview 50, Grand Rapids Catholic Central 44 The Wildcats (3-1) returned to The Invite at Calvin University and downed the Cougars (0-2), also Division 2 semifinalist last season.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Auburn Hills Avondale (4-0) Winners of 16 games both of the last two seasons and runners-up in the Oakland Activities Association Red last winter, the Yellow Jackets may have more in store after this solid start including a 69-51 win over West Bloomfield on Thursday. Avondale’s holiday break slate is loaded with notable matchups against Freeland, Grand Blanc, Detroit Mumford and Hamtramck.
Jackson (3-0) The Vikings are off to a solid start as they look to build on last season’s 12-12 finish and tie for second in the Southeastern Conference White. Jackson opened league play Friday with a 60-47 win over Tecumseh, one of the other two teams that also tied for second in the league last season, and will get a first look at reigning champion Adrian on Friday.
DIVISION 2
Ludington (5-0) The Orioles’ fast start has included handing Spring Lake it’s only loss, 55-46 on Dec. 4, and delivering a first defeat to Fremont on Friday, 73-67 in overtime. Ludington lost to Spring Lake twice last season on the way to finishing 16-9, and the Orioles also are the early leaders in the West Michigan Conference Lakes after finishing second to Whitehall last winter.
Romulus Summit Academy (6-0) Last season’s Division 2 runner-up has not slowed down a bit, with a 35-29 win over Warren Fitzgerald on Saturday adding to a 65-59 overtime win over Detroit Edison and 65-54 victory over Detroit U-D Jesuit among notables during a busy but successful opening two weeks. Friday’s home game against Arts & Technology Academy of Pontiac could end up deciding the Charter School Conference Gold title.
DIVISION 3
Gobles (4-0) The Tigers have improved from four, to nine, to 12 wins over the last three seasons and could add to that climb after four double-digit victories to open this one. The team’s fast start included last week a 55-45 win over Bloomingdale – avenging a last season loss – and a 50-36 victory over Delton Kellogg, with which Gobles split Southwestern Athletic Conference Central meetings last winter.
Onsted (4-0) The Wildcats have won at least 18 games every season this decade and finished 21-2 in sharing the Lenawee County Athletic Association title with Adrian Madison last winter. Onsted split with Madison last season and won their first meeting again this time, 45-38 on Friday, with the rematch Jan. 29. Also worth noting: Onsted is in Division 3 this season after previously playing in Division 2 and Class B before that.
DIVISION 4
Concord (5-0) A 53-51 win over Bronson on Friday kept Concord perfect to start this season, with that also their first single-digit game of this winter. The Yellow Jackets finished the last one 17-10 and tied for second in the Big 8 Conference, and the Bronson win also avenged a December loss from a year ago – as did the 67-57 victory over Battle Creek St. Philip on Dec. 5. Concord will see reigning league champion Stockbridge for the first time Jan. 8.
Traverse City Christian (5-0) The Sabres finished 23-3 last winter, when they also started 5-0 before running into Lake Leelanau St. Mary. Those two faced off Friday, and this time TC Christian handed St. Mary its first loss, 55-36. Onekama and Bellaire were the other teams to defeat the Sabres last season, and neither is on the regular-season schedule this time – but matchups against Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart on Jan. 19, Traverse City St. Francis on Feb. 6 and Lake Leelanau St. Mary again Feb. 10 should be circled.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Dec. 18 – Detroit Cass Tech at Detroit Martin Luther King (1-2) – They finished a combined 40-10 last winter, splitting their regular-season meetings. With Cass Tech defeating reigning champ Detroit Renaissance on Friday, this matchup could weigh much more heavily on the Detroit Public School League Blue title chase.
Dec. 20 – Grand Rapids Catholic Central (0-2) vs. Ann Arbor Huron (5-0) at Hazel Park – Arguably the top matchup at the D Zone Showcase will feature two teams that won Regional titles last season.
Dec. 28 – East Lansing (4-0) vs. Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice (5-0) at Ferndale – This Motor City Roundball Classic matchup will feature two of the favorites in Division 1.
Dec. 29 – Schoolcraft (2-1) vs. Grand Rapids South Christian (3-1) at Cornerstone University – These two are joined by Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern and Paw Paw in the Green bracket.
Jan. 3 – Clarkston (4-0) at Grand Blanc (3-0) – This matchup might be the best of a strong slate at the annual Carmody Classic.
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PHOTO Freeland senior forward Wilson Huckeby, right, navigates around a defender during the first quarter of last week's 70-47 Falcons win over Gaylord. (Photo by Kolleth Photo.)
Haslett Cancer Games Touch Close to Home
By
Rob Kaminski
MHSAA benchmarks editor
February 18, 2020
By Rob Kaminski
MHSAA benchmarks editor
By pure coincidence, it happened to be Valentine's Day.
However, that date on the calendar served as the perfect backdrop when two schools and two officiating crews paired up for a "Coaches for Cancer" girls and boys basketball doubleheader Friday at Haslett High School.
Adding to the poignancy of this particular Feb. 14 were the still-raw emotions for the host school, which lost its longtime principal, Bart Wegenke, to pancreatic cancer a month earlier.
"This is our second year participating in a Coaches vs. Cancer event at a basketball game," said Haslett athletic director Darin Ferguson. "The event was actually planned before Bart’s passing."
Wegenke, 53, was widely recognized in educational circles for his excellence as an administrator, and also was an accomplished basketball official at the high school and collegiate levels, ascending to NCAA Division I status.
During a recent booster club meeting, there was discussion of the event, scheduled for the home doubleheader versus local rival Fowlerville. In attendance was Mike Conlin, whose son Jace is a member of the Haslett golf team. Conlin also assigns basketball officials for the Capital Area Activities Conference and is owner of Correct Call Officiating Outfitters, provider of licensed MHSAA officials apparel.
"They were displaying purple t-shirts that the teams would be wearing that night, and I thought, 'Why not have the officials join in that night?'" Conlin said. "Because of the situation with Bart and his positive influence and the respect given him by players, coaches and officials alike, we had patches created in his memory. So it seemed fitting to outfit the officials for this night with special shirts bearing Bart’s name."
Conlin and partner Joe DeRosa at Smitty Apparel had designed the commemorative patches for collegiate-style shirts that were worn in the Big Ten during a weekend shortly after Wegenke's passing. The shirts differ in style from MHSAA shirts; the area on the shoulder of the collegiate shirt provides greater visibility for the patch.
"I am not an advocate for high school officials wearing college shirts; that's not me," Conlin said. "But, in this case, we got to talking and thought the ragland sleeve would allow for a more prominent display. And, we wanted the shirts to be purple and white so that our crews that night could join in the cause."
Conlin contacted the MHSAA, and permission for the alternate gear – which also would include purple whistles – was granted. Following the games that night, Conlin collected the commemorative shirts to have them dry-cleaned. They were to be given to Bart's brother Brett, who will distribute them to family members.
There was another twist. When Conlin noticed who had been assigned – months before – to officiate the games that night, he decided that one more design would be needed.
Working the girls game that night were Deb Traxinger, Rob Stanaway and Dennis Bickerstaff. The boys crew was Scott Barnes, Mike Maisner and Justin Terry. It was Terry's name that triggered additional response.
Terry lost his wife, Diana, last May 25 after a courageous fight with cancer.
"When I saw Justin as one of the officials for that night, it just made all the sense in the world to craft a special shirt for him with Diana's name on it since this hits so close to home," Conlin said. "We wanted something for him to take with him."
And Terry did just that, not only following the game, but for the game.
"I'm wearing that shirt for the game," Terry said the morning of the event. "Here it is, Valentine's Day, people exchanging cards, flowers, candy, and for the first time, I don't have that. But I'll be thinking about my honey when I take the floor, and she’ll be with me. My whole family will be there."
And he said he would be thinking of countless others enduring the same struggles his family experienced.
"My heart goes out to the Wegenke family. I know first-hand what it's like to lose the love of your life," Terry said. "I hope for this night to serve as a reminder that people need to be educated about cancer; about regular checkups and warning signs. Whether it's a spouse, child, uncle, aunt, these things creep into our lives and cause us to pause. Every one of us will be subjected to something similar someday. It's important to love hard and live life."
On a date signifying heart, there was plenty of adoration to go around.
PHOTOS: (Top) Mid-Michigan officials wear purple shirts for cancer awareness during Friday’s basketball games at Haslett. From left: Justin Terry, Scott Barnes, Mike Maisner, assigner Mike Conlin, Rob Stanaway, Dennis Bickerstaff and Deb Traxinger. (Middle) Terry wore this shirt honoring his late wife Diana, who died last May after a fight with cancer. (Photos courtesy of Mike Conlin.)