Breslin Bound: 2025-26 Boys Report Week 6
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 12, 2026
Believe it or not, Michigan’s boys basketball teams have played six weeks of their regular season – and have only six weeks left until the start of District tournaments.
And that makes now a perfect time for our annual introduction to Michigan Power Ratings (MPR), which are used to seed all teams for that first round of the MHSAA playoffs.
MPR is determined by considering a team’s success (total wins) and strength of schedule based on games against opponents also playing in the MHSAA Tournament. You can follow how teams rank all season long on the MPR page, where you can search not only by Division and school, but District grouping as well.
“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. East Lansing 80, Rockford 71 (OT) These are the top two teams in Division 1 MPR, and the No. 1 Trojans (11-0) remained undefeated by handing the Rams (8-1) their only loss as they met to finish the GottaGetIt Classic at East Kentwood.
2. Crystal Falls Forest Park 69, Kingsford 68 The Trojans (7-2) won this matchup of teams that both reached MHSAA Semifinals at Breslin last season.
3. Frankenmuth 47, Freeland 43 The Eagles (9-0) ended a nine-game losing streak against the rival Falcons (8-2), picking up their first win in this Tri-Valley Conference series since March 4, 2021.
4. Grand Rapids Northview 43, Grand Rapids South Christian 41 (OT) This could prove to be one of the most important results in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Gold, as Northview (8-2) and South Christian (8-2) shared the title a year ago.
5. Grand Haven 57, Grand Blanc 51 The Buccaneers (11-1) continued their terrific start by ending a week of three close wins with this arguably most notable one over the Bobcats (9-2).
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice (10-3) The Warriors are unbeaten aside from a three-game stretch from Dec. 19-28 that saw them lose to two of the state’s best in East Lansing and Rockford (in double overtime) and another Catholic High School League Central contender in Toledo Central Catholic. Since, Brother Rice handed Concord its only defeat and got past Grand Rapids Northview 59-52 on Saturday at East Kentwood. A Friday win over Detroit Catholic Central also kept Rice among five teams with one league loss atop the CHSL Central.
Hudsonville (10-0) The Eagles, after reaching the Regional Finals last season, are attempting to catch rival Rockford both among the statewide elite and locally in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red after finishing second to the Rams a year ago. They face off for the first time Friday, and Hudsonville enters with plenty of impressive wins during the first half including an avenging of that Regional Final defeat to Byron Center and victories over Grand Rapids Christian, Hudsonville Unity Christian and Port Huron Northern.
DIVISION 2
Hudsonville Unity Christian (7-2) A pair of losses to Division 1 contenders listed above – Rockford and Hudsonville – are the only blemishes on an otherwise spotless start. An early 65-48 win over Grand Rapids South Christian has remained among the most notable, but add a 68-58 victory over Macomb Dakota at Saturday’s Hudsonville Showcase as the Crusaders look to carry momentum into the heart of the O-K Black schedule. They’re currently atop the standings with Zeeland East also without a league loss early.
Lansing Sexton (8-1) The J-Dubbs made serious noise with last season’s run to the Division 2 Quarterfinals following a heart-breaking loss that led to them finishing runner-up in the Capital Area Activities Conference White. The volume remains high as Sexton opened this season falling to East Lansing but came back to defeat reigning CAAC White champ Portland to start an eight-game winning streak that’s also included victories over Detroit Cass Tech and Holt.
DIVISION 3
Detroit Loyola (10-2) After finishing 25-2 in 2022-23, Loyola fell back to 12-14 the following winter, then 13-13 last year before making major strides again this season. Loyola did fall 60-59 in overtime last week to Dearborn Divine Child – and those two are tied for first in the CHSL AA after Loyola won their first meeting of the season. But last week’s defeat has been the Bulldogs’ only in-state loss – the other also came in overtime, 70-66 to Cincinnati Western Hills.
Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker (7-1) Laker seems well on its way to a seventh-straight season with a winning record and could be in store for more coming off last winter’s 14-9 finish. Wins last week over Caro (in overtime) and reigning champion Millington helped the Lakers gain some separation in the Big Thumb Conference White standings, and they can gain more with Wednesday’s first matchup of the season with league co-leader Reese.
DIVISION 4
Crystal Falls Forest Park (7-2) The win over Kingsford was the program’s first since 2017 and came after back-to-back losses to Menominee and Dollar Bay, which are both 8-1. The Kingsford game also was the first this season for previously-injured Forest Park all-stater Vic Giuliani, and more big things should be on the way with a healthy lineup. The Trojans opened this season with a notable win at Norway but will see the Knights one more time and also will face Marquette on Feb. 17 at Northern Michigan University.
Fowler (9-1) Last season’s Division 4 runner-up did suffer its first loss last week, to rival Pewamo-Westphalia, but has otherwise been nearly unstoppable with seven double-digit wins including an especially notable one over Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart in a rematch of last year’s Regional Semifinal. Fowler will face P-W again Feb. 5, potentially with first place in the Central Michigan Athletic Conference on the line once more, and Saturday’s meeting with Concord could be one of the top Division 4 matchups of the regular season.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – Central Montcalm (8-0) at Grant (9-0) – This is the only meeting of undefeated teams this week in Michigan, and they are leading their respective divisions of the Central State Activities Association.
Tuesday – Clarkston (9-2) at Auburn Hills Avondale (10-1) – They will head into their first of two meetings tied for first in the Oakland Activities Association Red.
Thursday – Colon (7-1) at Mendon (10-0) – The Hornets are first in the Southern Central Athletic Association West and Colon second after Mendon won their first matchup 80-73 in overtime.
Friday – Rockford (9-1) at Hudsonville (10-0) – A lot could change between now and this game with Rockford set to face East Kentwood and Hudsonville taking on Grand Haven on Tuesday, and those four among five O-K Red teams entering league play undefeated or with only one loss.
Friday – Saginaw Heritage (9-3) at Mount Pleasant (9-1) – This will be the lone regular-season meeting between these Saginaw Valley League North co-leaders.
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PHOTOS (Top) Goodrich’s Miles Washington (40) works to get a shot up past a Saginaw Heritage defender during the Martians’ 65-48 win Jan. 3. (Middle) Hudsonville’ Jovaan Daniels (1) defends while Detroit University Prep’s Tony Dent drives during the Eagles’ 72-56 win also on Jan. 3. (Photos by Terry Lyons.)
GR Christian Ends 80-year Finals Wait
March 24, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
EAST LANSING – Xavier Tillman stood taller, literally, than anyone else on the court during his team’s Class A Semifinal on Friday at the Breslin Center.
Figuratively as well, the Grand Rapids Christian senior has stood as tall as any of the giants who have dominated the floor in Michigan this season.
But if Christian wins its first MHSAA championship Saturday since 1938, just as much credit will belong to his supporting cast – even as he called himself not the star, but rather the distributor after they beat Romulus 74-52 to advance to the Final.
Five teammates scored more than Tillman on Friday. But that doesn’t mean the 6-foot-8 forward’s presence was negligible. He took only three shots, scored only five points, but also had eight rebounds, six assists and seven blocks and drew plenty of attention from Romulus to help Christian make its first championship game in 80 years.
“I have a team full of scorers,” Tillman said, “so my job is to facilitate on my team.”
“We’ve always said we have to get the ball in to Xavier and let him make a play, whether it’s for himself or his teammates, or at least draw attention,” Grand Rapids Christian coach Mark Warners added. “Xavier said it; you don’t know who is going to score, and with these guys what’s been great all year is they don’t care.”
Grand Rapids Christian (27-0), No. 1 in Class A at the end of the regular season, will face No. 3 Clarkston at noon Saturday for its first MHSAA title since winning the Lower Peninsula Class B championship in 1938 (from 1932-47, one champion was awarded from each peninsula in Classes B, C and D; in 1943 no statewide champions were awarded).
Romulus (21-5) last had been to Breslin much more recently, winning Class A in 2013. But although it gave a strong challenge into the third quarter this time, no one has stood in Christian’s way for the entirety this season.
Christian opened the third quarter on a 15-3 run over five minutes, as senior James Beck II had six of his game-high 24 points.
“He did keep us in it,” Warners said. “He gets the points where it’s off a rebound or putback, or he gets an and-one on the break and makes the free throw, or he gets the dump down from a guard or Xavier and can score around the rim in so many ways. It’s a really nice thing to have.”
For the game, Beck connected on 11 of 17 shots from the field as Christian made 54 percent as a team.
Romulus hit only 35 percent of its shots from the floor and 31 percent from 3-point range, hindering a team that already had a tough time matching up with more sizable Christian.
“It’s kind’ve a shock. We’ve never gone 8 for 26 from the 3-point line,” Romulus coach Jerret Smith said. “We prided ourselves on hitting shots this year, and when you can’t hit shots it’s hard – especially when you have the kid who’s 6-8, 260 in the lane. It’s very hard to get him out of the lane if you’re not hitting shots.”
Junior guards Duane Washington, Jr., and Setrick Millner, Jr., added 15 and 11 points, respectively, and senior guard Thad Shymanski had 10 for Grand Rapids Christian. Washington also had six assists and senior guard Emmett Warners had five.
Junior Kaevon Merriweather had 18 points to lead Romulus, and senior forward Jaren English had 17 points and eight rebounds. Senior forward Dylan Price added 12 points and nine boards.
Three starters and the top-playing sub from Friday should be back for Romulus next season. Romulus entered the postseason an honorable mention in the Class A poll, but eliminated reigning champion Detroit U-D Jesuit in the Quarterfinal.
“The good thing about this is the foundation has been laid,” Smith said. “We hadn’t been here in four years, and that was a long time for us. I’m so proud of these seniors; all around, they put a lot of work in. … When you get tough losses, you’ve gotta except those too. Grand Rapids Christian was a better team today. We’re not going to make excuses. We’ll just come back and get in the gym, and hopefully next year will be our year.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Grand Rapids Christian’s Setrick Millner, Jr., goes in for a dunk during Friday’s Class A Semifinal win. (Middle) Christian’s Xavier Tillman works for position against a pair of Romulus defenders.