Breslin Bound: Boys Report Week 10
February 13, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Three previously-perfect boys basketball teams suffered their first losses last week, leaving only 15 undefeated in Michigan with the start of the MHSAA Tournament only three weeks away.
What might this mean?
There are still at least two teams in every class that have yet to leave the floor unhappy this winter – but also many more teams that have tasted a loss or two (or more) but still can be expected to contend in what is looking like some wide-open brackets in at least three classes (with two-time reigning Class D champion Powers North Central the clear team to chase in the fourth). We highlighted a few more of the contenders in this week's Breslin Bound report, powered by MI Student Aid.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Frankenmuth 63, Bridgeport 53 – The Eagles’ only loss this season was by 10 to Bridgeport in Frankenmuth’s first game this season, and claiming this rematch to hand the Bearcats their first defeat also created a tie between them at the top of the Tri-Valley Conference East.
2. Iron Mountain 54, Norway 43 – The Mountaineers still need another Norway loss to move into a first-place tie in the Mid-Peninsula Athletic Conference, but got in position by handing the Knights this first defeat of the season.
3. Carson City-Crystal 42, Pewamo-Westphalia 37 (OT) – The Eagles handed P-W its first and only loss this season and also this school year for a number of Pirates who also played on the undefeated Division 7 champion football team.
4. Muskegon 70, Ypsilanti Community 56 – The undefeated Big Reds broke Ypsilanti Community’s 10-game winning streak as they continue to take on the best from all over the Lower Peninsula.
5. Clarkston 73, Wayne Memorial 68 – The Wolves, holding down first place in the Oakland Activities Association Red, earned an impressive win but didn’t knock Wayne off-track; the Zebras finished the week by beating Westland John Glenn to win the Kensington Lakes Activities Association South.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each class making sparks:
CLASS A
Holt (11-3) – The Rams are three losses by a total of 11 points from a perfect record this season, and gave undefeated East Lansing its closest game in a four-point defeat Jan. 13. They face each other again Friday with first place in the Capital Area Activities Conference Blue on the line.
Holland West Ottawa (14-1) – The Panthers have built a two-win lead in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red with four league games to play and can finish a sweep of second-place Grand Haven on Tuesday. Those two tied for the league title last season, and West Ottawa went 6-15 only two years ago.
CLASS B
Paw Paw (13-3) – The Redskins have won eight straight and Feb. 3 handed leader South Haven its first loss in the Wolverine Conference North. Paw Paw still trails South Haven in the league standings and will have a hard time catching up, but already has surpassed last season’s 11-12 finish.
Grayling (11-3) – The Vikings – who went 10-12 a year ago – have won 10 of their last 11 as they eye a rematch with Traverse City St. Francis and a possible share of the Lake Michigan Conference title. Grayling’s only league loss was by five to the Gladiators on Jan. 24, and it will get that opportunity to avenge Feb. 21.
CLASS C
Breckenridge (12-1) – The Huskies, coming off a turnaround football season, are in first in the Mid-State Activities Conference with their only loss to second-place Carson City-Crystal. The Huskies were only 6-14 a year ago; they see the Eagles again Wednesday.
Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (14-0) – These Eagles own a two-win lead in the Huron League with four conference games to play and have swept second-place Milan. In fact, they’ve won 24 straight league games since falling to Milan in the final Huron game of 2014-15.
CLASS D
Bay City All Saints (12-2) – The Cougars have secured a share of the Michigan Summit League championship and have won seven straight games, adding to a District title they won to cap last season. All Saints also already has equaled last year’s 12 wins.
Northport (11-3) – The Wildcats can clinch the Cherryland Conference title against second-place Traverse City Christian on Tuesday after sharing the championship last season. Five more wins over the final six regular-season games and postseason would give Northport its best record this decade.
Can't-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – Battle Creek Central (13-2) at Kalamazoo Central (13-1) – The Maroons opened their season with a 12-point win over the Bearcats, but a BCC win would make the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference East title pursuit a two-team race again.
Tuesday – Romulus (12-2) at Belleville (13-2) – The Eagles have a one-win lead over Belleville in the Western Wayne Athletic Conference Blue thanks to a one-point win over the Tigers in their first matchup Jan. 20.
Friday – East Lansing (14-0) at Holt (11-3) – As noted above, the CAAC Blue lead could be altered with a Holt win, which also would break the Trojans’ 27-game league winning streak.
Friday – Saline (12-3) at Ann Arbor Skyline (11-4) – These two are tied for first in the Southeastern Conference Red with three league games to play heading into this week; Skyline won their first matchup by 11.
Saturday – Detroit Public School League Final at University of Detroit Mercy – Detroit Martin Luther King, Collegiate Prep, East English and Cass Tech will play in semifinals Tuesday to decide the title matchup.
PHOTO: Breckenridge defeated Vestaburg 65-46 on Feb. 3 and is 12-1 this season after winning six games in 2015-16. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Breslin Bound: 2024-25 Boys Report Weeks 1 & 2
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
December 9, 2024
A late Thanksgiving this year led to the first week of boys basketball games this 2024-25 season being played during the short week, and even a few days before the final football championship games of the fall.
But with that rare crossover out of the way, we’re on track and moving forward on another four-month trip that for 16 teams will end at Michigan State University’s Breslin Center in March.
We’ll catch up with several of the highlights from the last two weeks as we debut this winter’s “Breslin Bound” reports with our traditional look back at some key results, teams on the move and games to go see during the week to come.
“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. Warren Lincoln 56, Ann Arbor Huron 51 Reigning Division 2 champion Lincoln (2-0) is off to another impressive start with this Horatio Williams Tip-Off Classic win over Huron (0-1), which made the Division 1 Semifinals last season.
2. Grand Rapids Christian 72, Grand Rapids South Christian 55 Grand Rapids Christian (2-0) – last season’s Division 2 runner-up – put much more distance between itself and the Sailors (1-1) this time compared to last year’s three-point District Final win.
3. Alcona 54, Hillman 44 Both are reigning league champions (different divisions) in the North Star League, and Hillman (1-1) also had finished 22-3 last season while Alcona (2-1) is looking to build off an 18-6 run.
5. Detroit Catholic Central 69, Saginaw United 55 The Shamrocks (4-0) spoiled the program debut for United (0-2), which formed from the previous Saginaw High and Arthur Hill.
5. Detroit Martin Luther King 53, East Kentwood 46 This was another Williams Tip-Off Classic matchup as King (3-0) earned a notable early win against another Division 1 team with tons of potential in the Falcons (1-1).
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Livonia Churchill (3-0) A 68-64 win over Gibraltar Carlson on Friday kept Churchill undefeated under first-year coach Cameron Scott – and it’s been an incredible turnaround already. The Chargers didn’t win a game last season, with their only victory over the last two coming by forfeit, and this is guaranteed to finish as their first season with at least three victories since 2017-18. Churchill opened with an 84-46 win over Dearborn Heights Annapolis and also has a 64-54 victory over Garden City.
Oxford (4-0) Jake Champagne became the program’s all-time leading scorer at 1,146 points with 26 in a 46-32 win over Grosse Pointe North at Sunday’s D Zone Rising Team Tip Off, and all four of the Wildcats’ victories have come by double digits – including as well a notable 64-39 victory over Davison last week. Oxford is in the Oakland Activities Association White this winter after finishing second in the Blue and 14-9 overall last season.
DIVISION 2
Cheboygan (3-0) Coming off a 9-13 run last season – which concluded with a 10-point District-opening loss to Kalkaska – Cheboygan is off to a fast start capped Friday by a 66-60 victory over the Blazers. That also was the league opener for the new Northern Shores Conference, which Cheboygan joined after previously playing in the Straits Area Conference. A 76-63 season-opening win over Rudyard also avenged a pair of defeats from last season.
Marshall (3-0) A 62-60 victory over Hanover-Horton at the Carl Lee Invitational at Albion College gave Marshall its first three all by six points or fewer, to go with a 53-49 win over Battle Creek Lakeview and 48-42 victory over Battle Creek Harper Creek. Those had to generate plenty of excitement as the Lakeview win avenged a loss from last season – when Marshall finished 9-14 – and Hanover-Horton was a league and District champ last winter.
DIVISION 3
Ithaca (3-0) The Yellowjackets also picked up a couple of close wins last week – 54-52 over Standish-Sterling and then 49-43 over Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary – as they began building on last season’s 16-9 campaign that included a second-place finish in the Tri-Valley Conference White and District championship. Ithaca had started 2-4 a year ago and will get a chance to avenge one of those losses, to Beal City, next week.
North Muskegon (3-0) The Norsemen traveled to Benzie Central over the weekend and won the Will Lynch Season Tip Off with a 49-37 victory over Menominee – a Division 3 quarterfinalist last winter – followed by a 52-34 win over Division 1 Lapeer. North Muskegon is coming off a 24-1 run last winter, when its only loss came in overtime, 43-40, to Pewamo-Westphalia in a Regional Semifinal.
DIVISION 4
Dollar Bay (4-0) The Blue Bolts are coming off three straight sub-.500 finishes, including 10-14 last season. But they are quickly making those distant memories with this start that’s included wins over Chassell, Painesdale Jeffers, Houghton and Hancock. The Houghton win was by just four points in overtime, but the other three were all by 18 or more – more impressive as Dollar Bay went a combined 0-5 against Chassell, Jeffers and Houghton last season, losing to Jeffers by more than 30 points twice and Houghton by 28.
Traverse City Christian (4-0) The Sabres averaged nearly 16 wins per season over the last three, finishing 16-7 last winter, and could take another step if this start is an indication – all four wins came by at least 14 points. A 45-26 victory over Mio gave Traverse City Christian the Battle of the Bridge championship at Mackinaw City, after it had defeated Cedarville 66-42 to advance.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – Niles Brandywine (2-1) at Schoolcraft (2-0) – This is a rematch of a Regional Final from last season won by Brandywine 41-32 on the way to claiming the Division 3 championship.
Saturday – East Lansing (2-0) vs. Warren Lincoln (2-0) at Lansing's Don Johnson Fieldhouse – The Moneyball Tip-Off Classic features this matchup of the reigning Division 2 champion Lincoln against an East Lansing team that reached the Division 1 Quarterfinals last season.
Saturday – Grand Rapids Catholic Central (2-1) vs. Hudsonville Unity Christian (2-0) at Calvin University – These two are annually two of the best in West Michigan and will meet in The Invite in the second of the day’s four games.
Saturday – Rockford (2-0) vs. Grand Rapids Northview (2-0) at Calvin University – These two also will meet at The Invite, capping off the evening.
Saturday – Detroit Catholic Central (4-0) at Hudsonville (2-0) – This matchup at the Hudsonville Showcase should provide a nice indication of potential for both promising teams.
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) Ishpeming's Caden Luoma (1) scoops in a shot for two points, but the Hematites lost 67-59 to Gladstone on Dec. 2. (Middle) An Otsego player attempts to get to the lane while defended during a 72-54 season-opening loss to Vicksburg. (Top photo by Cara Kamps. Otsego/Vicksburg photo by Gary Shook.)