Calvin Christian Follows Hot Hand in C
March 24, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
EAST LANSING – Grandville Calvin Christian’s success is built on team basketball, feeding the hottest hands at opportune times.
Smoke might have been rising off Tony DeWitte’s fingers during the first half of Thursday’s Class C Semifinal against McBain at the Breslin Center.
The 6-foot-2 senior guard made 10 of 11 shots during the first half for 26 points, and Calvin Christian opened up a lead that stayed in double digits for good over the final 20 minutes to advance to Saturday’s championship game with a 65-42 win.
DeWitte finished with 31 points on 12 of 15 shooting, grabbed eight rebounds, and had both of his assists late as the game crept out of reach for the previously-undefeated Ramblers.
“I came out shooting with confidence. The ball was going in, and my teammates found me, got me open,” DeWitte said. “The rim feels two times bigger like that. The ball keeps going in, and it’s great.”
Allow Calvin Christian coach Ryan Stevens to elaborate.
“When he gets hot like that, his teammates know that,” Stevens added. “We have a lot of kids who can do that. They find each other when they are hot, and the thing about Tony is he can score so many different ways. You’ll see him score inside, outside, off the dribble, off the pass, off a screen, off a back cut. He’s just a very good scorer all-around, very hard to defend.”
Calvin Christian (21-4), unranked at the start of the postseason, will face reigning champion Flint Beecher at 4:30 p.m. Saturday. The Squires will be playing for their first championship since 1994 after reaching the Semifinals for the first time since that season.
DeWitte entered this week as his team’s leading scorer at 18.2 points per game, and Stevens said his standout shooter’s Thursday performance wasn’t rare – he and DeWitte’s teammates have been witness to that kind of scoring outburst going back to when his seniors were finishing up elementary school.
But it certainly seemed to knock McBain a bit off its game, as the No. 3 Ramblers never warmed up offensively and gave up more than 60 points for the first time since giving up that exact number in the season opener.
“We tried some different things. They hit everything,” McBain coach Bruce Koopman said. “They executed extremely well, and that gave them excellent opportunities to get back and play defense on us. I thought there was a time when (the deficit) was 10, and we got three or four stops in a row. But we didn’t capitalize. Maybe if we’d gotten a few of those to close the gap, it would’ve been different.”
Senior guard Braden Stevens added 10 points and seven assists for Calvin Christian, which made an incredible 60 percent of its shots from the floor after opening with a blistering 70-percent success rate during the first half.
Junior guard Logan Eling had 18 points to lead McBain (26-1), while junior center Craig Sterk had nine points and eight rebounds and senior guard Cole Powell added nine points and six rebounds.
Calvin Christian (21-4) was prepared for elite competition after facing a league schedule that included two matchups with reigning Class B champion Wyoming Godwin Heights and two more against last season’s Class C runner-up, Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian. The Squires lost all four of those games, but came back to beat NorthPointe in the District Final.
“We always talk about ladders, and at the beginning of the season it felt like we were midway up the ladder,” Stevens said. “A lot of teams get there when the tournament starts, but it felt like we were already up there midway through the season.
“We had a couple of losses to Godwin and NorthPointe, and we weren’t satisfied with our record. (So) we wanted to work toward the end of the season.”
The Boys Basketball Finals are presented by Sparrow Health System.
PHOTOS: Calvin Christian’s Tony DeWitte (20) pushes the ball upcourt during Thursday’s first Class C Semifinal. (Middle) The Squires’ Braden Stevens (10) works to stay in front of McBain’s Logan Eling.
Breslin Bound: 2024-25 Boys Regional Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 4, 2025
The final 128 Michigan boys basketball teams still playing are just three wins away from booking a trip to East Lansing.
That team total will be cut in half again tonight in Regional Semifinals played across the state, and then once more during Thursday’s Regional championship round.
Find everything you need to know this week about tickets, brackets and more as the tournament continues on the Boys Basketball page. To watch any of several games online, visit the NFHS Network, and see below for several of the intriguing matchups. Host sites are in bold.
“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 64, Muskegon 62 The Ottawa-Kent Conference Red champion Rams (22-2) sank a last-second game-winner to get past the O-K Green title-winning Big Reds (19-2) in a Division 1 District Final.
2. Bridgman 45, Niles Brandywine 39 The Bees (18-5) ended this season’s run for last year’s Division 3 champion Brandywine (12-11) in the District Finals, also avenging a 64-60 overtime loss to the Bobcats from Jan. 7.
3. Goodrich 68, Flint Powers Catholic 54 The Martians (19-5) claimed a Division 2 District title, avenging an 81-57 loss to the Chargers (19-2) from Dec. 7.
4. Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice 64, Birmingham Groves 61 The Warriors (22-2) navigated one of their closest wins this season to down Oakland Activities Association Red champion Groves (18-6) in a Division 1 District clincher.
5. Frankenmuth 48, Bay City John Glenn 38 These teams split during the regular season and John Glenn (20-4) won the second meeting and the Tri-Valley Conference Red title, but Frankenmuth (18-6) won this rematch to claim a Division 2 District championship.
Regionals at a Glance
These could be among our most competitive brackets. Host sites are in bold:
DIVISION 1
Detroit Renaissance
Farmington (19-5) vs. Wayne Memorial (21-3)
Detroit U-D Jesuit (20-3) vs. Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice (22-2)
A lot of statewide eyes will be on the Jesuit/Brother Rice Regional Semifinal, and with good reason – Jesuit won their lone meeting on Dec. 6, 58-44, and then the Catholic High School League Central title with the Warriors finishing second. The winner will still have a tough road ahead to finish the week. Farmington has won 10 of its last 11 games, and Wayne is the Kensington Lakes Activities Association East champion and winner of 17 of its last 18.
Lansing Eastern’s Don Johnson Fieldhouse
Battle Creek Lakeview (14-10) vs. Kalamazoo Central (18-4)
East Lansing (23-1) vs. Okemos (17-7)
East Lansing has been a favorite all season to get to MSU next week, with its only loss in overtime to Muskegon on Dec. 21. But this bracket is likely to provide some challenges. The Trojans swept Okemos during the Capital Area Activities Conference Blue season but won the first game in double overtime, 78-67, and the second 53-46. Kalamazoo Central must add to their regular-season sweep of Lakeview first, but the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference East champion would be another formidable foe in the Regional Final.
Hudsonville
Hudsonville (18-5) vs. Holland West Ottawa (13-11)
Grand Rapids Northview (19-5) vs. Byron Center (18-6)
Half the O-K Red won District titles last week, and second-place Hudsonville will look to add to its regular-season sweep of fifth-place West Ottawa – which upset third-place Grand Haven to advance. Northview shared the O-K Gold title, and Byron Center was runner-up in the O-K Green – and also defeated Hudsonville 61-59 on Feb. 4. The Bulldogs’ four most recent losses came to teams that have won at least 19 games this season, and Northview played one of the toughest schedules in the state; they are two of only four to defeat reigning Division 2 champion Warren Lincoln.
DIVISION 2
Central Montcalm
Frankenmuth (18-6) vs. Freeland (20-3)
Flint Hamady (16-6) vs. Portland (21-2)
Frankenmuth may haver ended the season for TVC Red champion John Glenn (see above), but now the Eagles must take on runner-up Freeland after losing to the Falcons by six in overtime and then 57-56 in their second meeting Feb. 7. On the other side of the bracket are a pair of league champions – Hamady from the Genesee Area Conference and Portland from the CAAC White. Hamady rebounded last week after closing the regular season with four losses in five games. The Raiders have won 10 of their last 11, including avenging their lone league loss by downing Lansing Sexton in overtime in the regular season finale to clinch that title outright.
Ferndale
Detroit Old Redford (18-2) vs. Detroit University Prep (19-5)
Detroit Denby (15-6) vs. Warren Lincoln (18-4)
Two of these teams played at Breslin last season – Lincoln is the reigning Division 2 champion, and Old Redford finished Division 3 runner-up. But to make their matchup happen, they must of course advance to the Regional Final. Old Redford must defeat University Prep – they finished second and third, respectively, in the Charter School Conference Gold, thanks to Old Redford’s 61-54 win Jan. 27. Denby finished fourth in a strong Detroit Public School League Blue and will be the latest to challenge Lincoln, which played a schedule against opponents that combined to win 70 percent of their games during the regular season.
Grand Rapids Christian
Spring Lake (15-10) vs. Sparta (13-11)
Grand Rapids Catholic Central (18-7) vs. Grand Rapids South Christian (20-4)
The attention is going to be given primarily to the teams playing in the second Regional Semifinal. South Christian shared the O-K Gold title with Northview and won a 50-40 meeting Jan. 28 with GRCC, which went on to win the O-K White. But there’s intrigue on the other side of the bracket as Spring Lake emerged last week to defeat three of the top five from the West Michigan Conference Lakes, including champion Whitehall. Sparta has won four of its last five games.
DIVISION 3
Ithaca
Ovid-Elsie (19-5) vs. Chesaning (21-3)
Stockbridge (20-4) vs. Jackson Lumen Christi (21-3)
A Mid-Michigan Activities Conference showdown kicks off this bracket, as champion Chesaning will seek to add to its 57-52 win over runner-up Ovid-Elsie from Jan. 31 after the Marauders won the first meeting 58-55 on Dec. 16. Chesaning has won 18 straight games since that defeat. Big 8 Conference champion Stockbridge is 17-2 over its last 19 games – but with those losses 61-50 to Ovid-Elsie on Feb. 10 and 69-59 to Lumen Christi on Dec. 20.
Millington
Millington (22-2) vs. Flint New Standard Academy (14-8)
Harbor Beach (22-1) vs. Brown City (13-11)
Harbor Beach won the Big Thumb Conference Black and Millington won the BTC White, and Harbor Beach also won their meeting Feb. 10, 60-54. To earn a rematch, Millington must get past a New Standard team that has taken losses from several top teams including Brother Rice, and also won five straight including avenging a defeat to International Academy of Flint. Harbor Beach’s lone loss came by two points to Yale on Jan. 3, and the Pirates swept Brown City, which finished fourth in the BTC Black.
Sault Ste. Marie
Ishpeming Westwood (19-5) vs. Iron Mountain (21-3) at Gladstone
Harbor Springs (21-3) vs. Maple City Glen Lake (22-1) at Elk Rapids
These powerhouses will play Regional Semifinals at separate sites before meeting in Sault Ste. Marie. Iron Mountain won the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference East, but its one league loss was to Westwood on Jan. 3, 61-56, before winning the rematch three weeks later 58-32. Glen Lake won the Northwest Conference and Harbor Springs was runner-up in the Northern Shores Conference, and they also met during the regular season with Glen Lake taking a Dec. 18 meeting 71-63.
DIVISION 4
McBain Northern Michigan Christian
Mio (15-7) vs. Bellaire (20-4)
Traverse City Christian (22-2) vs. Marion (18-6)
Mio and Traverse City Christian have crossed paths, with TCC winning their Battle of the Bridge championship game at Mackinaw City 45-26 on Dec. 7. Bellaire shared the Ski Valley Conference title, and three of its four losses were to Division 2 and 3 teams. Marion finished third in the West Michigan D League but notably downed Northwest Conference runner-up Onekama by 13 to claim their District last week. TCC has won 15 straight since falling to Onekama on Jan. 3, and Mio finished runner-up in the North Star League Little Dipper and has won eight of its last 10 games.
Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart
Muskegon Heights Academy (11-10) vs. Pentwater (21-2)
Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (20-3) vs. Fowler (21-3)
Pentwater and Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart are league champions and Fowler finished runner-up in the Central Michigan Athletic Conference only to Division 3 contender Pewamo-Westphalia, with two of its losses to the Pirates and the third to Division 2 Fruitport. Pentwater ran its winning streak to 11 with a buzzer-beating District Final win over Baldwin, and Sacred Heart’s losses were to Division 3 Lumen Christi and Glen Lake and league rival Fulton. Enter an intriguing possibility in Muskegon Heights Academy, which as an independent has played all over and is riding a six-game winning streak. The Tigers also lost to Fruitport, but by only a point in their season opener, and have taken on several much larger schools and played in five overtime games.
Negaunee
Bessemer (15-9) vs. Dollar Bay (20-4) at Houghton
Felch North Dickinson (18-5) vs. Crystal Falls Forest Park (22-2) at Kingsford
These teams also will play at separate Regional Semifinal sites before convening in Negaunee. Dollar Bay shared the Copper Mountain Conference championship, that run including a 53-43 win over Bessemer on Jan. 24. The Speedboys have won 10 of their last 12 games, while Dollar Bay brings a 10-game winning streak into tonight. Forest Park was a Regional champion last season and has lost this winter only to Division 1 Marquette and Division 2 Kingsford, with 11 and nine-point wins over North Dickinson contributing to a Skyline Central Conference small-school title. But North Dickinson has improved five wins from a year ago and won nine of its last 10 games.
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PHOTOS (top) Rockford’s Lucas Pitsch (10) works to protect the rim as Muskegon’s Keashaun Johnson drives during their District Final on Friday. (Middle) Ishpeming Westwood’s Tristan Miller (22) goes to the basket with Marquette’s Jacob MacPhee defending during their teams’ December matchup. (Rockford/Muskegon photo by Tim Reilly. Westwood/Marquette photo by Cara Kamps.)