Hillsdale Driving Toward Undefeated Run
By
Chip Mundy
Special for Second Half
February 10, 2017
By Chip Mundy
Special for Second Half
“The pressure is on every year,” Hornets coach Brad Felix said. “I think everybody is complacent with it, they just assume we're going to win 18 or 20 games a year, and they don't realize how difficult it is to do that.”
It wasn't always that way. From 1968 until Felix took over in 2002, Hillsdale not only never won a District tournament, it won just four tournament games.
“We have a great historian around town who keeps up with the basketball program, and he informed me that I was getting into a rat's nest here,” Felix said. “He told me all the stats, with no tournament championships and the winless seasons.”
Still, it was a job coveted by Felix, who had been at Hillsdale for 10 years as girls basketball coach and boys junior varsity coach before he took over the boys varsity team. As a no-nonsense coach, he was prepared for the challenge of changing the culture.
“When I took over the girls program, they hadn't won a game in three years, so I was sort of ready for it and prepared,” he said. “I was extremely upbeat and younger back then, and I had a little pep in my step. I'm very demanding, and I don't really accept that attitude.
“I was fortunate enough to come in and have a lot of good players come through the program. You can't win without having horses in the race, and I've been blessed to have guys with good talent who bought into what I was preaching.”
Success comes in waves
Since Felix has taken over, Hillsdale has two Regional titles and five District championships. The Hornets also have had two unbeaten regular seasons, and after defeating Dundee on Thursday night to clinch the Lenawee County Athletic Association title, they are four wins from a third perfect regular-season run.
“We've mentioned it once,” he said of the potential undefeated season. “I brought it up halfway through the season. I remember the first year I had an unbeaten team here, and the Jackson Citizen Patriot listed all the undefeated teams in the area from 1980. It was like eight teams.
“It is an unusual thing that you might think happens a lot and doesn't happen a lot. It's so hard to do. You can have an off-night, have foul trouble, have injuries. Some team can just play well against you. It's a difficult sport.”
It also has been a somewhat unexpected run, even from Felix's perspective.
“This team has totally surprised me,” Felix said. “I did not think we'd be sitting 16-0. I thought we would be extremely competitive this year, and I thought we'd be a tough out, but for us to run the table at this point has taken me a little off guard.”
Any successful team has talented players, and this Hillsdale team is no exception. But the reasons for its outstanding season might go beyond that. There is a special motivation, and Coach Felix brought in a new defense that has paid off.
The players
The Hornets have talent, and they have a tough 1-2 scoring punch in senior forward Ethan Bernard and junior forward Bryce Drews. Both are averaging more than 20 points a game.
“It is unusual to have two guys average 20 or more, let alone 23 and 21, so if they both finish the year averaging 20, I'll be surprised,” Felix said. “At the same time, we push the ball, and we run a lot of stuff to these two guys and they are getting a lot of sets. They have the green light from everywhere. We go as they go, that's how it is.”
Drews, who was on varsity as a freshman, came into the week averaging 23.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and a team-high 3.1 steals per game. Bernard, in his second full year on varsity, checked in at 21.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.9 steals per game. And both are shooting at better than 50 percent from the field.
“I can almost talk about those guys at the same time,” Felix said. “Offensively, they are difficult matchups for teams. Both are about 6-4, and if you put your big guy on them, they can go shoot the 3 ball. If you go small, they can post up. They both can put the ball on the floor and drive, so they're tough to guard.”
Hillsdale has gotten some more scoring from sophomore guard Spencer Eves, who is averaging 7.2 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.
“People don't realize it because I've got two guys averaging over 20, so they get all the headlines, and this kid is getting his points, and he's doing it quietly,” Felix said. “You don't really notice him on the floor, and that's probably a good thing.
“He's not doing a whole lot of things wrong. We're really looking for him to take a big jump next year, but right now he's chipping in what we need.”
Senior point guard Connor McCosh inherited the biggest challenge on the team. He replaced three-year starting point guard Joe Philipp, who scored more than 1,000 points in his career. With Bernard and Drews around, McCosh doesn't have to have the scoring touch of Philipp.
McCosh is averaging 2.8 points and 2.4 assists per game, and more importantly, he has made just 1.4 turnovers per game.
“He played 10-to-12 minutes a game last year,” Felix said. “He's good at the point. He's not too worried about scoring points, and he can shoot the 3-pointer when he's wide open. He's more of a spot-up.
“He can run the offense, and he has a good IQ for the game, and he knows where guys are supposed to be. He really has filled in well because we lost a really good point guard in Joe Philipp.”
Junior center Collin Brown rounds out the starters. He is averaging 6.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, but the big plus is that he is averaging 2.9 offensive rebounds per contest. And he's getting better as the season progresses.
“He's out there because he rebounds,” Felix said. “He's one of the better offensive rebounders we've had here in a while. He does some dirty work underneath; that's where he scores most of his points.
“He's had a few double-doubles lately, and we hope he's kind of coming into his own. If he can do that for us, it's going to be huge.”
Guards Joe Wilcox, Sam Nash and Trevor Kornak see the most time off the bench. Wilcox brings a threat from the perimeter as he is making 44 percent of his 3-point tries. Nash is grabbing nearly two rebounds per game and Kornak is averaging 1.3 rebounds per game.
“We're not like years in the past when we have three or four 6-5 guys,” Drews said. “Ethan and Collin and me are the tallest guys, and we're 6-3, 6-4. We can play different styles of basketball, though. We can push the ball; we can play down low. We can pretty much play any type of game.”
The motivation
Despite going 18-2 last regular season, Hillsdale had a five-season streak of winning its conference championship snapped. That provided added motivation for this winter.
“You always want to win, and in this program you want to win championships,” Bernard said. “Not winning anything last year was kind of tough. You never want to be the class that lets you down, and actually, my first year on varsity, I was the class that let you down.
“So this year, we have a little chip on our shoulder trying to come back and win championships again.”
As mentioned above, Hillsdale is a member of the Lenawee County Athletic Association, but it began its run of conference titles in the Southern Michigan Athletic Association.
“We were kind of fresh to this league, and we won it three years in a row,” Felix said. “We finished the last league with two championships, so we had won five in a row going into last season.
“We were 18-2 last year, but we were kind of disappointed because both losses were to Onsted, which won our league. At the same time, Onsted was ranked No. 1 in the state; that was a special team with a 7-footer who went on to Michigan. You don't see kids like that very often.”
Then, in a District Semifinal, Adrian edged Hillsdale 42-39 to end the Hornets' season at 18-3.
“I think we got stuck looking ahead in the Districts and got upset,” Felix said. “We wanted to play Onsted one more time, and I think we overlooked Adrian a little bit and ended up losing by three.”
However, Felix goes back to the days in the Twin Valley and sees the move from that conference as a benefit to the program.
“I think it helped that we changed conferences,” he said. “Back in the 1990s when I was the JV coach, we were in the Twin Valley, and it was brutal playing schools that were twice our size. We got beat down every night. It was tough.
“I think the change in atmosphere of playing different teams and playing teams our size definitely helped.”
The new defense
Change can be good, and change has been good for Hillsdale this season. The Hornets have changed their defense, and it is paying off in a big way.
“What triggered it is that we played a team out of Indiana this summer that, quite frankly, we just couldn't score against them,” Felix said. “I was watching them a little bit, and in the second half I just sat down and let the kids play a little bit and watched. They were doing some things that I had thought about doing in the past.
“I didn't feel they were any more athletic than we were. They weren't any bigger than we were. I got with that coach in the summer, and we traded notes, and what they are doing with a few tweaks is what we were doing. I wasn't going to come in here and reinvent the wheel.”
Felix was hesitant to make a complete revision of the defense for a number of reasons.
“He told me it takes a year or a year and a half to put it in, and I said, 'I don't have a year and a half. I've got a good team coming, and I don't want to waste a good team,'” Felix said. “What he was telling me is that I was going to have to change just two or three things, and I thought we could handle that.
“There was some growing pains with it. I have to stay on them. It involves a little more work than in the past, but it's all half-court. We're trapping a little bit at half-court and rotating a little and shortening the floor a little bit and went a little bit to the run and jump in the half-court. I think the guys like it. It's fun.”
It also was important that the players would buy into the change, and they did.
“Defense was one of our main points of focus coming into this year,” Drews said. “We have a new defensive system that we all were excited about, and it's working out well. Usually in the first year of a new system, it isn't that successful, but this year it has been successful.
“We knew there was going to be little cracks and things we needed to figure out. Luckily, we started off good in it, and we found the weaknesses in it in practice and got a lot better at it.”
The coach
On Felix's most recent birthday, he was in the yard outside when his daughter came out to talk to him.
“She said, 'Dad, you need to come in the house real quick.' I come walking in, and there is my whole team for a surprise party,” Felix said. “They came over with all this breakfast food, and they cooked breakfast in my home for me. As tough as I am on these guys, they still surprised me.”
Felix played basketball and football at Bessemer High School, and he said that he played basketball for a coach who was not nearly as demanding.
“I don't know what brought that out of me,” he said. “I'm from a single-parent home. I grew up without a father figure, so I don't know if that toughened me up a little bit.
“Bessemer went to the state finals in football and quarterfinals in basketball. I wasn't one of the stars of the team. I led the team in charges every year. I was one of those gritty players who would dive into the stands for a loose ball.”
Maybe it's the Upper Peninsula thing. Felix likens his style and attitude to another successful basketball coach from the U.P., although on a much larger level.
“I'm not a Tom Izzo, but I would compare myself to his attitude,” Felix said. “I have that grittiness – kind of like Izzo – and I feel like I coach like he does. He's tough on his guys, and his players love him.”
Like all high school coaches, Felix has to adapt his style of play to the talents of his players instead of vice versa. That sometimes forces him to play a style that isn't what he would like – a style that he was able to employ on some of his teams earlier in his career.
“We don't press like we used to anymore,” he said. “If it was my choice and I could recruit, I'd play that style. I love it. It was fun, and the guys enjoyed playing that way. But now, we're more half-court – more like Hanover-Horton – a strict man-to-man with pretty good pressure.
“Our defensive statistics are actually better in terms of points given up, but we're playing a slower style. We still get after people, but not the full court.”
Felix tries to deflect credit for the turnaround at Hillsdale, but the numbers speak for him with the dramatic redirection of the program.
“I give a lot of credit to my players,” he said. “My wife gets mad at me and says, 'Why don't you ever just say you do a good job?' I'm not going to discredit coaching. When I came in, the press was huge, and I put that team over the hump.
“But I just think the little kids buying into what we do with our youth program and kids wanting to be a part of what we're doing and parents having their kids out dribbling a ball a little bit is so important. We went from a doldrum basketball community to one that supports us.”
Felix concedes he might not be the easiest guy for whom to play. But with all that, he has the respect of his players.
“He's awesome,” Bernard said. “He knows everything about basketball, and he has the best basketball IQ I've ever been around. I've learned a lot of things from him.”
Drews shared those thoughts.
“He's a great coach,” he said. “If you just look at the numbers – and we've consistently had 18- to 20-win seasons – and you can't find that at many other places.”
And in the end – maybe even more than the wins and losses – Felix cherishes the relationships with the players.
“I am sure I will reflect back on all of this when I'm done, but it has been fun to be affiliated with so many fine young men,” Felix said. “I think the biggest pride I have is how many guys come back.
“I'm not an easy guy to play for. I'm tough on my guys, but I think they all realize it's tough love. To see them come back – and my alumni come back for the alumni game we have every year – and to have the guys push our guys and tweet, 'You can't let us down, you're part of the Hornets,' is just great. And going to former players' weddings. I think all of that kind of stuff is where I feel the most pride.”
Chip Mundy served as sports editor at the Brooklyn Exponent and Albion Recorder from 1980-86, and then as a reporter and later copy editor at the Jackson Citizen-Patriot from 1986-2011. He also co-authored Michigan Sports Trivia. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Jackson, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Hillsdale's Bryce Drews drives the baseline this season again Ida. (Middle) Hillsdale boys basketball coach Brad Felix. (Below) Ethan Bernard splits a pair of defenders to get an open look. (Photos by Mike Linville and Matthew Lounsberry/Hillsdale Daily News.)
Breslin Bound: 2024-25 Boys Semifinals Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 12, 2025
Michigan State University’s Breslin Center will once again provide opportunities for dream finishes for 16 teams concluding another MHSAA boys basketball season this weekend.
Mark Keeler has been involved in plenty. Wyoming Tri-unity Christian’s leader will retire this weekend as the third-winningest coach in MHSAA boys basketball history – and after his 16th trip to Finals weekend.
His Defenders are joined by Orchard Lake St. Mary’s in Division 1 and Warren Lincoln in Division 2 as returning title winners seeking to finish repeat runs. Meanwhile, half of this weekend’s field will attempt to accomplish what Lincoln also did a year ago – end at Breslin as a champion for the first time.
Semifinals will be played Thursday and Friday, with all four championships games set for Saturday.
DIVISION 1 - Friday
East Lansing (26-1) vs. Orchard Lake St. Mary's (20-6) - Noon
Wayne Memorial (24-3) vs. Flint Carman-Ainsworth (22-5) - 2 p.m.
DIVISION 2 - Friday
Kingsford (22-3) vs. Romulus Summit Academy North (23-3) - 5:30 p.m.
Grand Rapids Catholic Central (21-7) vs. Warren Lincoln (21-4) - 7:30 p.m.
DIVISION 3 - Thursday
Ishpeming Westwood (22-5) vs. Arts & Technology Academy of Pontiac (20-1) - Noon
Riverview Gabriel Richard (23-2) vs. Pewamo-Westphalia (24-3) - 2 p.m.
DIVISION 4 - Thursday
Crystal Falls Forest Park (25-2) vs. Wyoming Tri-unity Christian (25-2) - 5:30 p.m.
Fowler (24-3) vs. Allen Park Inter-City Baptist (24-3) - 7:30 p.m.
Finals - Saturday
Division 1 - 12:15 p.m.
Division 2 - 6:45 p.m.
Division 3 - 4:30 p.m.
Division 4 - 10 a.m.
Tickets for this weekend’s games are $12 for both Semifinals and Finals and available via the Breslin Center ticket office; for information and links visit the Boys Basketball page.
All Semifinals will be broadcast and viewable with subscription on MHSAA.tv, and all four Finals will air live on FanDuel Sports Network. The Divisions 4 and 1 games will be broadcast on the FDSN primary channel, and the Divisions 3 and 2 games will be broadcast on FDSN Extra. Audio broadcasts of all Semifinals and Finals will be available free of charge from the MHSAA Network.
The Boys Basketball Semifinals & Finals are sponsored by Michigan Achievement Scholarship/MI Student Aid.
Here’s a look at the 16 semifinalists (with rankings by regular-season Michigan Power Ratings and statistics through Regional Finals):
Division 1
EAST LANSING
Record/rank: 26-1, No. 2
League finish: First in Capital Area Activities Conference Blue
Coach: Ray Mitchell, seventh season (124-34)
Championship history: Class B champion 1958, two runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 72-49 over No. 11 Ann Arbor Huron in Quarterfinal, 77-42 over No. 45 Kalamazoo Central in Regional Final, 65-48 (District Final), 62-60 and 75-65 over No. 9 Lansing Waverly, 84-74 over No. 35 Detroit Renaissance, 69-68 over No. 1 Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, 69-54 over Division 2 No. 1 Warren Lincoln, 60-56 over Division 2 No. 6 Romulus Summit Academy North.
Players to watch: KJ Torbert, 6-3 jr. G (20.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg); Cameron Hutson, 6-6 sr. G (18.5 ppg, 49 3-pointers, 7.4 rpg,); Kingston Thomas, 6-5 soph. G (8.0 ppg).
Outlook: This will be the Trojans’ first trip to the Semifinals since 2008, and their only loss came in overtime 69-65 to Muskegon (20-3) on Dec. 21. The three players noted above are all sons of former Michigan State standouts (Kelvin Torbert, Andre Hutson and David Thomas, respectively) and have accounted for 61 percent of East Lansing’s 77 points per game this season, which have come against one of the strongest schedules in the state. Hutson and Torbert both made the all-state first team last season. Senior guard Jayce Branson adds another 7.8 points and two steals per game.
FLINT CARMAN-AINSWORTH
Record/rank: 22-5, No. 12
League finish: Fourth in Saginaw Valley League
Coach: Jay Witham, 12th season (204-69)
Championship history: Class A runner-up 2004 and 2003.
Best wins: 54-51 over No. 25 Byron Center in Quarterfinal, 64-56 over No. 9 Marquette in Regional Final, 64-60 (OT) over No. 3 Rockford in Regional Semifinal, 73-64 over No. 30 Saginaw United in District Final, 84-64 over No. 15 Port Huron Northern, 87-82 over No. 9 Lansing Waverly, 90-88 (3OT) over Division 2 No. 2 Flint Powers Catholic, 55-51 over Division 3 No. 9 Pewamo-Westphalia.
Players to watch: Donovan Hamlin, 6-5 sr. F (14.8 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 3.0 apg); MarQuinn Weston II, 5-10 sr. G (14.5 ppg, 41 3-pointers, 3.4 spg); Kendreyas White, 6-6 jr. F (7.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg).
Outlook: Carman-Ainsworth’s first trip to the Semifinals since 2004 began to take shape after a stretch of four losses in five games during the second half of January. The Cavaliers have won 13 of 14 games since, and the District Final victory over Saginaw United avenged a 14-point regular-season defeat. Rafael Murphy Jr. (6.6 ppg) and Fred Thomas IV (6.2) are among four more players averaging at least 5.5 points per game – and Thomas drilled the game-winner in the Quarterfinal. Freshman guard Anthony Mull has been the team’s second-most productive 3-point shooter and is the son of another past Spartan, Anthony Mull, who is also a Cavaliers assistant coach.
ORCHARD LAKE ST. MARY’S
Record/rank: 20-6, No. 1
League finish: Third in Catholic High School League Central
Coach: Todd Covert, 10th season (170-60)
Championship history: Five MHSAA titles (most recent 2024), two runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 58-57 over No. 5 Detroit U-D Jesuit, 54-37 over No. 24 Waterford Mott in Regional Final, 72-41 over No. 20 Grand Blanc in Regional Semifinal, 76-73 over No. 35 Detroit Renaissance, 72-41 over No. 4 Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice, 49-48 over No. 17 Grand Rapids Northview, 51-44 over No. 3 Rockford.
Players to watch: Trey McKenney, 6-5 sr. F (22.9 ppg, 10.1 rpg); Sharod Barnes, 6-2 sr. G (11.7 ppg, 4.2 apg); Jayden Savoury, 6-5 sr. F (9.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg).
Outlook: The Eaglets return to Breslin with three starters from last year’s championship run plus senior guard Isaiah Hines (9.7 ppg), a top sub who now starts. Leading the way, of course, is Mr. Basketball Award honoree McKenney, who was also last season’s Division 1 Player of the Year from The Associated Press and has signed with Michigan. He’s the program’s all-time leading scorer, but St. Mary’s still went 4-2 when he was out with an injury midseason – losing to East Lansing by only one point and Brother Rice by two during that stretch. Junior forward Luke Crighton adds another 6.3 ppg, and freshman guard Mateen Cleaves – also a son of a former MSU standout – provides 5.1 points off the bench.
WAYNE MEMORIAL
Record/rank: 24-3, No. 14
League finish: First in Kensington Lakes Activities Association East
Coach: Steve Brooks, fourth season (60-48)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 70-44 over No. 10 Detroit Martin Luther King in Quarterfinal, 72-70 over No. 5 Detroit U-D Jesuit in Regional Final, 66-49 and 59-54 over No. 32 Belleville, 69-60 over No. 23 Traverse City West, 77-52 and 76-63 over No. 21 Dearborn.
Players to watch: Austin Tory, 6-7 sr. G/F/C (11.7 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.6 bpg); Carlos Medlock Jr., 6-0 jr. G (24.9 ppg, 49 3-pointers, 6.0 rpg, 4.8 apg, 3.0 spg); Jaylohn Allen, 6-2 jr. G (17.7 ppg, 58 3-pointers, 4.4 apg).
Outlook: After taking losses to Birmingham Groves (18-6) and St. Mary’s in December, Wayne has won 20 of its 21 games this calendar year and 16 by double digits. Brooks is 384-164 since becoming a varsity coach in 2001 and also took Inkster and Ypsilanti to Quarterfinals; he’s brought Wayne from 2-11 his first season to its first Semifinal since 1997. The third loss this winter was to Novi (19-5), by just two points in the KLAA championship game. Senior guard Jalahn McClellan (4.7 ppg, 29 3-pointers) is another player who must be accounted for on the perimeter.
Division 2
GRAND RAPIDS CATHOLIC CENTRAL
Record/rank: 21-7, No. 25
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Conference White
Coach: Chris Pearl, first season (21-7)
Championship history: Division 2 champion 2021, two runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 47-44 over No. 7 Grand Rapids South Christian in Regional Final, 44-35 over No. 4 Hudsonville Unity Christian in District Semifinal, 58-33 and 54-43 over No. 42 Grand Rapids Christian, 59-43 over No. 33 Marshall in Quarterfinal, 71-46 over No. 35 Allendale in District Final.
Players to watch: Izaya Larthridge, 6-5 jr. F (15.5 ppg, 61 3-pointers, 5.1 rpg); Jack Bowen, 6-6 sr. C (7.9 ppg, 7.2 rpg); Brieland Watkins, 6-2 jr. G (10.7 ppg).
Outlook: In addition to its championship in 2021, Grand Rapids Catholic Central finished Division 2 runner-up in 2022 and reached the Quarterfinals last season. They’ve continued to advance under Pearl, who played at Otsego and then collegiately at Sienna Heights, Grand Valley State and Davenport and served as a Catholic Central assistant for a year before taking over the program this winter. All but one of the Cougars’ losses came against opponents that won at least 16 games during the regular season, and the Unity and South Christian playoff victories avenged two of those defeats. Jordan McCoy adds another nine points and 3.6 assists per game.
KINGSFORD
Record/rank: 22-3, No. 3
League finish: Tied for first in Great Northern Conference
Coach: Ben Olsen, first season (22-3)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 48-46 over No. 10 Freeland in Quarterfinal, 72-60 over Division 1 No. 6 Marquette, 57-53 over Division 3 No. 7 Iron Mountain, 59-32 over Division 3 No. 11 Elk Rapids, 57-50 over Division 3 No. 18 Ishpeming Westwood, 56-39 over Division 4 No. 1 Crystal Falls Forst Park.
Players to watch: Owen Olkkonen, 6-3 jr. F (7.0 ppg, 33 3-pointers); Morgan Sleik, 6-4 sr. C (12.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg); Gavin Grondin, 5-11 sr. G (24.3 ppg, 79 3-pointers).
Outlook: Kingsford’s Regional titles last week and last season were the program’s first since 1992, and this will be its first trip to the Semifinals since 1965. The Flivvers avenged losses to Marquette and Iron Mountain along the way, sharing the GNC title with the former, and prior to the Freeland win the other four during the postseason were all by at least 18 points. Grondin earned an all-state honorable mention as a junior and has made nearly 39 percent of his shots from 3-point range. Olsen took over the program this season after previously coaching the boys and girls teams at Gwinn.
ROMULUS SUMMIT ACADEMY NORTH
Record/rank: 23-3, No. 6
League finish: First in Charter School Conference Gold
Coach: Derek Clark, first season (23-3)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 68-41 over No. 37 Lansing Sexton in Quarterfinal, 59-53 over No. 12 Adrian in Regional Final, 60-47 over No. 21 Detroit University Prep, 59-33 over No. 11 Detroit Old Redford, 62-40 over Division 1 No. 28 Birmingham Groves, 65-64 over Division 1 No. 35 Detroit Renaissance.
Players to watch: Amir Perryman, 5-10 sr. G (11.4 ppg, 3.5 apg); Chance Houser, 6-6 jr. F (14.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg); Jordan Fuller, 6-0 jr. G (13.1 ppg, 2.9 apg).
Outlook: Summit is returning to the Semifinals for the second time in three seasons, this time under Clark, who coached Detroit University Prep Art & Design to league and District titles over three seasons before taking over the Dragons. Their losses tell a good story as well; Summit lost to Walled Lake Central (18-5) by just six at the end of December, then by just four to East Lansing and two in overtime to University Prep in a league tournament semifinal. Senior forward Andrew Ashwood (10.7 ppg), junior guard Marquan White (7.5) and junior forward Demetri Campbell (5.6) also bolster the balanced offense.
WARREN LINCOLN
Record/rank: 21-4, No. 1
League finish: First in Macomb Area Conference Red
Coach: Wydell Henry, seventh season (113-39)
Championship history: Division 2 champion 2024.
Best wins: 59-44 over No. 11 Detroit Old Redford in Regional Final, 66-65 over Division 1 No. 5 Detroit U-D Jesuit, 56-48 and 74-58 over Division 1 No. 15 Port Huron Northern, 56-51 over Division 1 No. 11 Ann Arbor Huron, 76-66 over Division 1 No. 13 Muskegon.
Players to watch: Geon Hutchins, 6-5 sr. G (16.5 ppg); Markus Blackwell, 6-2 sr. G (19.5 ppg, 2.5 apg); Da’Marion Bozeman, 6-5 sr. G (13.3 ppg).
Outlook: Bozeman, Markus Blackwell and senior guard Moses Blackwell (6.5 ppg) all started last season’s championship game, and 6-7 senior guard Christopher Morgan (11.7 ppg) was a top sub and starts now. Warren Lincoln played the second-toughest schedule in any division this regular season, as its opponents combined won 70 percent of their games. The Abes have won 17 straight after working through a string of defeats to Division 1 East Lansing, Byron Center, Brother Rice and Grand Rapids Northview over a six-game stretch in late December and early January. Markus Blackwell made the all-state first team last season.
Division 3
ARTS & TECHNOLOGY ACADEMY of PONTIAC
Record/rank: 20-1, No. 13
League finish: First in Charter School Conference Silver
Coach: Orlando Lovejoy, first season (20-1)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 74-44 over No. 50 Flint New Standard Academy in Quarterfinal, 82-61 over No. 49 Detroit Loyola in Regional Final, 84-43 over No. 46 Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest, 68-61 over Division 2 No. 11 Detroit Old Redford, 83-67 over Division 1 No. 38 River Rouge.
Players to watch: Lewis Lovejoy, 5-8 fr. G (17.9 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 8.4 apg, 3.4 spg, 2.3 bpg); De’Vontae Grandison, 6-4 jr. F (13.8 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 4.2 apg, 3.0 bpg); Terrance Hicks, 6-3 sr. G (15.2 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 3.0 spg, 1.0 bpg).
Outlook: ATAP finished 3-12 just two seasons ago and 8-7 last year but has taken a mighty step under Orlando Lovejoy. Losing only to nonleague Division 1 Hamtramck (15-9), the Lions won their division of the Charter School Conference and then reached the league tournament championship game (which was canceled) by getting past Old Redford – which was ATAP’s only single-digit win. The Lions have scored more than 80 points 12 times and 90 in three games. Senior guard Teyshaun Hicks adds another 11.9 points, six assists and one block per game.
ISHPEMING WESTWOOD
Record/rank: 22-5, No. 17
League finish: Second in Western Peninsula Athletic Conference East
Coach: Luke Gray, fifth season (75-37)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 48-40 over No. 16 McBain in Quarterfinal, 62-40 over No. 1 Maple City Glen Lake in Regional Final, 55-53 (District Final) and 61-56 over No. 7 Iron Mountain, 72-44 over Division 2 No. 36 Houghton.
Players to watch: Ethan Marta, 6-4 jr. G (27 ppg, 50 3-pointers, 5.7 rpg, 3.2 apg, 3.5 spg); Tristan Miller, 6-1 sr. F (10.6 ppg, 31 3-pointers); Reid Frustaglio, 6-1 sr. F (9.6 ppg).
Outlook: Westwood is traveling to the Semifinals for the first time since 2003, making a jump from 14-10 a year ago and getting past West-PAC East champion Iron Mountain after a regular-season split in the midst of one of the most impressive tournament runs in any division. The losses came in spurts of three and two as Westwood lost a pair of Division 1 Marquette (22-4) and once to Kingsford, which is playing this weekend in Division 2. Westwood also lost a first meeting with Division 2 Negaunee (15-9) before winning the rematch. Marta entered the week making nearly 63 percent of his shots from the floor.
PEWAMO-WESTPHALIA
Record/rank: 24-3, No. 9
League finish: First in Central Michigan Athletic Conference
Coach: Dominic Schneider, fifth season (98-21)
Championship history: Division 3 champion 2019, two runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 50-45 over No. 14 Schoolcraft in Quarterfinal, 46-39 over No. 23 North Muskegon in Regional Final, 56-39 over Division 1 No. 20 Grand Blanc, 59-48 and 51-49 over Division 4 No. 4 Fowler.
Players to watch: Grady Eklund, 6-3 jr. G (17.5 ppg, 45 3-pointers, 3.4 apg); Trent Piggott, 6-5 jr. G (8.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg); Dominic Weber, 6-2 sr. G (9.1 ppg, 66 3-pointers).
Outlook: Schneider has directed the Pirates to three league, five District and three Regional titles since taking over the program, and this will be their first trip to the Semifinals since the 2019 championship run. Eklund made the all-state first team last season and can fill the scoresheet when needed. In addition to defeating Division 1 Grand Blanc on Feb. 7, P-W also got looks at strong competition in losses to Division 1 Hudsonville and Flint Carman-Ainsworth and Division 2 Grand Rapids South Christian. The Hudsonville defeat Feb. 18 was P-W’s only loss over its last 19 games.
RIVERVIEW GABRIEL RICHARD
Record/rank: 23-2, No. 2
League finish: First in CHSL AA
Coach: Kris Daiek, 14th season (226-75)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 62-30 (Quarterfinal), 82-48 and 88-65 over No. 5 Jackson Lumen Christi, 77-53 over No. 35 Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central in Regional Final, 81-46 and 88-50 over Division 2 No. 46 Dearborn Divine Child, 79-58 over Division 1 No. 12 Flint Carman-Ainsworth.
Players to watch: Nick Sobush, 5-10 sr. G (19.7 ppg, 53 3-pointers); Luke Westerdale, 6-1 sr. G (16.8 ppg, 86 3-pointers, 3.8 apg); Charles Kage, 6-8 sr. F (11.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg).
Outlook: All five starters and the only sub who saw the floor in last season’s two-point Semifinal loss to Old Redford will be back this weekend, riding an 18-game winning streak and with their only two defeats this time to Division 1 Grand Blanc and Division 2 Flint Powers both in December. Sobush made the all-state first team last season. Senior 6-5 forward Drew Everingham (10.8 ppg, 46 3-pointers) is another returning starter and perimeter threat, and junior guard Derek Lesko (4.8 ppg) fills out that intact starting lineup from a year ago. Senior 6-4 forward Bryce White is adding another 7.3 points off the bench.
Division 4
ALLEN PARK INTER-CITY BAPTIST
Record/rank: 24-3, No. 6
League finish: First in Michigan Independent Athletic Conference Blue
Coach: Mark Kraatz, 36th season (596-285)
Championship history: Class D champion 1985.
Best wins: 63-50 over No. 17 Kingston in Quarterfinal, 58-41 over No. 8 Clarkston Everest Collegiate in Regional Final, 70-50 (District Final), 64-63 and 56-43 over No. 32 Southfield Christian, 64-61 over Division 1 No. 46 Riverview.
Players to watch: Ethan Esse, 5-10 jr. G (22.3 ppg, 64 3-pointers, 4.6 apg); Carlos Jackson, 6-3 jr. F (11.5 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 5.0 apg); Mason Kowalski, 6-3 jr. F (9.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 3.4 apg).
Outlook: Esse and Jackson started on last season’s championship team, and Kowalski, senior guard Josh Hamilton, junior forward Asher Bettinger and sophomore guard Jack Dawson saw the most minutes off the bench and fill larger roles on this team. Esse made the all-state first team last season and has added another bucket to his scoring average while remaining a dangerous threat from 3-point range. Inter-City’s losses came to Division 1 Detroit Cass Tech (19-4) and Taylor and Division 2 Detroit Voyageur College Prep, and the Chargers earned several more wins against larger opponents.
CRYSTAL FALLS FOREST PARK
Record/rank: 25-2, No. 1
League finish: First in Skyline Central Conference small-schools division
Coach: Jason Price, fourth season (70-27)
Championship history: Class D runner-up 1995 and 1981; Crystal Falls, Amasa and Alpha high schools won a combined 14 titles with five runner-up finishes before consolidating into Forest Park in 1967.
Best wins: 45-43 over No. 14 Pickford in Quarterfinal, 58-35 (District Final), 66-44 and 65-54 over No. 5 Norway; 51-34 (Regional Semifinal), 69-58 and 47-36 over No. 18 Felch North Dickinson; 76-41 over No. 24 Ewen-Trout Creek, 62-56 over Division 3 No. 8 Munising.
Players to watch: Kevin Giuliani, 6-5 sr. F (14.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg); Vic Giuliani, 6-2 soph. F (22.3 ppg, 6.1 rpg); Gabe Quevedo, 5-7 sr. G (6.9 ppg, 36 3-pointers, 3.8 apg).
Outlook: Price has taken Forest Park from 7-9 the season before he took over to two straight Regional titles and now the program’s first trip to the Semifinals since 2004. The Trojans tested themselves in losses to Division 1 Marquette and Division 2 Kingsford and also picked up wins over Division 2 Escanaba and Division 3 Menominee. Forward Matt Showers (5.2 rpg) joins Kevin Giuliani and Quevedo in the starting lineup, but they are the only seniors and the top two subs are underclassmen in addition to Vic Giuliani and sophomore Dax Huuki (7.2 ppg) filling out the starting lineup. Sophomore guard Izaiah Tarter adds 8.1 points and 3.8 assists per game off the bench.
FOWLER
Record/rank: 24-3, No. 4
League finish: Second in Central Michigan Athletic Conference
Coach: Kam Riley, sixth season (77-62)
Championship history: Class D champion 1952, runner-up 2002 and 1950.
Best wins: 66-27 over No. 19 Bellaire in Quarterfinal, 60-53 over No. 11 Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart in Regional Semifinal, 62-59 over No. 2 Wyoming Tri-unity Christian, 58-46 (District Final), 53-40 and 59-37 over No. 23 Portland St. Patrick; 62-32 over No. 16 Fulton, 69-57 over Division 2 No. 33 Marshall.
Players to watch: Jacob Halfmann, sr. G (12.5 ppg, 41 3-pointers, 4.0 apg); Aaron Simon, sr. G (12.3 ppg, 65 3-pointers); Alex Halfmann, sr. F (11 ppg, 6.7 rpg). (Heights not submitted.)
Outlook: Fowler will play in its first Semifinal since 2002 after winning a District for the second-straight season. The Eagles opened this winter with a win over reigning champion Tri-unity Christian, and their only losses were twice to Pewamo-Westphalia – playing in Division 3 this weekend – and once to Division 2 Fruitport (17-6). Four seniors anchor the starting lineup including the three noted above and guard Asher Koenigsknecht, who adds 11.7 ppg and entered this week with 53 3-pointers. He, Jacob Halfmann and Simon all had connected on at least 38 percent of their attempts from beyond the arc.
WYOMING TRI-UNITY CHRISTIAN
Record/rank: 25-2, No. 2
League finish: First in Alliance League
Coach: Mark Keeler, 38th season (719-218)
Championship history: Six MHSAA titles (most recent 2024), six runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 56-43 (Quarterfinal) and 58-44 over No. 9 Adrian Lenawee Christian, 80-45 over No. 15 Bellevue in Regional Final, 50-29 over No. 21 Marion, 50-34 over Division 3 No. 39 Muskegon Western Michigan Christian, 62-42 over Division 3 No. 12 Beal City, 52-39 over Division 3 No. 14 Schoolcraft, 38-30 over Division 2 No. 5 Grand Rapids Covenant Christian.
Players to watch: Keaton Blanker, 5-11, sr. G (11.1 ppg, 4.2 apg); Noah Silverton, 6-3 sr. G/F (11.1 ppg); Joey Mellon, 6-7 sr. C (13 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.3 bpg).
Outlook: Tri-unity is not only attempting to send coach Mark Keeler into retirement with one more championship, but also get to Saturday’s Final for a fifth-straight season; the Defenders also won Division 4 in 2022 and finished runners-up most recently in 2021 and 2023. Blanker – who had 11 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds in last year’s title game – is the only returning starter from that run although Mellon saw solid minutes off the bench. Sophomore forward Cody Osbun is another returning player who has moved into the starting lineup and averages 7.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Tri-unity’s only losses were to Fowler (noted above) and Division 2 Grand Rapids West Catholic, both in December.
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PHOTOS (Top) Crystal Falls Forest Park's Gabe Quevedo, dribbling, considers his next move during Tuesday's win over Pickford. (Middle) East Lansing's KJ Torbert drives to the basket during a regular-season victory over Lansing Waverly. (Forest Park photo by Cara Kamps. East Lansing/Waverly photo by John Johnson.)