Keeler Approaching Milestone Win Amid Final Season of Legendary Tri-unity Career
By
Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com
December 18, 2024
WYOMING – Mark Keeler has spent four decades coaching boys basketball at Tri-unity Christian High School.
And while he has many stories that he shares often, one of his favorites comes from the beginnings of the program.
“We didn't have bleachers in our gym when I first started,” Keeler said. “I would make my boys set several rows of chairs up so people could watch our games. And then they eventually added bleachers that were donated by the church.”
Keeler’s teams have been filling up the bleachers since he took the reins for the 1983-84 season, and he has built the program into one of the most successful in the state.
Now, as he leads his team through the opening month of his 38th and final campaign, Keeler is nearing a rare milestone only achieved by a few. He is expected to soon become the fourth coach in MHSAA history to reach 700 wins.
Tri-unity is 3-1 this winter, making Keeler a combined 697-217 coaching the Defenders. Roy Johnston is the winningest coach in state boys basketball history with 833 victories earned during stints at Yale, Howell and Beaverton before retiring in March. He is followed by longtime River Rouge coach Lofton Greene (728) and Clarkston’s Dan Fife (703).
“It's a statement of longevity with these men,” Keeler said. “All three of them were very successful at the schools they were at and most of them spent a long time at one school, just like I’m doing now. I’ve never coached anywhere but Tri-unity, and that is quite a privilege to have been a part of this school.”
Keeler reached 697 wins with last week’s nonconference victory over Wyoming Kelloggsville and can move closer to the milestone with another Friday night against Grandville Calvin Christian. The Defenders then play East Grand Rapids and Grand Rapids West Catholic, respectively, at the Cornerstone University Holiday Classic at the end of the month.
Keeler, who retired from a 40-year teaching career two years ago, started coaching in 1983-84 when Tri-unity had only an eighth and ninth-grade team. After two seasons of playing subvarsity, the school formed its varsity team for the start of the 1985-86 season, with Keeler at the helm. After three seasons with the varsity, he took a break from coaching (but continued teaching and serving as athletic director).
“I had to get my priorities right with the Lord,” Keeler said. “I was trying to do too much and lost focus, and it was something that needed to be done. I look back, and it was something that set me up for the rest of my coaching career.”
Keeler returned for the 1990-91 season and has been at the forefront ever since. He has guided the Defenders to six state championships, including last year’s with a victory over Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart in the Division 4 Final. Tri-unity also has won titles in 1996, 2002, 2006, 2011 and 2022, while finishing as Finals runner-up six times.
Keeler’s teams also have reached the Semifinals 15 times, won 19 Regional championships, 26 District titles and 22 conference championships. His players have filled Class D and Division 4 all-state teams for years, with surely the best-known 2000 grad Chris Kaman – who went on to play at Central Michigan and 13 seasons in the NBA – and Brandon Voorhees, who led Tri-unity to the 2002 title as a senior, went on to CMU and then Park University in Missouri, and played professionally overseas.
“I’m so glad that I’ve been able to just be here this long,” said Keeler, who was inducted into the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan Hall of Fame in 2016. “I love Tri-unity. My wife taught there, we met there, and my daughters went all the way through and graduated from there, so it's always been a part of my life. There's been so many quality people that have been there along the way.
“I've been very blessed to have had so many quality players and parents and coaches. It’s amazing when I look back at all those that have been a part of the program.”
Keeler, a man with a strong Christian faith, could’ve gone elsewhere during his career, but believed he had a calling at Tri-unity.
“I've had some opportunities to move on and go to different places, but whenever I prayed about it I always thought that this is where the Lord wanted me and that's always my priority,” Keeler said. “I want to please him first, because as a Christian that's my priority. I just thought this is where he placed me, so I’m going to set roots and do the best I can.”
Tri-unity senior guard Keaton Blanker, one of two returning starters on this year’s team, is excited to see his coach reach such a prestigious milestone.
“It’s the perfect scenario for him with this being his last year and getting to 700 wins,” Blanker said. “He’s going to leave his mark, and it’s well deserved. Being a small Division 4 school, he’s helped to put the program on the map and I remember growing up and watching his teams win state titles. I was waiting for the opportunity to play for him so I could help do the same thing.”
While Keeler is grateful for the unbridled success of the program on the court, creating lasting relationships with his players off the court and helping them grow in their faith has been equally gratifying.
“I know without a doubt that the Lord has blessed our program.” Keeler said. “There are a lot of great coaches out there that are probably better at Xs and Os than I am, but I think I’m a strong motivator and build good relationships with the players and get to know them.
“I let each player know that I want them to grow in their walk with the Lord, and that's where my priority is. To be an influence toward Christ, not away from Christ.”
Past Tri-unity standout Brent Voorhees, who has been Keeler’s assistant coach the last several years and will succeed him next season, said Keeler has never changed his approach to the game.
“Coming back to coach with him, the one thing that stands out is he doesn't waver on his principles,” Voorhees said. “A lot has changed in the sport in terms of analytics and how coaches attack things, but he has definitely stayed firm in his approach that it’s defense first and he preaches the team aspect. It’s never about an individual.
“He doesn’t let anything off the court distract him from goals. He's really good at keeping the goal in front of the guys. He keeps them focused on the goal of winning state championships and also becoming great, young Christian men in the community, which is what he stands for and always comes first.”
The Defenders graduated eight players from last year’s team, but Blanker and senior Joey Mellon are back with several newcomers as they bid to send Keeler out with one more title at Breslin Center.
“I enjoy putting them together and getting them to mesh as a team,” Keeler said. “For me, I have learned that defense wins championships. The old adage that offense wins games, but defense wins championships ... I so believe that with all my heart.”
Reporter Dean Holzwarth, a longtime member of the West Michigan media, is also the junior varsity head coach and a varsity assistant for the Tri-unity Christian boys basketball program.
Dean Holzwarth has covered primarily high school sports for Grand Rapids-based WOOD-TV for five years after serving at the Grand Rapids Press and MLive for 16 years along with shorter stints at the Ionia Sentinel and WZZM. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Allegan, Kent and Ottawa counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Surrounded by celebrating players and assistant coaches (including the author, far right), Tri-unity boys basketball coach Mark Keeler (hand in pocket) enjoys a moment near the end of last season’s Division 4 championship game. (Middle) Keeler, middle, huddles with his team during the 1997 run to Breslin, when the Defenders finished Class D runners-up. (Below) Keeler raises the 2002 Class D championship trophy to the cheers of Tri-unity’s supporters. (MHSAA file photos.)
Breslin Bound: 2024-25 Boys Quarterfinal Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 11, 2025
Championship week has begun as this MHSAA boys basketball season rolls toward its conclusion, and 32 teams are seeking to add to their season-long stories with tonight’s Quarterfinals.
Below are quick glances at all 16 matchups. Games tip off at 7 p.m. unless noted. Details on tickets, brackets and more can be found on the Boys Basketball page. To watch all 16 games online, visit the NFHS Network.
“Breslin Bound” is powered by MI Student Aid and based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com. (Abbreviations below denote ppg - points per game, rpg - rebounds per game and apg - assists per game.)
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Wayne Memorial 72, Detroit U-D Jesuit 70 Wayne (23-3) clinched its first Regional title since 1997, downing another popular Division 1 championship pick in ending the Cubs’ season at 22-4.
2. Warren Lincoln 59, Detroit Old Redford 44 Reigning Division 2 champion Lincoln (20-4) won this Regional Final matchup of teams that played at Breslin Center last season, as Old Redford (19-3) was the reigning Division 3 runner-up.
3. Flint Carman-Ainsworth 64, Rockford 60 (OT) Carman-Ainsworth (21-5) would go on to defeat Marquette two days later for a Division 1 Regional title, but this was an eye-opener among Regional Semifinals as Rockford (22-3) was considered a Finals contender.
4. Lansing Sexton 73, Chelsea 71 Sexton (19-5) claimed its first Regional title since 2012 on a buzzer beater in Division 2 that ended Chelsea’s run at 17-9.
5. Flint New Standard Academy 64, Harbor Beach 56 In Division 3, the Warriors (16-8) claimed their first Regional title by handing the Pirates (23-2) just their second defeat.
Quarterfinals at a Glance
DIVISION 1
East Lansing (25-1) vs. Ann Arbor Huron (21-4) at Mason
This is a rematch of a 2024 Quarterfinal won by Huron, 54-48. Senior guard Macari Moore remains a dominant force for the River Rats, averaging 19 points per game while making 59 percent of his shots from the floor. East Lansing is paced by a pair of standouts, junior guard KJ Torbert (20.3 ppg) and senior guard Cameron Hutson (18.5 ppg, 7.4 rebounds per game).
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (19-6) vs. Macomb L’Anse Creuse North (19-8) at University of Detroit Mercy, 5:30 p.m.
The reigning Division 1 champion Eaglets continued to build through a stretch without senior wing Trey McKenney (22.9 ppg, 10.1 rpg) during the regular season but are back at full strength – and McKenney received the Mr. Basketball Award on Monday. Junior guard Julius Wilson paces a balanced LCN team scoring 16 points per game.
Detroit Martin Luther King (21-5) vs. Wayne Memorial (23-3) at University of Detroit Mercy
Wayne edged Detroit U-D Jesuit 72-70 in their Regional Final last week and can turn to multiple scoring options led by junior guard Carlos Medlock Jr. (24.9 ppg, 4.8 assists per game) among three starters averaging double-digit scoring. Three King starters also average at least 10 points per game, led by Steven Jones (15.6 ppg).
Flint Carman-Ainsworth (21-5) vs. Byron Center (20-6) at DeWitt
Carman-Ainsworth also defeated a much-anticipated contender last week, defeating Rockford 64-60 in overtime in their Regional Semifinal. Seniors Donovan Hamlin (14.8 ppg) and MarQuinn Weston II (14.5) give the Cavaliers multiple go-to options. Senior guard Keane Hinkle is Byron Center’s leading scorer at 16 points per game, with 76 3-pointers while making more than 45 percent of his tries beyond the arc.
DIVISION 2
Kingsford (21-3) vs. Freeland (22-3) at Gaylord
Kingsford is playing in a Quarterfinal for the second-straight season and can turn to Gavin Grondin, who averages 24.3 ppg and has made 79 3-pointers. Freeland also has a long-range shooting standout in junior guard Wilson Huckeby, who is averaging a team-high 20.2 ppg and has connected on 87 shots from 3-point range.
Lansing Sexton (19-5) vs. Romulus Summit Academy North (22-3) at Jackson
Sexton junior guard Keyshawn Summerville sent his team to this week with a longer-than-halfcourt buzzer-beater to get past Chelsea 73-71 in their Regional Final, and he’s averaging a team-best 19.6 ppg. Summit has four players scoring between 10-14 points per game – led by junior wing Chance Houser (14.3 ppg) – as it seeks a second trip to Breslin over the last three seasons.
Grand Rapids Catholic Central (20-7) vs. Marshall (20-6) at Hamilton
Catholic Central graduated last season’s Mr. Basketball but is another returning quarterfinalist with junior forward Izaya Larthridge (15.5 ppg, 61 3-pointers) leading the way. Marshall has emerged from a three-way title share in the Interstate 8 Athletic Conference paced by senior forward Austin Miller (15.4 ppg, 54 3-pointers).
Warren Lincoln (20-4) vs. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep (14-10) at St. Clair County Community College
Reigning Division 2 champion Warren Lincoln has won 15 straight games and brings a starting lineup of all seniors into championship week. Notre Dame Prep will play in its second Quarterfinal over the last four seasons, led by stars from the Division 5 champion football team including senior guard Joey DeCasas (19 ppg).
DIVISION 3
Ishpeming Westwood (21-5) vs. McBain (23-2) at Boyne City
McBain is on another run after reaching the Semifinals last year and falling to eventual champion Niles Brandywine in overtime at Breslin. Sophomore Clayton Heuker has taken on a starring role at 19.7 ppg and can play all over the lineup. Westwood defeated teams last week that finished with a combined 44-6 record and is led by junior guard Ethan Marta (27 ppg, 50 3-pointers).
Arts & Technology Academy of Pontiac (19-1) vs. Flint New Standard Academy (16-8) at St. Clair County Community College, 5:30 p.m.
ATAP has jumped from 8-7 last season to the Quarterfinals, with the lone loss to Division 1 Hamtramck and freshman guard Lewis Lovejoy (17.9 ppg) leading four players scoring at least 12 points per game. New standard has followed previously-longtime Saginaw Arthur Hill coach Greg McMath to this week, with junior guard Jeffrey Turner (15.8 ppg) and senior forward Jhirnea Harris (13.6) leading a lineup that includes two freshmen.
Jackson Lumen Christi (23-3) vs. Riverview Gabriel Richard (22-2) at Ypsilanti Lincoln
This is another Quarterfinal rematch from last season, and will even be played on the same floor. Gabriel Richard won last year’s meeting 58-44 and then its two with Lumen this winter 88-65 and 82-48 on the way to claiming Catholic High School League AA and Cardinal Tournament championships.
Pewamo-Westphalia (23-3) vs. Schoolcraft (20-6) at Kalamazoo Loy Norrix
After missing out on the Quarterfinals with a one-point Regional Final loss last season, P-W has advanced to championship week for the third time over the last four seasons. Junior guard Grady Eklund leads at 17.5 ppg. Schoolcraft is making its third Quarterfinal trip in five seasons with senior guard Tucker Walther (16 ppg, 5.0 apg) guiding a balanced attack.
DIVISION 4
Crystal Falls Forest Park (24-2) vs. Pickford (23-2) at Gladstone
Forest Park will play in a Quarterfinal for the second-straight season and is led by the Giuliani brothers – senior forward Kevin (14.6 ppg) and sophomore forward Vic (22 ppg) – among standouts from the 8-player Division 2 football champion in the fall. Pickford was the 8-player Division 1 football runner-up and several of those playmakers are driving this run as well with senior forward Eli MacDonald the lead scorer at 16.6 ppg.
Wyoming Tri-unity Christian (24-2) vs. Adrian Lenawee Christian (22-4) at Richland Gull Lake
The reigning Division 4 champion Tri-unity will attempt to send out retiring coach Mark Keeler with one more title this week. Senior 6-foot-7 center Joey Mellon leads another balanced lineup at 13 ppg. Junior forward Jaxon Salenbien is the latest high-scoring talent from his school and family, averaging 24.3 ppg with 52 3-pointers as he attempts to follow his two older sisters’ previous paths to Finals weekend.
Bellaire (22-4) vs. Fowler (23-3) at Houghton Lake
A pair of senior standouts has Bellaire playing in its first Quarterfinal since 2016, as Drake Koepke (16.8 ppg) and Jayden Hanson (16.1) are setting the pace. Fowler is making its first trip to this round since 2017 with two of its losses this season to Pewamo-Westphalia, playing tonight in Division 3.
Allen Park Inter-City Baptist (23-3) vs. Kingston (18-6) at West Bloomfield, 6 p.m.
This is one more rematch from last year’s Quarterfinals, which Inter-City Baptist won 58-46. Junior guard Ethan Esse is starring again for Inter-City, averaging 22.3 ppg with 64 3-pointers, and senior center Austin DeRoseau also is back among Kingston’s leaders with a team-high 18.6 ppg and three blocked shots as well per contest.
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) Pewamo-Westphalia’s Reece Thelen (3) launches a 3-pointer this season. (Middle) Macomb L'Anse Creuse North's Julius Wilson (1) drives during his team's 68-65 Regional Final win over Warren De La Salle Collegiate. (Below) Carman-Ainsworth’s Anthony Mull (20) drives during last week’s win over Rockford. (P-W photo by Jim Pivarnik. LCN/De La Salle photo by Adam Sheehan. Carman-Ainsworth/Rockford photo by Terry Lyons.)