North Central Powers to D Title Game
March 26, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
EAST LANSING – Powers North Central can play too fast. That’s what happened the last time the Jets came to Breslin Center, at the end of 2012-13.
But few teams have been able to slow them down when their clicking like they did during Thursday’s final Class D Semifinal.
North Central’s high-octane offense burned from the start en route to earning the team’s first MHSAA championship game berth since 1984 with a 71-46 win over Fulton.
The top-ranked Jets, averaging nearly 72 points per game entering the weekend, nearly hit that mark after opening on a 29-4 run that stretched more than two minutes into the second quarter. They scored only 36 points total in their last trip to Breslin, a Semifinal loss to Wyoming Tri-unity Christian two seasons ago.
“Me personally, I just learned last time we played here that we played too fast, and we were kinda nervous,” said senior Rob Granquist, also a starter as a sophomore and the team’s leading scorer in that loss. “We didn’t get our shots we wanted. But tonight we just played our game that we’ve played all year, and it worked out great for us.”
North Central (26-0) will take on Morenci in the 10 a.m. Class D Final on Saturday, seeking the second MHSAA title in program history.
Coach Adam Mercier listed off Thursday a handful of lessons he learned during that 2013 trip downstate. He wanted to get more players on the floor this time – and 11 saw minutes. And he wanted his team to come out aggressively – and they fired 17 shots in the first quarter, making nine.
“Two years ago we came down here and we were a little awestruck, and we played pretty tentatively,” Mercier said. “What we talked about Thursday is being the aggressor, not coming out soft. We wanted to take some shots and see what happens.
“We felt whoever could throw the first punch early would have a slight advantage. … We were able to get that first punch, and it was a big punch.”
Shooting has been the strength of a Fulton team with more than 200 3-pointers this winter. But North Central – with three starters 6-foot-4 or taller – had a few inches on most of Fulton’s top players and pushed the Pirates to take some deeper shots than they likely wanted.
Fulton (21-5) made only 29 percent of their shots from the floor and just five of 24 tries from 3-point range. North Central’s size also played to a 45-35 rebounding advantage and a 40-18 edge in points scored in the paint.
“We started settling for shots early, and it just kinda snowballed as they hit some shots. And then it felt like we had to hit some 3s,” Fulton coach Todd Walden said. “That’s tough against a team that’s that good when they’re going to get a good look every possession, and when they happen to miss they’re going to battle on the boards.”
Junior guard Colton Antes was a bright spot for Fultonfrom the perimeter, making 5 of 11 shots and three 3-pointers for 15 points.
Granquist had 14 points and seven rebounds and junior center Morgan Cox came off the bench for 12 and six, respectively, for the Jets. But the most impressive performance of the day’s four Semifinals arguably came from sophomore guard Jason Whitens, who had 16 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in only 23 minutes.
Mercier mentioned how Whitens' dad is a fan of Magic Johnson, and how the 6-4 forward has patterned his game on a player he’s seen only on replay. Jason Whitens averaged 16.4 points, 6.7 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game entering this week.
“That’s what we expect out of him. It’s hard to say as a sophomore. (But) more importantly, that’s what he expects out of himself,” Mercier said. “He’s a very confident player, but at the same time he’s very humble. He could put up 20 shots a game and I’m sure score mid-20s if he wanted to, but he’s the type of player that makes other players around him better by his ability to pass it, defend and rebound.
“We expect the same thing out of him Saturday. No pressure.”
Click for the full box score and video from the postgame press conference.
PHOTOS: (Top) Powers North Central’s Rob Granquist breaks past a defender during Thursday’s Class D Semifinal. (Middle) Fulton’s Kaleb Brunner (33) works to drive past North Central’s Marcus Krachinski.
Warren Lincoln Turns to Shutdown Defense to Lock Up Repeat Opportunity
By
Steve Vedder
Special for MHSAA.com
March 14, 2025
EAST LANSING – It wasn't the first time Warren Lincoln had to push aside a sluggish first half to eventually meet the goals the Abes have for themselves.
In fact, they turned to an old friend to thrust themselves into a second-straight Division 2 Final.
Lincoln was all about defense in knocking off Grand Rapids Catholic Central 43-39 in Friday's concluding Semifinal at the Breslin Center.
After the Abes mustered only 21 first-quarter points, they turned to their defense to oust the Cougars and become the first Division 2 school since Lansing Sexton in 2011-12 to play for back-to-back titles.
Lincoln is in that position because of defense, coach Wydell Henry said.
"We had to defend," Henry said. "We don't want to give up 50 points, and that's 10 a quarter. We knew we had to come out and rebound, relax and play unselfishly in the second half."
Which is exactly what the Abes did. Aided by committing only four turnovers during the entire game, Lincoln rallied from a 25-21 halftime deficit to win a matchup that saw seven lead changes or ties over the final 11 minutes.
The last came when Lincoln's Geon Hutchins snapped a 35-35 tie on a 3-pointer with 5:18 to go. Two and a half minutes later, Hutchins hit another one to give the Abes a 41-37 lead with 2:24 left. The closest GRCC came after was 41-39 with 1:40 to go on a layup by Jack Bowen.
The Cougars hurt themselves by missing four key fourth-quarter free throws.
"We've been battle-tested all year, and kudos to Catholic Central – they played 32 minutes – but we're used to that," Henry said. "We were standing around offensively (in the first half) and not moving, and that's not basketball. But we won, and that's what it's all about."
The win sent Lincoln (22-4) into Saturday's 6:45 p.m. Division 2 Final against Romulus Summit Academy North, a 52-40 winner over Kingsford in their Semifinal.
Lincoln senior guard Markus Blackwell, who finished with 11 points, said his team never worried about its slow start.
"There are always nerves, but once you get out there you settle down and play your game," he said.
Senior guard Da'Marion Bozeman, who had 10 points and six rebounds, said he knew he had to up his game over the last 16 minutes.
"I had to pick up my game and perform like I wanted, like rebounding better," he said. "I always have to make sure I'm doing something to contribute."
Henry, who has won 114 games in seven years at Warren Lincoln, said it's not particularly rare for his team to survive a game while scoring in the 40-point range. The team held Byron Center to 65 points early in the season and kept 11 opponents under 50.
"I just tell the guys at the end of a game it's a win," he said. "If we're going to be successful, we've got to play together. It's tough to get kids to sacrifice (scoring), but these guys do that.”
Grand Rapids Catholic Central first-year coach Chris Pearl took over a team that had just graduated the 2024 Mr. Basketball Award winner, another Division II college signee, and saw its longtime coach step away. Yet, the Cougars still reached this season’s Semifinals.
"The first three quarters were in our favor. We were ready to compete," he said. "Warren Lincoln for 32 minutes was a tad better. Defense has been our M.O., and I didn't expect it to stop today."
PHOTOS (Top) Warren Lincoln’s Moses Blackwell works to get past Grand Rapids Catholic Central’s Izaya Larthridge (4) during Friday’s second Division 2 Semifinal at Breslin Center. (Middle) The Cougars’ Jack Bowen (24) drives to the basket with Lincoln’s Geon Hutchins moving in to defend. (Photos by Adam Sheehan/Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)