NorthPointe Comes Back to Land 1st Final
March 26, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
EAST LANSING – Preston Huckaby is a four-year varsity starter for Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian’s basketball team.
So he had a decent idea what was necessary to earn one more chance to suit up for the Mustangs, and with history on the line.
NorthPointe trailed Boyne City by 12 points less than a minute into the second quarter of their Class C Semifinal at Michigan State University’s Breslin Center.
Huckaby sank his first shot seconds later – and went on to score a game-high 26 points to lead the Mustangs back and into their first MHSAA Final with a 48-45 edging of the Ramblers.
“I think going into the game, we were a little nervous, this being our first time in this type of environment. We said if we want to play another game, we have to do what we need to do to win this game,” Huckaby said. “I think I needed to be more aggressive. That’s what I needed to do to get our team where we needed to be.”
And that’s in Saturday’s 4 p.m. Class C Final, where NorthPointe (21-5) will seek its first MHSAA title, taking on Flint Beecher.
Huckaby was a solid 9 of 20 from the floor and also grabbed nine rebounds. And falling in line with that "aggressive" approach, he made a final deciding play at the other end of the court.
Boyne City (21-6) came back from a 23-point swing to pull within 46-45 with 31 seconds to play. The Ramblers took two strong drives to the basket – the first ended with miss but an offensive rebound; Huckaby stepped in front of the second and took a charge that all but sealed the win. He made two free throws to extend NorthPointe's lead to three, and Boyne City’s final shot to tie hit off the front of the rim.
“He might be the all-time leading scorer in our school’s history, but in my three years at NorthPointe he’s probably taken 75 charges,” NorthPointe coach Jared Redell said of his senior guard. “If there was a stat on all-time charge takers, I imagine not only at our school, but he’d be close to a state record.”
Boyne City senior guard Cole Butler scored 11 of his team’s first 15 points as the Ramblers quickly built their early double-digit advantage. Huckaby scored 11 points during the second quarter, his last-second shot tying the score at 26-26 heading into halftime.
Senior Andrew Holesinger opened the second half with a 3-pointer to give NorthPointe its first lead in more than 13 minutes. But Butler got hot again in the fourth quarter, scoring five more points to put Boyne City in position to take back the lead.
“We talked about coming in today, playing loose, playing confident and playing to win. And I felt we did that tonight,” Boyne City coach Nick Redman said. “We got off to a great start, and I’m super proud of that. They gave themselves an opportunity to win, and that’s all you can ask for.”
Butler had 16 points and 10 rebounds taking on the lead role from senior teammate Corey Redman, who will play at Central Michigan University next season. Redman ended with only six points and five rebounds playing 30 minutes despite a foot sprain he suffered during the District that required he wear a walking boot.
Senior guard Zach Napont added five points, five rebounds, seven assists and four steals for the Ramblers, who started four seniors total. Holesinger added nine points for NorthPointe and a key blocked shot on Boyne City’s first attempt to re-take the lead with 1:25 to play.
Leaders from both teams brought experience at this level into Thursday – both schools’ football teams advanced to the Division 6 Semifinals this fall.
But NorthPointe coach Jared Redell saw his team’s nerves early in the shots it was allowing and the way the Mustangs seemed out of sync.
“The third quarter always has been great for us, all tournament long,” Redell said. “We barely hung on, and you don’t want to hang on; we want to make sure we finish and we put them away. There’s a lot of things to learn from the game, and the good thing is we get to learn from them and play another game.”
Click for the full box score and video from the postgame press conference.
PHOTOS: (Top) NorthPointe Christian’s Andrew Holesinger (23) drives during Thursday’s Class C Semifinal. (Middle) Boyne City’s Zach Napont pushes the ball upcourt against a number of defenders.
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.)