Warren Lincoln Closes Boys Basketball Season with All-Time Accomplishment
By
Steve Vedder
Special for MHSAA.com
March 16, 2024
EAST LANSING – You can't say Warren Lincoln is wary of rematches. Not even when the opponent is ranked No. 1 in the state for most of the season.
The Abes proved winning a midseason meeting was no fluke by outlasting top-ranked Grand Rapids Christian 53-39 in Saturday's Division 2 Final at the Breslin Center.
Lincoln had defeated the Eagles 49-47 in Grand Rapids on Jan. 20, but Abes players say that win had limited influence on the outcome of the championship game two months later – and that they had no problem facing Grand Rapids Christian a second time.
"Honestly, I thought it would be different," junior guard Da'Marion Bozeman said. "We beat them the first time, so we knew they'd be ready. But we wanted to win so bad, so there was that motivation."
The Abes used a 10-1 run in the fourth quarter to pull away for their first Finals title.
The Eagles (26-3) were within 34-33 during the waning seconds of the third quarter, but Lincoln junior guard Markus Blackwell went to work. He hit a pair of 3-pointers, a layup and two free throws over a four-minute stretch to up his team’s lead to 47-39 with three minutes to go.
Blackwell has his own theory on playing Grand Rapids Christian a second time. If the teams' first meeting showed anything, it's that Warren Lincoln (24-4) – which then won 13 of 15 games after downing the Eagles the first time – had to play well inside.
"We knew what they can do and that was stopping their big man, but what we do best is play defense," he said.
"I was locked in offensively because you have to score to win. My teammates put me in a position to score, I just had to make the shots."
Blackwell finished with 24 points, including hitting 4-of-7 3-point attempts. Moses Blackwell added 12 points.
Jaylan Ouwinga had 16 points, six rebounds, three blocks and three steals for Grand Rapids Christian. Malachi Hooser had 14 points for the Eagles.
Grand Rapids Christian shot just 34.9 percent (15 of 43) from the floor this time, missing 13 of 15 3-point tries. Warren Lincoln also held a 53-39 rebounding edge.
"We knew they had the one-two punch with the (Blackwell) brothers, and they have others who can shoot," Eagles coach Eric Taylor said. "We cut the lead and had to weather the storm. I thought at the end of the third quarter and going into the fourth we were in good position. They went to a zone, and we went a little stagnant."
Lincoln coach Wydell Henry said going to a zone was risky but paid off.
"We don't typically go to zone, we want to press teams,” he said. “We want to turn you over and speed up the game."
The championship game appearance was Lincoln's first. The Eagles were playing in their first Final since 2017.
"They're a big team. We knew that," Henry said. "We beat them in Grand Rapids, which was big. We weren't scared. We just told the kids to stick it out."
PHOTOS (Top) Warren Lincoln’s Moses Blackwell (0) soars into the lane as Grand Rapids Christian’s Jaylan Ouwinga (32) attempts to block his path Saturday night at Breslin Center. (Middle) Ouwinga gets a hand up as Lincoln’s Markus Blackwell looks for an opening. (Below) Abes players raise their championship trophy. (Photos by Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)
Breslin Bound: 2024-25 Boys Report Week 9
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 27, 2025
While sub-zero temperatures froze out several games during the first half of last week, the state’s boys basketball scene warmed up plenty on the way to the weekend as Michigan’s hopefuls continued to build their title aspirations with just about a month remaining before District play begins.
This week will see our first league champions crowned, conference tournament play begin, and a flurry of other key matchups as we move closer to the final stretch of the regular season.
“Breslin Bound” is powered by MI Student Aid 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. Riverview Gabriel Richard 88, Jackson Lumen Christi 65 RGR (13-2) sits alone atop the Catholic High School League AA after handing the Titans (13-1) their only loss this season in what also was a matchup of statewide Division 3 contenders.
2. Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice 66, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 64 The Warriors (14-1) avenged a string of three losses to St. Mary’s (8-6) from last season, including in their Division 1 Quarterfinal.
3. Grand Rapids Northview 57, Grand Rapids South Christian 55 Northview (11-3) held onto the top spot in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Gold, but now alone in sending the Sailors (9-4) into second place.
4. Allen Park Inter-City Baptist 70, Southfield Christian 65 (OT) Inter-City (12-2) broke a first-place tie with Southfield Christian (11-3) in the Michigan Independent Athletic Conference Blue in a meeting of top Division 4 teams statewide as well.
5. Flint Powers Catholic 60, Warren Fitzgerald 58 The Chargers (13-0) remained perfect on the season in edging Fitzgerald (12-2) at the Downtown Showdown at Detroit Cass Tech.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Detroit U-D Jesuit (14-1) The Cubs have emerged from another elite group in the CHSL Central this season and clinched a share of the league title with Friday’s 60-58 win over Toledo Central Catholic. That came just two days after a 79-78 edging of Ann Arbor Huron, one of several notable wins this winter. Jesuit handed Brother Rice its lone loss, 58-44 on Dec. 6, and owns a 63-54 win over Orchard Lake St. Mary’s and a 65-52 victory over Clarkston among other highlights. The Cubs will get a few more tests before the CHSL Tournament begins Feb. 8, most notably against reigning Division 2 champion Warren Lincoln on Feb. 4.
Marquette (10-2) After starting the season 1-2, Marquette has been on a roll defeating three double-digit win teams – Ishpeming Westwood (11-4), Iron Mountain (11-2) and Kingsford (10-2) – plus Grand Blanc 66-65 after a long trip downstate Jan. 18. Marquette leads Kingsford by a game in the Great Northern Conference heading into the second half of the league schedule. The two losses came on back-to-back nights during the first weekend of December at Traverse City West and then Traverse City Central and by a combined seven points, and the Sentinels could see both again in District play after West halted their 20-4 campaign last season in a District Final.
DIVISION 2
Warren Lincoln (10-4) The reigning Division 2 champion sits atop the Macomb Area Conference Red standings but additionally has navigated a schedule loaded with Division 1 contenders. The Abes have wins over Ann Arbor Huron and Muskegon, plus a rising Clinton Township Chippewa Valley team, and the losses came to East Lansing, Byron Center (by two points), Brother Rice and Northview (by four points). As noted above, a major matchup is coming Feb. 4 when Lincoln hosts Detroit U-D Jesuit, and the Abes will close the regular season against Warren Fitzgerald during their 313 Classic.
Yale (14-1) The Blue Water Area Conference has five teams (of eight) at 8-5 or better, and Yale tops the league with its only loss this season to MAC Gold contender St. Clair (12-4) on Dec. 17. The Bulldogs won their first meeting with second-place Imlay City 46-33 three weeks ago and will host the rematch Feb. 18; Imlay City was first and Yale second in the BWAC last season as Yale finished 16-6 overall. Yale has had only three single-digit games this winter, but shined downing Lapeer by three, Linden by three and Harbor Beach (12-1) by two in consecutive games over the second half of the holiday break.
DIVISION 3
Ithaca ((10-3) The Yellowjackets bounced back Friday from two straight losses to get past Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary 34-32 and maintain a tie for first with Saginaw Valley Lutheran atop the TVC Blue. A 50-48 defeat to Valley Lutheran was Ithaca’s closest of three this season, and the rematch is Feb. 14. The Yellowjackets also lost to last season’s league champion Saginaw Nouvel but will get an opportunity to avenge in the regular-season finale Feb. 21. Wins over Jack Pine Conference Division 1 leader Standish-Sterling (12-2) and Highland Conference leader Beal City (10-2) have shown their potential, and the third loss came to Big Thumb Conference White co-leader Millington (12-1).
Schoolcraft (10-3) Few teams have a more impressive list of losses, as Schoolcraft has sharpened itself in defeats to Flint Powers (13-0) and Lumen Christi (13-1) and in their first matchup against Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley foe Parchment (10-2). The Eagles will meet Parchment again Feb. 7 with hopes to taking back at least a share of first place, but they also have sizable tests coming up against reigning Division 4 champion Wyoming Tri-unity Christian (10-2), Southwest 10 Conference co-leader Centreville (10-1) and Grand Rapids Covenant Christian (11-2). Schoolcraft defeated Tri-unity and Centreville last season on the way to finishing 22-4.
DIVISION 4
Wyoming Tri-unity Christian (10-2) The Defenders have celebrated coach Mark Keeler’s 700th win this season and of course would love to send him into retirement with a seventh Finals championship in March. They have an early lead in the Alliance League and win over reigning champion Wyoming Lee after finishing second to Lee the last two seasons, and their only losses have come to Fowler (13-2) by three points Dec. 3 and Division 2 Grand Rapids West Catholic by seven during the Cornerstone University Holiday Classic at the end of last month. Tri-unity also owns wins over Adrian Lenawee Christian (12-2) and Grand Rapids Covenant Christian (11-2) with the above-noted matchup with Schoolcraft and a later one with Beal City good tests before the postseason.
Harbor Springs Harbor Light Christian (11-2) Last season’s Northern Lakes Conference co-champion leads the new West division and does have a win over East leader Alanson, 58-47 after those two shared the formerly-combined NLC title a year ago. All of Harbor Light’s 11 wins this winter have come by nine or more points, and they’ve taken good losses to Traverse City Christian (12-2) and Pickford (11-1). The Swordsmen will get another chance against TC Christian at home Feb. 11, and a matchup with Harbor Springs (11-2) the night before also will be telling of the team’s potential to continue building on last year’s 20-5 finish.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Monday – Hartford (11-1) at Centreville (10-1) – This will be their first of two meetings, and they are both undefeated in league play and tied atop the Southwest 10 Conference.
Thursday – Haslett (11-1) at Mason (12-1) – Mason has a one-game lead atop the Capital Area Activities Conference Red thanks to a 65-63 win over second-place Haslett on Dec. 13.
Thursday – Onsted (13-0) at Adrian Madison (10-3) – Onsted’s one game lead on Madison in the Lenawee County Athletic Association came from a 59-34 win over the Trojans on Dec. 12.
Friday – Traverse City West (11-1) at Cadillac (9-4) – West also owns a slim lead atop the Big North Conference thanks to a 60-46 win over Cadillac in their first meeting Dec. 12.
Saturday – Grand Rapids Christian (9-4) vs. Detroit Cass Tech (11-1) – This is the 2:45 p.m. game at the Red Hawk Showcase at Aquinas College and will come about 17 hours after Christian plays Grand Rapids Catholic Central for first place in the O-K White.
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) Iron Mountain's Oskar Kangas (0) dunks the ball off a fourth-quarter inbounds pass during his team’s 58-32 win over Ishpeming Westwood on Thursday. (Middle) Detroit Cass Tech’s Donavin Eddins (12) gets up a shot in traffic during his team’s 68-57 win over Rochester Adams on Dec. 30. (Iron Mountain/Westwood photo by Cara Kamps. Cass Tech/Adams photo by Team Arreguin Photos.)