Bank Hoops Class D All-State

Jason Whitens with the third of Powers North Central’s three state championship trophies.

Class D Player of the Year

Jason Whitens  6-5  Sr  Powers North Central: He led North Central to a state-record and nation’s longest living win streak 83 games. Among and last of those were three state championships. Whitens’ versatility is found in the school record book, where he’s first all-time in scoring, assists and steals. As a senior he averaged 24 points, 11.5 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals per game. He placed third in the Mr. Basketball voting, the best showing from an Upper Peninsula player in over 25 years.

Class D All-State

Dawson Bilski  6-3  Sr  Powers North Central: Averaged 19.7 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists per game for the state champions. Bilski scored 25 in the state final and made the game-winning assist in the semifinals. Signed with Michigan Tech.

Gunnar Libby  5-9  Sr  Hillman: Hillman’s all-time leading scorer led them to a regional championship. He averaged 19 points, 5.5 assists and 4.7 steals per game.

Gabe Meriwether  6-3  Sr  Bellaire: He finished as the Eagles’ all-time career scorer, including 24.2 points per game as a senior. Meriwether also averaged 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 3.7 steals per game. Signed with Cornerstone.

Brock Washington  6-4  Sr  Southfield Christian: Averaged 13.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game against the state’s toughest Class D schedule.

Bryce Washington  6-4  Jr  Southfield Christian: D1 recruit was his team’s leading scorer and rebounder averaging 18.5 and 7 per game for state semifinalist.

Class D Coach of the Year

Blair Moss, Buckley: His first season Buckley won a single game. Five years later the Bears lost but one, going 26-1 falling to Powers North Central in the state final. Moss remains one of Northern Michigan’s most talented passing guards from the 1970s at Benzie Central, where he later coached for a dozen seasons, and this Buckley team reflected that player-friendly aesthetic with its go-go offense.

Class D Defensive Player of the Year

Ridge Beeman  5-11  So  Buckley: He’s the fastest player in Class D and woe be the scorer whom Beeman directs his physical advantages. During Buckley’s tournament run, in the five second halves between the district final and state semifinal the men he defended scored 13 points total.

Second Team All-State

• Denver Cade  6-2  Jr  Buckley
• Derek Edington  6-7  Sr  Pickford
• Austin Harris  6-3  Jr  Buckley
• Matt Havey  6-1  Sr  Lansing Christian
• Jake Witt  6-7  Jr  Ewen-Trout Creek

Third team

• Blake Dockery  6-2  Jr  Baldwin
• Daniel Everhart  6-0  Jr  Marine City Cardinal Mooney
• Dylan Jergens  5-11  So  Howardsville Christian
• Matt Malcolm  6-4  Jr  Plymouth Christian
• Jeremy Pung  6-7  Sr  Fowler

Fourth team

• Harlond Beverly  6-3  So  Southfield Christian
• Preston Granger  6-6  Sr  Lansing Christian
• Kash O’Brien  6’0  Sr  Mackinaw City
• Devin Schmitz  5-9  Jr  Dollar Bay
• Jaylon Rogers  6-1  Jr  Frankfort

Fifth team

• Tyler Rose  5’11  Sr  Genesee Christian
• Zach Burk  6-3  Sr  Lutheran Westland
• Colten Nelson  6-2  So  Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart
• Grant Dittmer  6-0  Sr  Bay City All Saints
• Jacob Oom  5-9  Sr  Alanson

Sixth team

• Kyle Hensley  6-5  Sr  Sterling Heights Parkway Christian
• Marcus Krachinski  6-1  Sr  Powers North Central
• Mason Pline  6-7  Jr  Fowler
• Thomas Hursey  6-0  Jr  Suttons Bay
• Forrest Bouyer  5-10  Sr  Lansing Christian

Seventh team

• James Kersting  6-0  Sr  Harbor Light Christian
• Zach Walden  5-10  Sr  Fulton
• Matt Loney  6-3  Jr  Frankfort
• Riley Boomershine  6-2  Sr  Climax-Scotts
• Brett Moore  6-7  Sr  Pellston
• Joe Weber  5-10  Jr  Buckley

Eighth team

• James Kersting  6-0  Sr  Harbor Light Christian
• Bobby Kleiman  6-0  Sr  Powers North Central
• Peter Kalthoff  6-7  Jr  Hillsdale Academy
• Tanner Curry  6-3  Sr  Martin
• Max Okolo  6-5  Jr  Plymouth Christian

Class D Underclassman All-State

• Britton Angell  6-2  So  Big Rapids Crossroads
• Wyatt Waterbury  5-10  So  Bellevue
• Jake Burger  6-2  So  Pittsford
• Caleb Hunter  5-10  So  Southfield Christian
• Ridge Beeman  5-11  So  Buckley