State Tournament: Top District Semifinals

Senior point guard Leonard Silas and Cass Tech have a rematch with East English Village, this time in a Class A district semifinal instead of the Detroit PSL semifinal, which Cass won before defeating Detroit King for the league title.

Class A

12-8 West Bloomfield @ 16-4 Farmington, 5 pm: WB is dangerous if the backcourt of senior Kevin McAdoo and junior Tre Harvey are hitting, and the Lakers have played a much tougher schedule. 6-5 Farmington junior Jordan Graham is a problematic matchup.

12-7 Petoskey @ 12-9 Traverse City West, 7 pm: They split in the regular season, with Petoskey winning at West and vice-versa. Both teams have D1 big men in Petoskey’s Danny Kolp and West’s Ryan Hayes, though for the latter it’s on the football field as a Power 5 lineman recruit.

21-0 East Lansing vs. 13-7 Lansing Waverly, 7:30 pm @ Lansing Eastern: These two played just last week, with the undefeated Trojans leading by one at the half and two after three quarters before pulling away in the fourth. East Lansing will have the top player on the court here and in most any contest, 6-8 senior Brandon Johns, while Waverly senior guard Jaden Sutton is always a threat to go off.

14-7 Forest Hills Central vs. 14-6 Forest Hills Northern, 7:15 pm @ Rockford: If AAU coaches are so bad, why did we see FHC’s Ken George and FHN’s Joe Soules on the bench last spring?

13-8 Hudsonville @ 20-1 West Ottawa, 7:45 pm: The home team beat Hudsonville twice en route to an undefeated O-K Red slate. Senior Jake VanTubbergen and junior Tyler Bosma are as tough a frontcourt duo as you’ll find — GR Christian included, as JVT scored 31 when they played in the regular season. On Hudsonville’s side is Eric Elliott, as good an x-and-o coach as there is in Michigan.

15-5 Ann Arbor Skyline @ 15-5 Ann Arbor Huron, 5:30 pm: Skyline will try to get past Huron for the third time this year, no easy task as these teams are evenly matched (one of those wins remains a ‘game of the year’ candidate, 95-93 in 3 OT). If Huron eeks it out this time, 6-6 junior Avery Lewis could be the difference.

16-4 Detroit Cass Tech @ 14-5 Detroit East English Village, 5:30 @ Grosse Pointe South: This is a rematch from the PSL semifinals, which Cass won en route to the league title. In that one it was the Technicians’ Marcus Gibbs making three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, including the game-winner, while EEV’s junior backcourt star David DeJulius made 1 of his last 6 field goal attempts.

16-3 Detroit U-D Jesuit vs. 11-9 Southfield A&T, 5 pm @ Detroit Renaissance: With a healthy Mike Flowers, a guard headed to WMU, Southfield A&T is much better than its record, and gave Clarkston its only loss of the season. U-D is the defending Class A champion and has one of the few guards, junior Elijah Collins, who can slow down a talent like Flowers.

Class B

13-8 Coloma @ 17-3 Benton Harbor, 7:30 pm: Expect some college coaches in the stands to check out Coloma sophomore guard Zach Goodline, who averages 27 points per game, and the state’s No. 1 2020 prospect Benton Harbor’s 6-6 freshman Carlos Johnson.

21-0 Hillsdale @ 15-5 Onsted, 7 pm: Undefeated Hillsdale twice sneaked by Onsted in the regular season, in double OT and 64-62. They’re powered by a pair of 6-4 vets. Senior Ethan Bernard averages 20 points and 6 rebounds per game, junior Bryce Drews averages 23 points and 9 rebounds per game. Onsted has found there’s life after Austin Davis. 6-6 senior Skyler Lipinski averages 20.5 points and 10 rebounds per game.

16-5 Grayling @ 17-3 Sault Ste. Marie, 6 PM  THURSDAY (Mackinac Bridge closed Wednesday due to high winds): This could be a GLIAC big man preview between 6-8 Troy Summers, Grayling’s career rebounding leader headed to NMU, and the Sault’s 6-8 junior Brandon Paul, the more athletic of the two.

Class C

21-0 Michigan Center @ 16-5 Napoleon, 6 pm: We’ve been championing Michigan Center since seeing them handily beat Class A DeWitt at a Christmas tournament. They’re very balanced, revolving around 6-3 senior Connor Pelham and senior guards Austin McKenzie, Kylen Brown and Brett Haynes.

17-4 Ottawa Lake Whiteford @ 20-0 Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central, 7:30 pm: SMCC is hoping not to go the way of Sand Creek, another undefeated Class C team from the Ohio borderlands, which was upset in their first district game. The Falcons may have the top post duo in the entire division in 6-7 senior Nick Welch and 6-8 junior CJ Haut. Whiteford beat Blissfield in their district opener 80-60.

15-6 Reese @ 20-1 Marlette, 6 pm: 6-5 senior Isaac Dale is a load for host Marlette and they’ll be looking to avenge their only loss of the season against Reese and their tough tweener junior Kyle Stockmeyer.

13-7 Saugatuck vs. 15-5 Grand Rapids Covenant Christian, 5:30 pm @ Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian: The state’s best all-around, four-sport athlete, Blake Dunn, is averaging 24 points per game. But Saugatuck hasn’t been a one-man show since 6-6 junior transfer Teague Tiemeyer became eligible, as he’s scoring 17 a game. Covenant Christian has an underrated 6-6 junior in Carson Meulenberg, who is averaging 13.5 points and 7 rebounds per game including 29 points against Grand Rapids Catholic Central’s imposing frontcourt.

17-3 Iron Mountain vs. 18-2 Norway 6 pm @ West Iron County: These teams split in the regular season. If you don’t think there’s talent in the UP, then you haven’t seen Iron Mountain’s 6-4 senior Carson wonders, headed for NMU, or their freshman guard, Marcus Johnson. And from Norway, 6-4 junior Connor Ortman.

Class D

18-2 Owendale-Gagetown vs. 16-4 Bay City All Saints, 6 pm @ Caseville: Owen-Gage hasn’t lost since before Christmas and features a 1,000-point career scorer in senior guard David Binder.