MHSAA Bracketology: Division III Outlook

Back for another year. It’s America’s.. err..Michigan’s…err… my favorite game. The chance to predict one of the more volatile and unpredictable brackets in sports. The upcoming state high school basketball tournament. I’m planning on going through each of the four classifications and try to forecast what will happen. For the sake of brevity. I’m only going to project out to the Elite Eight (Quarterfinal) round. 

As always…. This is high school sports. All meant to be in good fun. I have no dogs in this fight. If this is this taken by some team and used as motivation or bulletin board material. That would honestly be perfectly fine with me.

I’m not one to blow my horn…. Am I… no don’t do it… I can’t… here it goes. Knowing full well I might be jinxing myself. I kind of nailed this division last year If you are scoring at home you can read it here

Quarterfinal #9 @ Boyne City
Maple City Glen Lake vs McBain

Two of the top Division III programs in the 21st century will face off in the shadow of Boyne Mountain. Both teams made it to this round last year. However they did not face each other. As Glen Lake had a one off year in Division IV. It won’t be an easy road for the Lakers. Iron Mountain should get out of districts this year. Once they get that two year monkey off their back. Oskar Kangas and company could be dangerous. If they don’t make it here, 2023 Division IV state champion Munising will probably be the reason.

The Lakers also need to watch out for Harbor Springs. The Rams feature one of the best junior backcourts in the division with Braeden Flynn and Rider Bartel. The high scoring duo is dynamic but not very big. If you don’t have size, your are going to struggle with Jacob Plamondon and Glen Lake. As you will see below, this division is loaded with college players. All that considered, the 6-6 junior is the most difficult individual matchup in the division. An old school beast on the block— and he is not a one man show. You won’t need a program to identify Grand Valley football commit Benji Allen, you’ll know. Glen Lake also has a young and talented backcourt.

To beat the Lakers you are going to need size. I’m convinced when Gillis and John McBain established Michigan’s eighth smallest city in 1887. The charter only allowed tall people to settle there. While McBain is smaller than last years semifinal squad. They still have plenty of size. They also feature one of the best 1-2 punches in the state with senior Ben Rodenbaugh (pictured) and sophomore Clayton Heuker. Both run about 6-5 and are multi talented. The regional is stout. However two of their possible opponents are conference foes, so surprises there. (Beal City who they split with, and Pine River) The regional takes place in a conference gym about 10 miles from their school (Lake City)

Pick: McBain will struggle with Plamondon— most do. However Hall of Fame head coach Bruce Koopman will scheme up something up to slow him down. The immovable object meets the irresistible force. An old school school coach who has built a program on interior defense and rebounding against the imposing bigs from the Sleeping Bear Dunes. McBain’s experience in the division will give them the slight nod this year. But watch out for Glen Lake next year.

Quarterfinal #12 @ St Clair County CC
Detroit Central vs Millington

I ranked Arts & Technology Academy of Pontiac #1 at the end of the season. So I definitely think ATAP can take Detroit Central’s spot here. Especially after winning the Charter League championship via forfeit. Maybe I’m just caught up in the nostalgia of Antonio Gates making the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Gates was the first star high basketball player I saw at the Breslin Center. He led Detroit Central to a 1998 state championship in Class A.

No, it’s not nostalgia. I just think the junior trio of Tyre Acuff, Jaden McDonald, and Jeremiah Gray are that good. Acuff and McDonald are talented guards. While Gray provides a 6-7 presence in the paint. The Lions of ATAP could make me look silly here. But I’m sticking with the Trailblazers.

I was a little slow to get on the Millington train. However after appearing in a football state championship, the Cardinals put together an outstanding regular season. I saw Brad Coleman with an AAU squad in Ohio this summer and he can play with anyone. He also has a strong supporting cast with Owen Kreger, Bryce Martin, and the name of the bracket Truk TerBush. This group has won a lot of sporting events in their career. Millington also hosts the regional in their home gymnasium. The Burton Bendle district has a lot of talent (Flint International and New Standard) and Harbor Beach is a one loss squad. However home court advantage will be tough against a team like Millington.

Pick- Millington’s run will end as Detroit Central’s talent will be too much for the Cardinals to overcome. After closing out the late 90’s there. The Trailblazers will head back the the Breslin for the first time in this century.

Quarterfinal #11 @ Ypsilanti Lincoln
Jackson Lumen Christi vs Riverview Gabriel Richard

I like to give you multiple teams to watch in each pod. Ithaca is a good young team hosting their regional. Shannon Henderson and Stockbridge are a tough matchup. Ypsilanti Arbor Prep is talented and young. That being said, I have to squint really hard to not see a third matchup between these two parochial powers.

Jackson Lumen Christi has the more difficult road. As Grass Lake and host Hanover-Horton will be tough outs. However they have enough talent to get through it. The backcourt mix of experience (Luke Tropea, Kadale Williams) and youth (Ashton Callan, Broden Burgess) presents some serious Titan firepower.

Defending semifinalist Riverview Gabriel Richard is highly motivated after an overtime loss at the Breslin Center last season. The top level college talent of Charles Kage (Saginaw Valley St) Luke Westerdale (Wayne St) and Nick Sobush (Siena Heights) are the best trio in the division. They have two losses against a gauntlet of schedule and appear to be playing their best basketball entering March.

Pick- Cliche alert… it’s hard to beat a good team three times. Lumen Christi is certainly a good team. Josh Tropea is a state championship head coach. He will have something different for the third matchup. I just can’t look past those previous margins though. Riverview Richard has an easier road in hosting their regional as well. The Pioneers of Riverview Gabriel Richard head back to the Breslin Center.

Quarterfinal #10 @ Kalamazoo Loy Norrix
Pewamo-Westphalia vs Schoolcraft

Two small school athletic powers with recent state championships. Pewamo-Westphalia has seemingly been good my entire life— and I’m old. They have also done with a balanced and egalitarian approach largely without next level college players. This year they have one in 6-3 junior Grady Eklund. The versatile and bouncy guard can really go and is one of the more underrated players in the state. North Muskegon is really good. However I have my eyes on their young squad more for next season.

Schoolcraft does have six losses, but it came against a very difficult schedule. They feature size all over the court. With 6-4 senior Tucker Walther in the backcourt and 6-9 junior Jimmy Miller in the paint. They host their regional and have plenty of big game experience. That will difficult for squads like Hartford and defending state champion Niles Brandywine to overcome.

Pick- Perhaps the toughest call. Schoolcraft’s size will bother Pewamo. But I’m going with Grady. That has an alliterative ring to it. The Pirates of Pewamo-Westphalia make the short trip to the Breslin Center.

Semifinal #1
McBain vs Detroit Central

McBain fell in overtime last year to eventual champion Niles Brandywine. While Brandywine and Detroit Central are from opposite sides of the state. I see some similarities between the two squads. McBain’s lessened depth from last season will show up in this contest. Detroit Central back to the finals.

Semifinal #2
Riverview Gabriel Richard vs Pewamo-Westphalia

It’s hard to pick against the talent of Riverview Gabriel Richard. That being said, PW has a facsimile way to balance out Richard’s strengths. Grady Eklund can match Luke Westerdale’s talent at the point. Reece Thelen has the competitive fire and skill level to compete with Nick Sobush at the two. And while he might not have the same press clippings. Junior Trent Piggot has the girth to keep Charles Kage away from the basket.

If you prefer more concrete reasoning. These teams have one common opponent in Division I Grand Blanc. While the circumstances of each game could not have been any different (late vs early in the season) The results were quite different. Riverview Richard fell to Grand Blanc, while Pewamo defeated then handily. I’m going with a slight upset and moving Pewamo-Westphalia onto the finals.

The Final

A tough one. If any team could have home court advantage in the cavernous Breslin Center. It’s Pewamo-Westphalia (East Lansing might want a word in Division I this year) Making the short ride home Thursday afternoon. Having a somewhat normal day of school and practice time on Friday. Sleeping in your own bed. Not the strongest reasoning. But I’m going with the Pirates of Pewamo-Westphalia to raise another state championship banner.