Category Archives: Sports

South Christian leans on defense to beat Unity in Division 2 state quarterfinals; advances to MSU Friday

City of Kentwood, Sports, West Michigan, , ,
South Christian’s Jake DeHaan takes a jump shot during the Division 2 state quarterfinal game against Unity Christian. DeHaan led the Sailors with 27 points. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor



The South Christian basketball team played without a familiar face in the lineup in a Division 2 state quarterfinal game against Hudsonville Unity Christian Tuesday at Calvin University, but its trademark lockdown team defense still made the trip and proved to be the difference in the 61-38 win over Unity Christian.

While a pair of broken wrists suffered in the regional finals ended the season for South Christian standout sophomore Carson Vis, the Sailors didn’t skip a beat in the quarters as their team defense stifled Unity from the opening tip to the final whistle. Their defense propelled them to the win and to Michigan State University where they’ll face Romulus Summit Academy North in the Division 2 state semifinals at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Breslin Center.

“I felt we did a really good job of playing team defense,” said South Christian Coach Taylor Johnson. “To hold a team like Unity Christian to just 38 points is impressive. We wanted to take away the three-point shot from them and we did that by holding them to five threes for the game. We are a defensive team. For us it’s all about getting stops. We chart how many stops we get during the game and we got a lot of them tonight.”

Sailors led 15-5 after first quarter

The Sailors recorded several stops in the opening quarter of the game as they limited Unity to a pair of field goals and a free throw as they jumped out to a 15-5 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Jake DeHaan gets game-high 27 points

On the offensive end of the floor, South senior guard Jake DeHaan stepped up and proved to be a reliable source of points. DeHaan scored 10 of South’s 15 points in the first quarter and didn’t stop pouring in buckets. DeHaan finished with a game-high 27 points for the Sailors.

“My teammates did a great job of finding me,” DeHaan said. “Without Carson it was a next man up situation for us. We just trust the next man and that made the difference. Carson is such a great player and such a great teammate so it was different for sure without him out there.”



South Christian’s Sam Medendorp (20) and Sam Weiss (23) prepare to block out a Unity Christian player during a free throw attempt in the Division 2 state quarterfinals. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



Both teams played tenacious defense during the second quarter. Unity was able to connect on a pair of three-point shots early in the second quarter as they whittled the Sailor lead to 18-14 midway through the quarter. South, however, answered late in the half with a three-point shot from Jake Vermaas and a bucket by DeHaan to take a 23-16 lead into halftime.

South stormed out of the locker room after halftime and took control of the game during the third quarter. DeHaan scored the first four points of the second half as South stretched the advantage to 29-13. The Sailors then began to flex their muscles inside led by senior big man Sam Medendorp.

Medendorp came up with one of his four blocked shots in the game midway through the third quarter that led to a bucket on the other end of the floor. Two possessions later Medendorp came up with a steal and then went in for a rim-rattling dunk that pumped the Sailor crowd into a frenzy and staked the Sailors to a 34-18 lead.

“We play for each other out there,” Medendorp said. “We’ve had some tough injuries this year. Jaxson Rynbrandt tore his ACL earlier this season and then Carson got injured in the last game. It’s huge for us to play together as a team. To play for our brothers.”

Medendorp turned in a huge all-around game for the Sailors. Along with scoring 16 points, Medendorp pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds, four blocked shots and a steal.

“I think Sam is one of the best big men in the state,” Johnson said. “He had 16 points and 11 rebounds tonight. His putbacks on the offensive end were huge. Some college coach is going to be really lucky to get Sam on his team next season.”

South Christian pushes lead to 20 points in fourth

South led 42-30 at the end of the third quarter and upped the lead to over 20 points midway through the final quarter.

“This win means a lot,” DeHaan said. “First, we win the state football title last fall and now this. It feels great.”

With the win, South Christian improved to 24-3 for the season, while Unity Christian closed out the season with an 18-10 record.

Junior guard Jake Vermaas joined DeHaan and Medendorp in double figures for South, totaling 14 points along with five assists and two steals.

“It’s special defeating Unity Christian,” Johnson said. “It’s a special rivalry. We have a love-hate relationship with them. We have a ton of respect for Scott (Unity Christian coach Scott Soodsma) and a ton or respect for their team.”

Junior guard Colin Nieuwenhuis led Unity Christian with 18 points, while Dylan Shaban added seven.        

Lee boys basketball program completes major turnaround season; 19-2 overall, 8-0 atop Alliance League

City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, , ,
Coach Dominic Shannon huddles up his team during a game earlier this season with Potter’s House. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)


By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org



After a successful basketball season, Lee Coach Dominic Shannon said it’s an understatement to say he’s proud of the boys.

“Words truly can’t express the love and respect we have for this special group of boys,” said Lee, whose team finished 19-2 overall and 8-0 in the Alliance League. “We accomplished the first conference championship in 43 years and lost by a total of four points all season. In my second year as head coach, we are well on our way to revitalizing a program which once upon a time had rich basketball history.

“The goal coming into this season was to continue to reshape the culture and for the student-athletes to understand what must be accepted or received in order to have a memorable season. I’m not surprised that we were successful, but I did not expect us to win 19 games this year. My staff and I, once fall league started, we began to see the team form and we all believed we would have the first winning season since 2010-2011, in which that Lee team finished 12-11.”


Last year, the Legends were 5-16 overall and 2-6 in the League.

Shannon’s highlight this season?

“Seeing the boys accept accountability and holding their brothers accountable,” Shannon said. “The 19 wins and two losses are impressive, the first conference championship in 43 years is extremely impressive, but as a coach I understand that the ball stops bouncing after so much time has passed.

“Once that ball stops bouncing all they’ll have left is their character and values and principles that they’ll stand on. We definitely want to win and compete, but the growth and maturity of the boys is essentially the driving force behind the success. This season was a success on several levels.”

Overtime loss to Godwin Heights in the districts

Shannon said the overtime loss to Godwin was and still is tough to swallow.

“We executed the game plan as we were up five points with under 40 seconds left in regulation and not to mention we missed 16 total free throws while being in position to win the game in regulation,” Shannon explained. “Execution late in the game was not what we’re capable of, essentially leading to an early playoff exit. I am already preparing for next season as I see where I can sharpen as preparation is key.

“The environment was very fun and I hope this game has restored the rivalry between Lee and Godwin.”

Scoring leader junior Marc Whitfield

Whitfield averaged 20 points, 5 assists and 3 steals this season. He had three 30-point games with a season high of 36 points against Lansing Eastern.

Lee guard Marc Whitfield. (Courtesy, Lee High School)



“Marc came into the season as our best player and I believe he exited the season as a more well-rounded player,” Shannon said. “The challenge for Marc this season was leading vocally the correct way. Marc’s energy and passion is felt each day in practice. So as coaches we evaluate what a student-athlete can do to improve themselves on and off the court, and for Marc it was communication.

“We’ve seen him accept ownership in not so pleasant times, lift up his teammates when they get down on themselves and show full maturity in the Godwin game. We believe he is a special athlete and his senior year is going to be fun to watch.”



Lone senior starter Joe Russau

“We sincerely appreciate the example he set as a senior by maintaining a 3.5 GPA all season and the presence he had as a captain,” Shannon said. “As a captain, there’s certain expectations the coaches have and he absolutely met them and it’ll be tough to see him go. He has yet to make a decision on where he’ll be playing college basketball next year, but whichever school he commits to will be receiving an awesome young man.”

Expectations for next year? 

Shannon said they will keep building upon the foundation laid two years ago.

“We are only losing one starter and three seniors total entering next season which provides comfort for the coaching staff as our senior class will be strong and understanding of expectations,” he explained. “We are expecting next season to be a battle in our conference and we’ll likely have a target on our back as defending conference champions.

“It would definitely be sweet to repeat as conference champs, but to meet those expectations, the work begins now.” 

South Christian uses big second half to defeat Hamilton en route to regional title; 14th straight win

City of Kentwood, Sports, West Michigan, , ,
South Christian’s Jake Vermaas led with 28 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists in the win. (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor

It took a while for the South Christian basketball team to take  control of the Division 2 regional title game at Vicksburg Wednesday evening, but when they did the Sailors left no doubt that the trophy was theirs.

Thanks to a strong close to the first half and a big second half, South Christian defeated Hamilton 82-47 to claim its first regional championship since 2019.

“It was an emotional game,” said South Christian Coach Taylor Johnson. “It was a great crowd and a great atmosphere. We started out a little slow, but then Nate Brinks hit a big three to put us up by 11 points at the half. Then we came out strong in the second half and scored 33 points in the third quarter.”

The game was tight in the early going with South leading 16-10 at the end of the first quarter. The Sailors maintained the single-digit margin in the second quarter before the three by Brinks sent South Christian into halftime with a 33-21 lead and riding a surge of momentum.


Jake DeHaan scored scored 24 points. (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)

“They (Hamilton) are a really good team,” Johnson said. “They are really physical and play really good help defense. They came out and were playing super aggressive. At halftime we made some adjustments and it paid off big in the third quarter.”

South Christian got on an offensive roll during the third quarter. The Sailors totaled 33 points in the third and built the lead to 66-35 heading into the final quarter.




Vermaas and DeHaan light up the third

“Jake Vermaas and Jake DeHaan were outstanding in the third quarter,” Johnson said. “They provided a big spark to our offense by hitting threes and scoring inside. Our defense was also a lot better. Our man-to-man defense took it up a notch in the second half and did a good job of slowing their offense down.”

South closed out the game by outscoring Hamilton 16-12 in the fourth quarter.

Vermaas led the way on offense for the Sailors with 28 points while DeHaan followed with 24 points. Vermaas turned in a solid all-around effort as he added seven rebounds and seven assists.

As a team, South blistered the nets by connecting on eight-of-17 three-point shots (47%) and connected on 31-of-49 (63%) field goals for the game. The Sailors also converted 12-of-13 free throws (92%) and outrebounded the Hawkeyes 31-14. Sam Medendorp led the Sailors in rebounding with eight rebounds.

“It was a great team win,” Johnson said. “I’m super happy for our school, our community and our coaches. We’ve been on a good run during the tournament. We’ve had our challenges but the guys have played some really good defense. They are sharing the ball on offense, diving on the floor for loose balls and taking charges.”

Strong regional showing

The win capped a strong regional showing that began with a 72-33 win over Niles in the regional semifinals. South turned in a sizzling shooting game against Niles as it connected on 10 three-point shots (56%) and shot 61 percent overall from the floor. The Sailors also outrebounded Niles 32-15 led by Vermaas with nine rebounds. Brinks led a balanced scoring attack with 14 points, followed by Carson Vis with 11 and Vermaas, 10. Vermaas also led on the boards with nine rebounds.

Sailors face Hudsonville Unity Christian in state quarterfinals

With their first regional title since 2019 secured, the Sailors head to the Division 2 state quarterfinals where they face long-time rival Unity Christian. The regional game is set for next Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Calvin University. Ironically, the last time South Christian played in the state quarterfinals was in 2019 against the same Unity Christian Crusaders in a game that also took place at Calvin.

“It will be a lot of fun for sure,” Johnson said. “It will be a great crowd. They have a great team and are very well coached. We played them in December and we won a close one.”

South Christian defeated host Unity Christian 58-50 on Dec. 16.

14 straight wins

The Sailors bring a 23-3 record into the quarterfinal matchup. They have won 14 straight games since a loss at Grand Rapids Catholic Central on Jan. 24.

Unity Christian advanced to the state quarterfinals by defeating Grand Rapids Christian 58-56 in the regional championship game it hosted. Unity Christian brings an 18-9 record into the quarterfinals and has a five-game winning streak highlighted by a tournament win against Grand Rapids Catholic Central.     

Tri-unity Christian boys use big fourth quarter to advance to Division 4 state quarterfinals

City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, , ,
The Defenders with their regional championship trophy. (Courtesy, Tri-Unity Christian)



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org



Ahead by five points heading into the fourth quarter, Tri-unity Christian outscored Lansing Christian 18-5 to secure a 62-44 regional championship Wednesday at Fowler High School.


Roy Fogg led with 17 points in the win. (Courtesy, Tri-unity)

“Last night was a great game to watch,” said the Defender’s Coach Mark Keeler, whose team improved to 20-6 overall. “My Assistant Coach Brent Voorhees suggested we try pressing down to get them out of the rhythm and it worked. They had made 12 threes for the game. Lansing Christian is a very well coached team.”

“Roy Fogg led us with 17. He was very versatile,” Keeler said. “He has really improved his outside shot so he’s affective going to the bucket or shooting outside. What I really enjoy about this team is the versatility of the players. We never know who’s going to step up and act out some key shots.




“Jordan VanKlompenberg had a great game with his 10 points, five assists and four steals. Akais Giplaye had eight points and six rebounds. He played huge for us. Owen Rosendall knocked down two key threes right before half to give us a lead of five. Wesley Kaman came off the bench and scored 15 points for us. He was awesome.”

Jordan VanKlompenberg had 10 points, 5 assists and 4 steals in the win. (Courtesy, Tri-unity)



Division 4 State Quarterfinal

The Defenders now face Kalamazoo Phoenix (17-2) at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 21 at Gull Lake High School.

“As far as Kalamazoo Phoenix, we know that they are a very good team,” Keeler said.

Boys Basketball: South Christian and Tri-unity advance to state quarterfinals next Tuesday

City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, ,
South Christian’s Jake Vermaas led with 28 points in his team’s regional final victory over Hamilton Wednesday. (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org


Division 2

Regional 12 at Vicksburg

Regional Final: South Christian 82, Hamilton 47

(SC: Jake Vermaas, 28 points; Jake DeHaan, 24)

State Quarterfinal: South Christian (23-3) vs. Hudsonville Unity Christian (18-9) at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 21 at Calvin University




Roy Fogg led the Defenders with 17 points. (Courtesy, Tri-unity)


Division 4

Regional 29 at Fowler

Regional Final: Tri-unity 62, Lansing Christian 44

(TU: Roy Fogg, 17 points; Wesley Kaman, 15; Jordan VanKlompenberg, 10 points, 5 assists, four steals; Owen Rosendall, 8 points; Akais Giplaye, 8 points 6 rebounds)

State Quarterfinal: Tri-Unity Christian (20-6) vs. Kalamazoo Phoenix (17-2) at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 21 at Gull Lake

After knocking off Niles Monday, South Christian boys in regional final tonight against Hamilton

City of Kentwood, Sports, West Michigan, ,
Nate Brinks led the Sailors with 15 points in a regional semifinal win over Niles Monday. (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org


South Christian boys basketball Coach Taylor Johnson said he’s expecting a very physical game tonight with Hamilton in a regional final in Vicksburg.

“They are very sound and play so hard,” Taylor said. “They travel super well; it’ll be a packed environment.”

The Sailors (22-3) face Hamilton (22-4) in a regional final tonight at 7 pm in Vicksburg. The teams will fight for a spot in a Division 2 quarterfinal on Tuesday.

In a 72-33 win over Niles Monday, South Christian had 10 3’s. Nate Brinks led the way with 15 points.

Boys Basketball Coach Tyler Whittemore reflects on Godwin Heights’ season

City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, ,
Godwin Heights Coach Tyler Whittemore. (Courtesy, Godwin Heights)



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org



After winning its first two tournament games, including a barnburner over a great Lee team, and losing to Hudsonville Unity Christian in a district final, Godwin Heights boys basketball Coach Tyler Whittemore looks back at his team’s successful season.

“I am lucky to have one of the best backcourts in West Michigan with Damarie Thompson and Jakhary Towns,” said Whittemore, whose team finished 14-8 overall and 8-5 in the OK Silver. “Those two guys are our leaders. Damarie has a toughness and intelligence about him that helped him lead the team in assists and steals.


Jakhary Towns. (Courtesy, Troy Maleport)
Damarie Thompson. (Courtesy, Godwin Heights)

“Jakhary is a special player that has a scoring ability that he has crafted over the years. His ability to score inside and out is dangerous for other teams. He often faced specialized defenses that attempted to take that away, but he continued to find ways to be efficient and effective for our team.”



Towns led the Wolverines with 28 points per game and also registered 3.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals.

“We came a long way this season when it comes to consistency and providing that effort needed to be successful,” Whittemore said. “The guys truly pushed one another to be great every possession. We improved on that and were in some great games throughout the season.”

Godwin beat Lee to advance to a district final last week

Godwin beat Lee 83-80 in overtime in a district semifinal matchup. Lee finished the season atop the Alliance League at 8-0 and was 19-2 overall.

“That game was important because it was win-or-go-home,” Whittemore explained. “We trusted and followed our leaders for this game. One of our captains, Jamarion Collins, set the tone tremendously by his defensive pressure and intensity. Many of his teammates fed off of his focus and were aggressive this game.

“I believe it was the toughness and intensity of Tre’Vonte Buckley that really helped us that game. Yes, Jakhary scored a lot of points that game (47), but it was Tre’ diving for loose balls and gathering second chance opportunities for his teammates.



From left: Damarie Thompson, Jace Reid-Anderson and Tre’Vonte Buckley. (WKTV, Greg Chrapek)



“We knew if we just played our game, remained together, and never stopped flying around until the buzzer sounds then anything can happen.”

Whittemore said he was very fortunate to have so many great athletes that are quick and can impact a game at any point.

“A couple of seniors that stick out to me that I knew I could lean on and trust in tough spots, even if things weren’t going their way earlier in the game, are Rashaad Dorsey and Johnny Horrell,” Whittemore said. “Those guys are very mentally tough and bring much quickness to our full-court defensive pressure.”

With many seniors this year, who will step up next season?

“Big leaps are made by all players who commit themselves to the weight room and time in the gym to work on their skills,” Whittemore explained. “A few players that I am excited for next season are Ben Dolo, Jaylen Martin and Jacari Jones. The underclassmen that will impact varsity greatly are Marcos Rodriguez, Jamaan Hastings and Isaiah Guyton.”

Tri-unity uses long ball to beat Baldwin in regional semifinal Monday

City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, ,
Jordan VanKlompenberg led Tri-Unity with 20 points in the Defenders 79-36 win over Baldwin in their regional semifinal Monday.



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org


Tri-Unity Christian made nine 3’s in the first half of its 79-36 regional semifinal win over Baldwin on Monday at Fowler High School.

The Defenders (19-6) advanced to their regional final against Lansing Christian (16-9) at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Fowler.

“This was the best first half of a game this year for us,” said Tri-unity Coach Mark Keeler. “We had nine 3’s in the first half and a lead of 45-23 against a team that was 22-1.”

The Defenders led 26-9 at the end of the first quarter.

Jordan VanKlompenberg led Tri-unity with 20 points, including four treys, followed by Roy Fogg, 16; Wesley Kaman, 15 (3 treys) and Akais Giplaye, 10 points, 8 rebounds. Fogg and Keaton Blanker had 5 assists apiece.

“Roy has really been working on his shot and had great rotation on the ball,” Keeler said. “Our team played great team defense. 

“Going into the regional final we know that Lansing Christian is in an extremely tough conference and will come ready to play.  It will take another excellent effort by our team to continue the run we would like to have.”

Lansing Christian beat Fruitport Calvary Christian 51-40 in its regional semifinal.

Boys Basketball: South Christian, Tri-unity advance to regional finals Wednesday

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, , , , ,
Tri-unity’s Jordan VankKlompenberg led the Defenders with 20 points in his team’s regional semifinal victory. (Courtesy, Tri-unity)


By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org


Division 1

Regional 3 at West Ottawa

Semifinal: Hudsonville 55, Rockford 50

Semifinal: Muskegon 68, East Kentwood 48

Regional Final: Muskegon vs. Hudsonville at 7 pm Wednesday at West Ottawa

Division 2

Regional 12 at Vicksburg

Semifinal: South Christian 72, Niles 33

(SC: Nate Brinks, 15 points. The Sailors had 10 3’s.)

Semifinal: Hamilton 63, Marshall 62

Regional Final: South Christian (22-3) vs. Hamilton (22-4) at 7 pm Wednesday at Vicksburg

Division 4

Regional 29 at Fowler

Semifinal: Tri-Unity Christian 79, Baldwin 36

(TU: Jordan VanKlompenberg, 20 points; Roy Fogg, 16; Wesley Kaman, 15; Akais Giplaye, 10 points, 8 rebounds; Fogg and Keaton Blanker, 5 assists apiece)

Semifinal: Lansing Christian 51, Fruitport Calvary Christian 40

Regional Final: Tri-unity (19-6) vs. Lansing Christian (16-9) at 7 pm Wednesday at Fowler

Watch our latest WKTV Friday Night Highlights show HERE, March 10! Featuring boys basketball districts

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, , ,



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org

Take a look at our latest edition of WKTV Friday Night Highlights right now, Friday, March 10.

 

Check out our local boys teams’ district highlights here … our last highlights show of the season!

Many thanks to all you coaches, players and fans for watching our show all season long! It has been a rewarding and fun season covering our local boys and girls basketball teams.



We’ll be back with great highlights and a weekly show during football. Look for our continued coverage of the boys playoffs with stories and updates on this website: wktvjournal.org

Thanks Again!!

East Kentwood boys turn up the heat on defense to stop Byron Center in district final Friday

City of Kentwood, Sports, West Michigan, ,
The East Kentwood basketball team celebrates with the district trophy after defeating Byron Center 62-45 in the district title game. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor

The old saying that defense wins championships was certainly spot on for the East Kentwood basketball team in Friday’s district championship game with Byron Center.


Thanks to a stifling defense that closed like a vise as the game progressed, East Kentwood won its first district championship since 2019 by defeating Byron Center 62-45. With the win, the Falcons move on to Monday’s regional semifinal at Holland West Ottawa where they will square off with Muskegon.

Byron Center had the upper hand for most of the early going, but as the second half wore on the East Kentwood defense became a more difficult puzzle to solve for the Bulldogs. In the fourth quarter, that defense paid dividends in a big way as the Falcons quickly seized the lead and never looked back.

“March is about dancing and we want to dance after every game,” said East Kentwood Coach Michael Thomas. “We are on a mission. Our guys have all bought in and believe in our system. We have a list of goals and we are checking them off.”

Bulldogs up 15-9 to end first quarter

Byron Center came out determined to prevent the Falcons from checking off the goal of winning a district championship and at the end of the opening quarter the Bulldogs were up 15-9.

East Kentwood roared back in the early going of the second quarter with a 9-0 run that put the Falcons up 18-15. Byron Center weathered that storm and regrouped during the remainder of the half, taking a 24-20 lead into halftime.

Byron Center continued to make things difficult for the Falcons in the third quarter. Displaying patience on offense and avoiding turnovers, Byron Center built its lead to 37-30 by the end of the third quarter.

The Falcons, however, continued to play solid halfcourt defense and picked up the intensity with their full-court defense in the fourth quarter. The constant pressure began to pay off in the final quarter. Trailing 39-36, Kentwood senior guard Marshaun Flakes stepped up on defense and turned the momentum of the game totally around.


East Kentwood senior guard Marshaun Flakes (5) applies defensive pressure during the district championship game. Flakes came up with a pair of key steals in the fourth quarter to break the game open. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



With 6:36 remaining in the game, Flakes came up with a steal that he quickly turned into two points on the other end of the floor. Seconds later Flakes struck again as he stole a Bulldog pass and raced down the floor on a drive to the bucket that put the Falcons up 40-39 and whipped the large Kentwood cheering section into a frenzy.

“Marshaun reminds me of Dwyane Wade in the way that he is all over the court and can make sudden plays,” Thomas said. “He’s a slasher who can make big plays on offense or defense at any time.”

EK puts up an 18-2 run in fourth

The impact plays by Flakes highlighted an 18-2 run that East Kentwood went on to start the fourth quarter and take control of the game. The run was capped by two more buckets from Flakes that put the Falcons up 48-39 with 3:15 remaining in the game.

“We did a good job with our defense of speeding them up on offense,” Flakes said. “My teammates were playing great defense and I just rotated over and got the steals. Winning this district feels really good because there is some really good competition in this district. Our schedule was also really competitive during the season and that got us ready for the tournament.”

That run took Byron Center out of its rhythm and changed the tempo of the game. East Kentwood continued to put their foot on the gas and outscored the Bulldogs 14-6 to close out the game. Junior Christian Humphrey also gave the Falcon fans plenty to cheer about as he delivered three breakaway slam dunks in the final two minutes of the game that provided the icing on the district cake.

Flakes, who scored 12 points during the fourth quarter, led the Falcons in scoring with 22 points. Jamell Hatchett added 16 points, followed by Humphrey with 14.

With the win, East Kentwood improved to 18-6 for the season.



East Kentwood sophomore guard Jamell Hatchett sets up the offense during action in the district championship game. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



“This feels good,” Hatchett said. “Coach changed the culture when he came in. We all believe in each other and we are a brotherhood. That is a big reason for our success.”

Byron Center finished the season at 14-11. Austin Buckley led the Bulldogs with 21 points and Camden Karel added 13. 

South Christian wins Division 2 District at Plainwell

South Christian won the district title at the Division 2 Plainwell district in a big way. The Sailors put up 64 points on the scoreboard and limited Otsego to 29 points to earn the win. 

With the win, South Christian improved to 21-3 for the season while Otsego ended the season with an 18-5 record.

South Christian will head to the Vicksburg regional on Monday where it faces Niles.

Tri-unity wins Division 4 District at Martin

Tri-unity added another district title to its vast trophy case by turning back Zion Christian 61-27 to win the title at the Martin district.

With the win, Tri-unity improved to 18-6 for the season. Zion Christian ended the season with an 11-13 record.

Tri-unity heads to the Fowler regional on Monday where it faces Baldwin. 

Godwin Heights rallies to outlast Lee 83-80 in district semi OT thriller; Towns scores 47 points

City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, , ,
Godwin’s Jakhary Towns (10, far right), teammate Damarie Thompson (2) and Lee’s Clarence Lewis (11) during the district semifinal game. Towns finished with a career-high 47 points. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor


The venerable Godwin Heights gym has seen some thrillers in its long history, but few have produced the drama that the host Wolverines and Lee produced in Wednesday’s district semifinal game.

Trailing by six points with 20 seconds remaining, Godwin tied the game and sent it into overtime where it eventually came away with an 83-80 win.

Godwin Heights senior guard Jakhary Towns turned in a game for the ages as he poured in 47 points to lead the comeback and give himself and his teammates one more game to be played on their home court.

“When we were down by six late in the fourth quarter we were talking in the huddle about getting two more stops,” Towns said. “We had a lot of energy left and we knew if we could get two more big stops, we could do it.”

Godwin’s comeback hopes received a big shot of adrenaline with 17 seconds left in the game when Towns stepped back and drained a three-point shot that cut the Lee lead in half. After a turnover by the Legends, Godwin regained the ball and Towns cut the margin to 69-67 after splitting a pair of free throws with 16 seconds remaining in the game.

Off to overtime at 69-all

On the ensuring inbounds play, the Godwin defense forced the second turnover it needed with 13 seconds left on the clock. Three seconds later Godwin tied the game when Towns drew a foul and connected on both free throws to tie the game at 69-69.

Lee, however, was determined to retake the lead. The Legends quickly moved the ball down the floor, but missed a pair of shots that would’ve won the game in the final seconds of regulation.

“That was crazy,” said Godwin Heights Coach Tyler Whittemore. “I told the guys we needed to execute on offense and force a couple of turnovers. I told the guys whatever happens we have to stay together and that’s what we did. Everybody came through and did their jobs.”

As thrilling as the final seconds of the game were, the four-minute overtime session provided even more thrills. The two teams combined for 25 points in overtime. Like regulation, the overtime had plenty of lead changes as the two teams exchanged the lead six times.


Lee’s Marc Whitfield (0) prepares to drive to the basket as Jaylen Martin (23) of Godwin Heights defends. Whitfield led Lee with 27 points. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



Up 75-74 with 1:36 remaining in overtime, Marc Whitfield drained a pair of free throws putting the Legends up 77-74.

Godwin Heights cut the lead to 77-76 with 1:25 remaining when Towns scored. The next basket came with 23 seconds left when Towns again delivered from long range putting the Wolverines up 79-77.

Lee split a pair of free throws with 15 seconds left to cut the margin to 79-78. With 10 seconds remaining Towns proved to be money at the free-throw line by draining two free throws to up the Godwin lead to 81-78.

Lee battled to the end and with 1.5 seconds remining in the game Whitfield scored on a drive to the hoop cutting the margin to one point before Godwin ended the game with Jaylen Martin hitting a pair of free throws with 0.4 seconds remaining.

“When we were down by six points, we still knew we could come back,” Martin said. “It was not just a one-man effort. We all had to produce if we were going to come back and win this game.”


Lee’s Joe Russau (14) and Marc Whitfield (0) and Godwin Heights’ Jaylen Martin (23) line up along the lane during a free-throw attempt during a Division 2 semifinal game Wednesday at Godwin. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



Towns, who scored a career-high 47 points, delivered five three-point baskets during the game along with scoring on numerous drives to the hoop.

“It feels great,” Towns said. “I’ve never been to a district final during my four years of high school. To have a game like this on my home court is special.”

Along with the 47 points from Towns, Godwin received 12 points from Damarie Thompson, eight from Jamarion Collins and seven from Tre’Vonte Buckley.

“Jaylen Martin was a big, big part of this win,” Whittemore said. “He has just dug in and gotten better all season. He played some great defense tonight.”

With the win, Godwin Heights improved to 14-7 for the season and will host Unity Christian for the district championship Friday after Unity defeated Grand Rapids Catholic Central 57-55 in the other semifinal game.

Lee finishes exceptional season with big turnaround

Lee finished the season with a 19-2 record and first place in the Alliance League at 8-0.

“This team really laid the foundation for our program going forward,” said Lee Coach Dominic Shannon. “Every one of our players left everything they had on the court. I’m so proud of our players and so proud of our coaching staff.



“We won only five games last year so to go 19-2 this year is a big turnaround. We also became the first Lee team in 43 years to win a conference championship.”

Whitfield scores 27

Junior Marc Whitfield led Lee with 27 points, followed by Clarence Lewis, 18; Joe Russau, 16; Ny’Zhem Marshall, 10 and Troy Fox, nine.

“You have to salute their senior guard Jakhary Towns,” Shannon said. “He had a great game tonight. We knew he was one of the keys. We put our best defender, Clarence Lewis, on him and he made it hard on him. He just was hitting shot after shot. They played well. You have to give them credit.” 

East Kentwood wrestler Corey Mitchell shows strength as leader, eclipses expectations

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, ,
East Kentwood wrestler Corey Mitchell won first place in the OK Red tournament at 215 lbs. earlier this season. (Courtesy, Sara Kohns)



By D.A. Reed

WKTV Contributor



East Kentwood wrestler Corey Mitchell shows that strength and sportsmanship go hand in hand.

With 27 pins on the wrestling mat this season, and a record of 36-8, Mitchell is no stranger to showing physical strength. His senior year of high school brought the OK Red Conference and District titles at 215-lbs, as well as state tournament qualification for 2023.

“He has eclipsed even his own expectations,” said EK wrestling Coach Eric Foster.

But Foster said physical strength and skill are only part of what make Mitchell a great team leader.

“We look for hard-working, strong, and dedicated athletes,” Foster. “As a teammate, we are looking for individuals who care for their teammates and support each other to be the best they can.”

Mitchell embodies those characteristics.

“Corey has had moments off the mat where he demonstrated a strong leadership with the team,” Foster said. “He is a loud supporter of each teammate when they are on the mat and has encouraging words for them in times of difficulty.”

Not all about the medals

While Mitchell’s accomplishments are numerous, he doesn’t mention medals or awards when asked about the highlights of his wrestling season. Instead, his attention turns toward relationships with teammates and having friends and family present at meets.

“The highlight of my wrestling career would be the sounds of my friends and family that cheer me on while I wrestle,” Mitchell said. “Even if sometimes I don’t live up to their expectations, I know they respect me as their captain.”

Sara Kohns, Mitchell’s mother, says she sees both the team spirit and the hard work her son puts in on a daily basis.


“I have faith in him that he is going to do great regardless of if he wins or not. Corey has the heart.”

That heart extends to more than just wrestling.

Football also is a big part of Mitchell’s life, and he plans to pursue football in college while majoring in Business. Three colleges have already extended offers to include Mitchell as part of their football team, including Kalamazoo College and Olivet College.


East Kentwood wrestler Corey Mitchell won first place in the OK Red tournament at 215 lbs. earlier this season. (Courtesy, Sara Kohns)



When asked about professional athletic role models, Mitchell admitted, “I don’t really watch any type of sports; I know it’s something that can boost my craft as an athlete. But I like learning upfront.”

The youngest of Kohns’ three sons, Mitchell is described as quiet yet dedicated by both his mother and coach.

“He is quiet, but a great listener and follows directions,” Kohn said. “Corey has taught me so much from watching him wrestle … he is the total package and one awesome son.”

‘Hard-working student athlete’

Foster has a similar view of the athlete.

“Corey is a hard-working student athlete who loves playing football and being part of a team,” Foster said. “He is a dedicated son and quiet soul. Corey lets his actions speak for him in most instances and has excelled throughout.”

Mitchell enjoys working out when he isn’t wrestling or playing football, but he also understands the importance of keeping his grades up, admitting that he does “a lot of homework.”

Kohns says Mitchell’s journey is one she is proud of: “I have loved every minute of watching him grow into the young man he has become!”



D. A. (Deborah) Reed is an award-winning author of young adult novels and a creative writing instructor from the Grand Rapids area. To find out more about D.A. Reed, visit her website: D.A. Reed Author

Check out the local boys basketball district brackets for First Round and Semis

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, ,
First Round of the local boys basketball district tournaments on Monday, March 6. (WKTV/Scott Baisden)



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org



Semifinals of the local boys basketball district tournaments on Wednesday, March 8. (WKTV/Scott Baisden)

Watch our latest WKTV Friday Night Highlights show HERE, March 3!

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, ,



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org



Take a look at our latest edition of WKTV Friday Night Highlights right now, Friday, March 3!


Check out our local girls district final highlights here (East Kentwood, South Christian and Potter’s House) and our boys district bracket preview.



Thanks for watching, and see you next Friday!



East Kentwood girls fall short against Byron Center in district final; Potter’s House and South Christian also runners-up

City of Kentwood, Sports, West Michigan, , ,
East Kentwood’s Jaevym Montgomery (11) and Santana Eubanks (5) look to stop Byron Center’s McKenna Ferguson (23) during Friday’s Division 1 district title game. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor



Led by one of the top players in West Michigan, Byron Center put an end to the season for the East Kentwood girls basketball team Friday evening.



Byron Center junior Lillian Zeinstra poured in 33 points and led the Bulldogs to a 69-57 decision over East Kentwood in a Division 1 district championship game at Wyoming High School.



Zeinstra, who is committed to play her college basketball at Butler University, not only gave East Kentwood problems with her scoring skills, but the multi-dimensional guard also played havoc with Kentwood’s pressure defense with her ability to handle the basketball and took advantage of Kentwood’s lack of size on the defensive boards. Making Zeinstra’s effort even more impressive was the fact she overcame an ankle injury in the second quarter.

“I think Lily showed her grit tonight,” said East Kentwood Coach Eric Large. “You could see it when she got banged up. I think one of her greatest assets is her leadership. Her rebounding is also a big asset. We missed a lot of 50-50 shots and she was there to get the rebound. One of our strong points is our defensive pressure and she was also able to take that away from us with the way she handles the ball against our pressure.”



East Kentwood’s Harmonie Belton (1) looks over the Byron Center defense during action in their Division 1 district championship game. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



East Kentwood stayed close in the game’s early going until Byron Center closed out the opening stanza with a 6-2 run to take an 18-13 lead into the second quarter. Zeinstra was at the heart of the run on offense for Byron Center as she scored 13 of the Bulldogs’ 18 first-quarter points.

Byron Center stretched the lead to 24-15 midway through the second quarter before Zeinstra fell to the floor with an ankle injury. After limping off the floor, Zeinstra came back into the game two minutes later and helped Byron Center take a 31-20 lead into halftime.

“Lily is one of our team leaders,” said Byron Center Coach Jen Slot. “She rolled her ankle in the second quarter, but was able to tough it out. She had a really nice game tonight and gave it everything she had. She does whatever it takes to win.”



Falcons cut lead in half

East Kentwood quickly cut the deficit in half in the early moments of the second half. Harmonie Belton came up with back-to-back steals that led to back-to-back three-pointers by Sophia Wozniak, cutting the margin to five points just a minute into the third quarter.

Byron Center, however, quickly regrouped and outscored Kentwood 8-2 to regain a double-digit lead at 39-28. The two teams then traded buckets the remainder of the third quarter with Byron Center up 48-36 going into the final quarter.

With Zeinstra and senior guard McKenna Ferguson handling East Kentwood’s defensive pressure in the final quarter, the Falcons were unable to get the margin under double figures the remainder of the game.



East Kentwood’s Jaevym Montgomery (11) and Tianna Daye (23) prepare to box out Byron Center’s Lillian Zeinstra (10). Zeinstra finished the game with 33 points for Byron Center. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



“I think in the second half we came out and matched their intensity,” Large said. “I think we were a little tight in the first half. Our tallest players are 5-foot-6 and 5-foot-7 so we had a tough time matching up with them on the boards. Our kids fought to the end and I was proud of them.”

Makayla Porter led East Kentwood with 16 points and Tianna Daye added 13. Sophia Wozniak scored nine points, followed by Harmonie Belton and Santana Eubanks with six apiece.



East Kentwood closed out the season with a 16-8 overall record and finished third in the O-K Red at 9-5.

Large said girls should ‘hold their heads high’

“I’m not disappointed with the season at all,” Large said. “The girls should hold their heads high. They continued to get better all season. I saw a lot of improvement all throughout the season. The O-K Red is the toughest conference in the state and I’m proud of the way my girls battled the entire way.”



Large also is looking forward to next season.

“We had two seniors on the team, Jaevym Montgomery and Tianna Daye, and both of them were all-conference players,” Large said. “We will miss both of them. We will have five or six juniors returning and Landen Smith is a sophomore who really played well tonight. We will have some good players to build around next season.”

Byron Center improved to 21-3 win the win. The Bulldogs were champions of the O-K White Conference this season with a 14-0 record. Along with 33 points from Zeinstra, the Bulldogs received 13 points from Makenna Crandell and 12 from McKenna Ferguson. 

     

Division 2 District Championship at Kelloggsville:

Grand Rapids Christian defeated South Christian 49-41

South Christian ended the season with a 16-8 record and finished second place in the O-K Gold at 10-4.


Division 3 District Championship at Calvin Christian:

NorthPointe Christian beat Potter’s House 41-24

Potter’s House ended the season with an 18-7 record and won the Alliance League title at 7-0 for the second straight year.

Tuesday night boys basketball scores and team leaders, February 28

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, ,
Ny’Zhem Marshall had 33 points and 10 rebounds in Lee’s win over Benton Harbor Countryside Tuesday. (Photo Courtesy, Lee High School)



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org



Lee 76, Benton Harbor Countryside 50

(LEE: Ny’Zhem Marshall, 33 points, 10 rebounds; Marc Whitfield and Joe Russau, 10 points apiece; Whitfield, 11 boards and 15 assists; Russau, 10 boards)


Jake Vermaas led South Christian with 23 points in a win over East Kentwood Tuesday.



South Christian 64, East Kentwood 48

(SC: Jake Vermaas, 23 points; Jake DeHaan, 21; Carson Vis, 12. EK: Marshaun Flakes, 14 points; Christian Humphrey and Darryl Thompkins Jr., 11 apiece)







Tri-unity 63, Fennville 40

(TU: Roy Fogg, 11 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists; Keaton Blanker, 10 points)



Unity Christian 69, Wyoming 61

(WY: Alyjah Chandler, 22 points; Avonte’ Wiggins, 17)


West Michigan Aviation’s Luke Riebel led with 20 points in his team’s win over Allegan Tuesday. (Courtesy, Austin Riebel)


West Michigan Aviation 74, Allegan 42

(WMAA: Luke Riebel, 20 points, 2 steals, 4 turnovers; Ethan Dyksterhouse, 18 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals, 5 blocks; Heath Tamlyn, 16 points, 1 steal, 2 turnovers)

South Christian boys beat East Kentwood in showdown of league champions Tuesday

City of Kentwood, Sports, West Michigan, ,
South Christian’s Jake Vermaas (0) and Sam Medendorp (20) try to box out East Kentwood’s Christian Humphrey (35) in the lane. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor

It was a showdown of two of the hottest teams in West Michigan Tuesday as OK Gold co-champion South Christian hosted OK Red champion East Kentwood. The matchup also featured two of the premier defensive teams in the area and defense proved to be the difference as South Christian defeated East Kentwood 64-48.

The Sailors entered the game riding a nine-game winning streak while Kentwood came in with seven consecutive wins. Both teams have relied on defense during their winning streaks and defense dictated the course of the game.

South Christian came out and established its defense early as the Sailors held Kentwood to a single bucket by Darryl Thompkins Jr. in the opening quarter. South Christian, meanwhile, put up 13 points during the opening quarter to build a double-digit lead and the Sailors kept the lead in double figures for nearly the remainder of the game.



South Christian’s Sam Medendorp (20), Jake DeHaan (3) and Carson Vis (11) talk strategy as East Kentwood’s Marshaun Flakes (5) looks on. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



“I thought our defense was just great early in the game,” said South Christian Coach Taylor Johnson. “We knew that if we wanted to beat Kentwood we would have to have a great defensive effort and that’s what we had. They have some great players. They have three all-conference guards, but our defense was great tonight. We also rebounded the ball well.



“On most of their possessions we held them to one shot and that was just as important for us.”

South Christian continued to play strong defense in the second quarter. The Sailors came close to holding Kentwood to single figures in the quarter as the Falcons put up 11 points during the period. South also built on its lead with some timely buckets on the other end of the floor. Jake Vermaas led the way on offense for the Sailors in the second quarter pumping in seven points to help South build a 28-13 halftime lead.

“It just wasn’t our night tonight,” said East Kentwood Coach Michael Thomas. “We were not able to play our style of play. We did not get any rewards for going to the basket. I thought our guys played hard, but hats off to South Christian, they are a great team.”

East Kentwood chipped away at the South Christian lead during the early stages of the second half. Kentwood opened the second half with an 8-2 run and cut the Sailor lead to 30-21 after a steal and layup by Marshaun Flakes midway through the third quarter. That would prove to be as close as the Falcons would get in the second half as South Christian responded with six consecutive points to build the lead back to 15 points at 36-21. South Christian headed into the fourth quarter up 44-25 as Vermaas closed out the third by hitting a three-point shot at the buzzer.

East Kentwood trims lead in fourth, but Sailors squash the rally

South Christian carried that momentum into the final quarter as the Sailors outscored Kentwood 8-5 to start the quarter and built the lead to 52-30. Kentwood managed to whittle the lead down to 10 points at 54-44 when Flakes scored off a steal with 3:05 remaining. The Sailors, however, squashed any hopes of a late rally by closing out the game on a 10-4 run.

The Sailors, who finished the regular season at 19-3 overall and 13-1 in the conference, were led by Vermaas with 23 points. Jake DeHaan added 21, followed by Carson Vis, 12 and Sam Medendorp, eight.

On to district play

South Christian now turns its focus to the state tournament that begins next week at their district in Plainwell. South has a bye in the first round and faces the winner of Hastings and Grand River Prep in the semifinals next Wednesday.

“I’m proud of these guys,” Johnson said. “They have had a heck of a season. I feel like we are playing our best basketball of the season right now. This team has just gotten better and better as the season has gone on.



“We have to stay humble and play the right way. Our defense is getting better and better. That is our culture and that has got to carry us.”

Flakes led East Kentwood with 14 points, followed by Christian Humphrey and Darryl Thompkins Jr., 11 apiece and Jamell Hatchett added nine.

East Kentwood, which finished the regular season at 16-6 overall, 11-3 in the conference, heads south to Middleville Thornapple-Kellogg for their district next week. The Falcons play the winner of Middleville and Ottawa Hills next Wednesday.

“I think we have some momentum heading into March,” Thomas said. “We have to go to the drawing board and touch up a few things. We have to make sure we don’t come out and start the game the way we did tonight.”

Girls District Tournament Update: East Kentwood, South Christian, Potter’s House Advance to Finals

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, ,
(Courtesy, pxhere.com)



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org

Division 1

District 12 (at Wyoming)

East Kentwood 72, Caledonia 56

East Grand Rapids 65, Wyoming 50

Semifinals: East Kentwood 61, Thornapple Kellogg 27

Semifinals: Byron Center 63, East Grand Rapids 39

DISTRICT FINAL: East Kentwood (16-7) vs. Byron Center (20-3) at 7 pm Friday at Wyoming

Division 2

District 42 (at West Catholic)

Sparta 59, Lee 7

District 43 (at Kelloggsville)

Godwin Heights 60, Grand River Prep 23

Semifinals: Grand Rapids Christian defeated Godwin Heights

Semifinals: South Christian 42, Kelloggsville 16

(SC: Lizzie Wolthuis, 11 points; Emerald Hoekwater, 9)

DISTRICT FINAL: South Christian (16-7) vs. Grand Rapids Christian (17-5) at 7 pm Friday at Kelloggsville

District 44 (at Lakewood)

Hastings 61, West Michigan Aviation 16

Division 3

District 75 (at Grandville Calvin Christian)

Potter’s House 43, Saranac 32

Semifinals: Potter’s House 57, GR Covenant Christian 54 (Double OT)

(PH: Anyieth Nhial, 20 points; Emily Baez (freshman), 18 points; Isabelle Baez, 9 points and 5 steals; Joy McClendon, 9 points and 6 rebounds)

Semifinals: NorthPointe Christian 48, Grandville Calvin Christian 45

DISTRICT FINAL: Potter’s House (18-6) vs. NorthPointe Christian (16-7) at 7 pm Friday at Grandville Calvin Christian

Division 4

District 115 (at Decatur)

Zion Christian 41, Decatur 29

Semifinals: Martin 45, Zion Christian 35

East Kentwood defeats Hudsonville Friday to win OK Red Conference title

City of Kentwood, Sports, West Michigan, ,
East Kentwood celebrates a win over Hudsonville Friday, which gave the Falcons the OK Red title. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor



After his East Kentwood basketball team defeated Hudsonville 61-49 to clinch the OK Red Conference championship Friday, Kentwood coach Mike Thomas said the Falcons have the best high school atmosphere in all of America.

With the way the Falcons ignited the home crowd, few people would doubt him.

Some of the veterans of the East Kentwood sports scene said the Kentwood fieldhouse hasn’t been as loud as it was Friday since the days of Loy Vaught in the mid-1980s. With the conference title on the line, the Falcons gave their fans plenty to cheer about.

Falcons down early

After falling behind 15-3 in the first quarter, the Falcons whipped the crowd into a frenzy as they stormed back at the start of the second quarter to take a 22-18 lead.

As it has all season, defense provided the fuel for the rally. East Kentwood began the second quarter by reeling off 14 unanswered points to turn a 15-6 deficit into a 20-15 lead. Marshaun Flakes, Darryl Thompkins Jr. and Christian Humphrey all came up with key steals to ignite the rally while Humphrey also came up with a big blocked shot.


East Kentwood’s Darryl Thompkins Jr. (No. 2), Christian Humphrey and Marshaun Flakes came up with key steals to ignite a big second quarter rally in the win. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)

 

“I think we came out a little flat,” Thomas said. “We switched to a zone defense in the second quarter and I thought that caused them some problems.”

Hudsonville, however, was not about to fold in the battle of the conference co-leaders in a winner-take-all final game of the conference season.

Hudsonville back on top in the third

Hudsonville surged ahead in the third quarter with a run of its own to take a 35-30 lead. Kentwood then closed the third quarter strong to regain a 40-38 edge going into the final quarter.

The fourth quarter saw the Falcons again turn up the heat on defense. East Kentwood held Hudsonville scoreless the first four minutes of the final quarter. During that span the Falcons extended the lead to 47-38.

East Kentwood closed even closer to its first conference title in several seasons when it built the lead to double digits at 53-43 with 1:14 remaining in the game.

Hudsonville made one final run, and in the next 30 seconds cut the Falcon lead to 53-49 after three-point buckets by Griffin Baker and Gibson Heethuis.

The Falcons were not to be denied, however, and closed out the game with an exclamation point by scoring eight unanswered points in the final 47 seconds. The run was capped by back-to-back dunks from Humphrey and Flakes in the final 10 seconds of the game that brought the house down.

‘Best high school basketball atmosphere’

“I’ve coached at a lot of special places, but this is by far the best,” said Thomas, in his first season coaching the Falcons. “I’ve never experienced a crowd like this in high school. I believe we have the best high school basketball atmosphere in all the USA. With the replay screen, our student section. They are like a sixth-man for us.

Marshaun Flakes led East Kentwood with 23 points. Photo from a previous game. (WKTV/ Greg Chrapek)



“We haven’t won a conference title in like seven or eight years and to win it in my first year here is special. I’m new to this community and the community has been so welcoming. I wanted to give them something back, but this is just the beginning.”

Senior Marshaun Flakes led East Kentwood in scoring with 23 points. The win was extra special for Flakes who is one of the seniors on this year’s squad.

“It feels real good,” Flakes said. “I haven’t won anything at all in my four years here. This was one of our goals this year. It was great to see all the fans come out and it feels even greater to get the win.”

Fellow senior Christian Humphrey added 14 points, followed by Darryl Thompkins Jr. with 10.



“We really came together as a team this year,” Hatchett said. “The way we have been winning is with our defense. That is the way we came back tonight. Winning the title feels great.”

 

With the win, East Kentwood finished the conference season with an 11-3 record and improved to 16-5 overall.

Brayden Szamrej led Hudsonville with 15 points and Mason Dykstra with 14 points. The Eagles finished the league season at 10-4 and fell to 15-6 overall.

Watch our latest WKTV Friday Night Highlights show HERE, February 24!

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, ,



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org



Take a look at our latest edition of WKTV Friday Night Highlights right now, Friday, February 24!



Every Friday, we’ll bring you some great high school boys and girls basketball clips from the Wyoming and Kentwood areas, highlight some top performers and give a snapshot of the latest conference standings.



Thanks for watching, and see you next Friday!

Friday night basketball scores and team leaders, Feb. 24

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, ,
(Courtesy, pxhere.com)



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org


Friday, Feb. 24 Boys Basketball

South Christian 80, Cedar Springs 41 WKTV Game of the Week

Sailors OK Gold Champions

(SC: Jake DeHaan, 25 points; Sam Medendorp, 20)

East Kentwood 61, Hudsonville 49

Falcons OK Red Champions 11-3

(EK: Marshaun Flakes, 20 points)

Wyoming 59, Zeeland East 43

(WY: Alyjah Chandler, 15 points, 9 rebounds; Donavyn Edwards, 11 points, 6 assists, 6 steals)

Covenant Christian 56, WMA 52

(WMA: Luke Riebel, 24 points, 3 steals; Heath Tamlyn and Ethan Dyksterhouse, 10 points apiece)

Potter’s House 74, Fremont 55

(PH: Quincy Winkle, 20 points)

Tri-Unity Christian 78, Wellspring Prep 31

(TU: All 13 players scored for Tri-Unity. Jordan VanKlompenberg, 13 points; Dylan Bruinsma, 11)

Godwin Heights 84, Kelloggsville 66

Friday, Feb. 24 Girls Basketball

South Christian 63, Cedar Springs 26 WKTV Game of the Week

(SC: Lizzie Wolthuis, 13 points; Sophia Prins, 12)

Kelloggsville at Godwin Heights

Wyoming at Zeeland East

Hudsonville 49, East Kentwood 40

Take a sneak peek at this week’s Friday Night Highlights show, Feb. 24

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, , , ,
Check out these highlights from the Lee boys win over Grand River Prep Tuesday. The Legends sealed their first conference championship in 43 years. (Videographer: WKTV/Alex Bernhardt)



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org



Get an early glimpse of our WKTV Friday Night Highlights show right here! The Legends beat visiting Grand River Prep 89-68 Tuesday to win their first conference crown since 1980.

Be sure to watch the complete FNH show on Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Comcast Channel 25 and ATT U-verse Channel 99.

Lee Boys win first outright conference title since 1980

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, , ,
(Image courtesy, Lee High School)



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org


An 89-68 win Tuesday over Grand River Prep gave the Lee boys their first outright conference championship in 43 years … well before Coach Dominic Shannon was born.

“This is special,” Shannon said. “Our first outright conference championship since 1980 — I was born in 1986.”

A huge turnaround

Lee now sits atop the Alliance League at 7-0 and is 17-1 overall. Last year, the Legends were 2-6 in the league and 5-16 overall.

Shannon said he noticed last fall that the team had potential, and “with some grooming, could be good.”

“With a strong start to the season and the togetherness the boys began showing early in the season, our conversation as coaches began to shift to something great and something special,” Shannon explained. “We began the conversation of ‘leaving the mark,’ and now their team will forever be remembered.”

As far as the Legends win over GRP, Shannon talked about his unselfish team that has improved each game.

“We finished the game with 23 assists … we share the ball and enjoy sharing the ball, making it easy to coach,” he said. “Joe Russau and Marc Whitfield receive the majority of the press, rightfully so, but they would tell you just like I know that the team is a team. There have been a few games this year where we have five student-athletes in double figures and that’s a credit to our unselfishness.



Lee’s Ny’Zhem Marshall rushes to the hoop against the Titans. (WKTV/Alex Bernhardt)



“Ny’Zhem Marshall stands at 6-4 and nearly averages a double-double for us. Clarence Lewis is one of the best on-ball defenders in the state — Jr Metcalf is a talented freshman point guard with much potential and Leto Mena, with his willingness to stay ready and provide great energy for the team each night.”

Shannon said the coaches entered the season expecting to continue shifting the culture of the athletic environment at Lee High School.

“Me working in the school district is also having an impact as it’s allowing relationships to grow,” he explained. “By shifting the culture, we set expectations and hold each other accountable; student-athletes and coaching staff. Last year, our team didn’t perform in regards to our record, but I do believe the foundation was laid for the basketball program.

“I really credit my college coaching experience for my preparation of myself and of the coaching staff. We all perform well and it makes my job easy as the head coach. Capturing the outright conference title is huge and will drive us into March as we build towards the Breslin Center. We want to ride this momentum and continue our rebuild of the program.


“We want to be around for a while and plan to be around for a while.”

South Christian boys hand Catholic Central first league loss in six years

City of Kentwood, Sports, West Michigan, ,
Carson Vis led the Sailors with 24 points. (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor

In their first meeting last month at Grand Rapids Catholic Central, the South Christian boys basketball team had the lead for much of the game, but couldn’t close the deal.

In the rematch at South Christian Tuesday evening, South Christian took the lead early and never looked back as the Sailors handed Catholic Central its first conference loss since 2017 with an 82-54 win.

“It was an unbelievable defensive effort,” South Christian Coach Taylor Johnson said. “Our defense set the tone. We came out and played some tough man-to-man defense the entire game. We also made some shots early and that always helps.”

As they did in January at Catholic, the Sailors jumped out to an early lead. They scored the first five points of the game and led 8-2 in the early going. At the end of the first quarter the Sailors were up 17-12.

“They (South Christian) were a lot more physical and were the tougher team tonight,” Catholic Central Coach TJ Meerman said. “Things were not going our way and our defense was not like it has been.”

Sailors enjoy 10-0 run before halftime

Catholic Central was within three points in the early going in the second quarter when the Sailors began to heat up on the offensive end of the floor and ratcheted things down on the defensive end. Up 25-22, South Christian closed out the first half by outscoring Catholic Central 10-0 to take a 35-22 lead into the locker room.

Senior Sam Medendorp highlighted the run with a dunk that fired up an already pumped-up Sailor home crowd. Medendorp then capped the scoring just before halftime with an offensive rebound and putback that put the Sailors up by 13.

“This win is huge,” Medendorp said. “This is something I’ve wanted my entire high school career. We’ve come so close before. In my sophomore year we lost to them at the buzzer in the district and earlier this year at their place we lost by two after leading most of the game. This time we got on them early and never let up. This feels so good.”

South Christian came out in the second half and continued to keep the pressure on the Cougars both offensively and defensively. South went up 39-24 early in the third. Catholic Central cut the South lead to 47-34 later in the quarter, but the Sailors finished that quarter strong, and took a 55-36 advantage into the fourth.



Carson Vis takes a jumper over the outstretched hands of a Catholic Central defender. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



Carson Vis scored 24 for Sailors

South Christian sophomore Carson Vis, who led the Sailors in scoring with 24 points, helped lead the way in the third.

“This feels so good,” Vis said. “We played together as a team and didn’t let up the entire game. We rebounded really well and played some great defense. We knew they had something like a 77 game conference winning streak, but we worked so hard for this. We really wanted it.”

South Christian continued to build the lead in the final quarter as it was determined to not let the Cougars back into the game. South stretched the lead to 61-38 early in the fourth. The Sailors then outscored Catholic 14-6 to close out the game.

“They (Catholic Central) are an unbelievable team,” Johnson said. “They’ve won state championships, so we knew we had to play our best. We just wanted another shot at them after losing that first one. We’ve come so far as a team since the beginning of the season.


“We got out to a slow start with the football team playing for the state championship, but we’ve been coming together since then. We’re playing really well right now and if we stay humble and keep playing for each other we can get even better.”

 

Along with 24 from Vis, South Christian received 22 points from Jake Vermaas. Jake DeHaan added 14 points followed by Medendorp with 10.



Jake Vermaas, who scored 22 points, looks for an opening. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



With the win, South Christian improved to 12-1 in the OK Gold, 17-3 overall. The Sailors return to action Friday when they host Cedar Springs and then close out the regular season next Tuesday when they host East Kentwood.

Kaden Brown led Catholic Central with 27 points, while Durrel Brooks added 17. The Cougars fell to 12-1 in the Gold, 14-6 overall.             

Tuesday night basketball scores and team leaders, Feb. 21

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, ,
(Courtesy, pxhere.com)




By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org


Tuesday, Feb. 21 Boys Basketball

Lee 89, Grand River Prep 68

South Christian 82, Catholic Central 54

(SC: Carson Vis, 24 points; Jake Vermaas, 22. CC: Kaden Brown, 27 points)

Wyoming 50, Zeeland West 48

(WY: Quintin Williams, 13 points, 4 assists, 4 steals; Alyjah Chandler, 12 points, 3 rebounds, 4 steals)

Tri-unity 57, Pewamo-Westphalia 52

(TU: Keaton Blanker, 21 points, 6 assists; Jordan VanKlompenberg, 15 points, 5 assists, 7 rebounds; Roy Fogg, 10 points)

Potter’s House 76, Fruitport Calvary Christian 37

(PH: Quincy Winkle, 17 points; Malachi VerWys, 15)

West Ottawa at East Kentwood

Godwin Heights at Sparta

Calvin Christian at Kelloggsville

Zion Christian at Wellspring Prep

Tuesday, Feb. 21 Girls Basketball

Potter’s House 55, Fruitport Calvary Christian 32

Calvin Christian 57, Kelloggsville 30

Catholic Central 53, South Christian 50

Zeeland West 48, Wyoming 40

Black River 58, WMA 34

Sparta 51, Godwin Heights 39

West Ottawa 53, East Kentwood 50

Grand River Prep 70, Lee 32

Zion Christian at Wellspring Prep

Watch our latest WKTV Friday Night Highlights Show HERE, Feb. 17!

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, ,



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org



Take a look at our latest edition of WKTV Friday Night Highlights, February 17!

Every Friday, we’ll bring you some great high school boys and girls basketball clips from the Wyoming and Kentwood areas, highlight some top performers and give a snapshot of the latest conference standings.

Thanks for watching, and see you next Friday!

Wyoming girls come up short in WKTV Friday Game of the Week with Muskegon

City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, , ,
Shakya Anderson led Wyoming with 15 points, followed by Ratliff with 11. (Courtesy, Wyoming High School)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor

While the Wyoming girls basketball team came up short in a 50-44 loss Friday against league rival Muskegon, the game was another positive step forward for a Wolves team that is making substantial progress this season.

Last season, Wyoming finished with a 4-18 record. With two regular-season games left on the schedule, the Wolves are just one win away from tripling last year’s win total.

“We have been making tremendous progress,” said first-year Wyoming coach Jesse Vasquez. “These girls have been working hard every single day. They want to get better. They are a great group to coach and it’s great to see the love they have for each other and the love they have for the team.”

Vasquez also said the Wolves hate to lose, and that was evident during Friday’s game with Muskegon. Despite trailing by 13 points to Muskegon at halftime, the Wolves were not about to give in and battled the Lady Reds to the final seconds.

“Overall, we had a great second half,” Vasquez said. “Muskegon did a real good job of taking away our inside game in the first half. During the second half we concentrated on getting the ball inside. When we get the ball inside good things happen.”

Trailing 25-12 at the half, Wyoming began to chip away at the Muskegon lead during the second half. Senior Aaliyiah Ratliff hit a pair of three-point shots to loosen up the Muskegon defense and get some momentum going for Wyoming early in the third quarter.



Wyoming’s Aaliyah Ratliff scored 11 points. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



Down 34-21 halfway through the third quarter, the Wolves went on a 6-0 run to cut the Muskegon lead to 34-27 by the end of the quarter. Shakya Anderson scored all six of the points as she was able to get the ball in the paint. Anderson closed out the scoring with a traditional three-point play after getting fouled on a basket in the lane with 1:32 remaining in the quarter.

Wolves end game with a 14-5 run

Muskegon turned up the pressure in the early minutes of the final quarter and was able to rebuild the lead to double digits. Wyoming, however, refused to fold and rallied in the final four minutes of the game. Trailing 45-30 with less than four minutes to go, the Wolves closed out the game by going on a 14-5 run. Ratliff again started the run with a trey. The Wolves then pounded the ball inside to Anderson and La’Anna Griffin with the duo combining to score nine of Wyoming’s final 11 points.

“They (Wyoming) hung in there,” said Muskegon Coach Bernard Loudermill. “My girls did a real good job of containing them early and we continued to be patient on offense.”

Muskegon was led on offense by freshman guard Mariah Sain who finished with 19 points while fellow freshman Aaliyah Winston added nine points for the Lady Reds who improved to 13-7 overall and 10-2 in the conference.

“At the end of the day, it feels good to get a tough conference win like this,” Loudermill said. “It’s always good when you can get a win on the road, especially at a tough place like Wyoming.”

Anderson led Wyoming with 15 points, followed by Ratliff, 11; and Griffin, seven. Anderson and Griffin also led the Wolves in rebounding with seven apiece.

Vasquez also was pleased with how the Wolves played defensively against a Muskegon team that features plenty of talented offensive players.

“Defense has been our M.O. all year,” Vasquez said. “As long as I’m the coach here that is going to be how it is. We are going to play tough defense. Offensively, I think we moved the ball well, especially in the second half. In the first half I thought there was a little too much dribbling.”



Wyoming Coach Jesse Vasquez talks to his team. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



‘The future looks bright’

While the Wolves were disappointed with the loss, the overall experience gave the team more reason to be optimistic about the future, especially with just two seniors on the roster.

“The future looks bright,” Vasquez said. “When me and my assistant Cody (Browneye) took over we knew the cupboard was not bare, it was fully stocked. We just had to coach them up. We are very excited about how the season is going and how the future looks.”


Wyoming closes out the regular season next week with a pair of games. The Wolves are at Zeeland West on Tuesday and return to Zeeland on Friday to take on Zeeland East.        

Friday night basketball scores and team leaders, Feb. 17

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, ,
Lee’s Joe Russau led the Legends with 26 points, 15 rebounds and 4 blocks in an 83-63 win Friday over Fruitport Calvary Christian. (Courtesy, Lee High School)



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org

Friday, Feb. 17 Boys Basketball

West Michigan Aviation 75, Wellspring Prep 38

(WMA: Joseph May, 19 points, 17 in the first half; Ethan Dyksterhouse, 18 points, 13 rebounds)

Tri-unity 68, Zion Christian 32

Lee 83, Fruitport Calvary Christian 63

(LEE: Joe Russau, 26 points, 15 rebounds, 4 blocks; Marc Whitfield, 18 points; Ny’Zhem Marshall and Troy Fox, 12 points apiece)

Muskegon 74, Wyoming 50

(WY: Quintin Williams, 27 points, including 9 Threes)

Potter’s House at Muskegon Catholic Central 7 pm

South Christian 72, Wayland 34

(SC: Carson Vis, 16 points; Jake Vermaas, 14)

Belding at Kelloggsville 7:30 pm

East Kentwood at Caledonia 7:30 pm

Godwin Heights at Hopkins 7:30 pm

Friday, Feb. 17 Girls Basketball

Muskegon at Wyoming 7 pm WKTV Friday Game of the Week

Muskegon Catholic Central at Potter’s House 5:30 pm

West Michigan Aviation 50, Wellspring Prep 18

(WMA: Audrey Mileski and Ava Bazuin, 15 points apiece; Amber Hilbrands, 7 points)

East Kentwood at Caledonia 6 pm

Belding at Kelloggsville 6 pm

Godwin Heights at Hopkins 6 pm

Lee at Fruitport Calvary Christian 6 pm

Wayland 47, South Christian 39

(SC: Lizzie Wolthuis, 12 points; Lily Nitz, 10. WAY: M. Terry and H. Laker, 15 apiece)

Zion Christian at Battle Creek Calhoun Christian 6 pm

Take a sneak peek at this week’s Friday Night Highlights show, Feb. 17

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, , , ,



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org



Get an early glimpse of our WKTV Friday Night Highlights show with these exciting clips and interviews from our Tuesday WKTV Game of the Week: Muskegon Catholic Central at Lee boys. The Legends beat visiting MCC 69-58 to stay atop the Alliance League at 5-0, 15-1 overall.

Be sure to watch the complete FNH show on Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Comcast Channel 25 and ATT U-verse Channel 99.

Lee’s Marc Whitfield scores 34 in win over Muskegon Catholic Central; undefeated atop Alliance

City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, ,
Marc Whitfield lit up the court in the win. (Courtesy, Lee High School)



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org



Lee junior Marc Whitfield had 34 points and six assists to help the Legends beat visiting Muskegon Catholic Central 69-58 Tuesday.

The win kept Lee securely atop the Alliance League at 5-0 (15-1 overall), followed by West Michigan Aviation at 5-2, 10-6.

Ny’Zhem Marshall added 14 points and 3 blocks, while Joe Russau had 12 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks.

“Marc plays the game with much passion and leads on the court with his actions,” said Lee Coach Dominic Shannon. “Against MCC Marc really willed our team to a conference win by remaining aggressive offensively.

“All season Marc has been productive with scoring and creating for others. We’re at our best when he can get into the open court and create.”

Shannon, however, said his team didn’t play its best basketball against Muskegon Catholic Central, at least in the first half.

“Many defensive blunders as MCC shot and made several open 3-point attempts in the first half, leading to a 27-27 score at halftime,” Shannon explained. “Our message to the boys at halftime was clear, respond and let’s play our style of basketball. Minutes into the third quarter we were active, creating fast breaks with our defense and were up 10 points very quickly.

“I think we responded to the adversity well … a few things to clean up in practice this week as we head to Fruitport Calvary on Friday.”

Other players stepping up

Shannon talked about other players pitching in for the Legends.



(Courtesy, Lee High School)



“At 6-3, Joe Russau has been a constant force inside and out as he has been relentless on the glass, blocking shots and showing the versatility in his game,” Shannon said. “Ny’Zhem Marshall has grown much this season and is gaining confidence at the right time. At 6-4, He’s been knocking down his outside shots at a good rate as of late and aiding Joe with protecting the paint. He has a lot of upside and is excited he’ll be returning next year. Excited for his future development.

“We think Clarence Lewis is one of the top on-ball defenders in the state of Michigan. Each night we give him the assignment of guarding the team’s best perimeter offensive player. Now, it may be hard to shut someone down, but Clarence does give tremendous effort each night to do so and make the other team’s best player earn his respect.”

‘Sights set on the Breslin Center’

Lee has definitely turned things around this year. Last season, the Legends finished 2-6 in the Alliance, 5-16 overall.

“Considering the previous state of the basketball program here at Lee, it feels good but the job isn’t done so we are not yet satisfied,” Shannon said. “The last conference championship for Lee was in 1980, and we’re a couple games from an outright conference crown. We control our destiny.

“The first priority is to secure the conference and then put on our dancing shoes as we head into March. The last state championship was 1960, and honestly we have our sights set on the Breslin Center.”

East Kentwood overcomes early deficit to stay atop OK Red

City of Kentwood, Sports, West Michigan, ,
Darryl Thompkins Jr. (pictured from an earlier game) and Marshaun Flakes led East Kentwood with 12 points apiece. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor


It wasn’t the start the East Kentwood basketball team had in mind when it traveled to Grand Haven Tuesday night, but the ending was exactly what the Falcons were looking for in the matchup of two of the four teams that entered the evening tied atop the OK Red standings.

After trailing 10-0, East Kentwood battled back to claim a 53-47 win on the road and end the night sharing the top spot in the conference with Hudsonville.

“Grand Haven jumped out on us pretty good,” said East Kentwood Coach Mike Thomas. “We came out flat and they took advantage of it.”

East Kentwood weathered the early storm of the Buccaneers and began to right the ship as the first quarter progressed. By the end of the first eight minutes the Falcons managed to whittle the deficit to 17-10.

Treys turn the game for East Kentwood

“We made a few substitutions and we started hitting some shots,” Thomas said. “Christian Humphrey came off the bench and hit 3 three-point shots and Landon Storms hit two more threes. We did a good job of getting back into the game.”


Landon Storms (pictured from a previous game) joins in on the threes. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



East Kentwood continued to wrestle away control of the game during the second quarter. With the offense beginning to cook and the Falcon defense turning up the pressure, East Kentwood tied the game at 21 at the end of the first half.

East Kentwood’s defense was led by senior Marshaun Flakes, who was given the defensive task of slowing down Grand Haven standout Harrison Sorrelle. Sorrelle came into the game with a string of 20-point plus scoring efforts to his credit.

“Marshaun did an unbelievable job of shutting down Sorrelle,” Thomas said. “He is one of the leading scorers in the league and Marshaun held him to eight points. That was a huge part of our success in the second half.”

East Kentwood took over the lead in the game during the third quarter, and heading into the final eight minutes of the game the Falcons were up 35-32.






Grand Haven battled back during the final quarter and cut the lead to two points before the Falcons pulled away at the end.

“Grand Haven is a very, very tough team,” Thomas said. “They are a tough team to put away and we have to tip our hats off to them. We had to hit some timely free throws at the end and come up with some timely defensive stops and steals.”

East Kentwood used a balanced effort on the offensive end of the floor to key the win. The Falcons were led in scoring by Darryl Thompkins Jr. and Flakes who both scored 12 points. Humphrey added 11 points followed by Storms with eight.

Christian Humphrey’s return big

The return to the lineup of Humphrey, a 6-foot-8 senior, provided the Falcons with a big boost in the conference road showdown. Humphrey had missed the previous three weeks with an ankle injury that he suffered against Caledonia.

With the win, East Kentwood improved to 8-3 in the OK Red and 13-5 overall. The win also was the fourth in a row by the Falcons who continue to build momentum as the state tournament draws closer.

Momentum good for state tourney

“It’s perfect timing,” Thomas said. “Our goal is to have everything going by the time we get to March. “We are trying to create momentum going into March. We have a four-game winning streak and we want to keep adding to it and building momentum.



“It’s all about getting ready for March and playing our best basketball in the tournament. The guys are buying in and they believe we can do something special in the tournament.”

Falcons knotted atop Red with Hudsonville

East Kentwood’s win at Grand Haven combined with Hudsonville’s win against Grandville Tuesday evening leaves the Falcons and Hudsonville tied for the top spot in the OK Red with 8-3 conference records. Both teams have two more conference games remaining before they close out the conference season playing each other at East Kentwood on Friday, Feb. 24.

“We play Hudsonville on that final Friday,” Thomas said, “and if we take care of business, it can all come down to that game.”

East Kentwood returns to action Friday when it travels to Caledonia. The Falcons then host West Ottawa next Tuesday with the showdown against Hudsonville scheduled three days later.  

Tuesday night basketball scores and team leaders, Feb. 14

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, ,

Aaliyah Ratliff led Wyoming with 18 points in the Wolves 55-15 win over Holland. (Courtesy Wyoming High School)



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org


Tuesday, Feb. 14 Boys Basketball

Lee 69, Muskegon Catholic Central 58 WKTV Tuesday Game of the Week

Potter’s House 69, Zion Christian 29

(PH: Malachi VerWys, 17 points)

Tri-unity 63, West Michigan Aviation 38

(TU: Owen Rosendall, 18 points; Jordan Vanklompenberg. WMA: Joseph May, 15 points; Luke Riebel, 11 points; Ethan Dyksterhouse, 8 points, 7 rebounds)

East Kentwood 53, Grand Haven 47

(EK: Darryl Thompkins Jr. and Marshaun Flakes, 12 points apiece; Christian Humphrey, 11 points, including 3 treys) 

South Christian 87, Kenowa Hills 34

(SC: Sam Medendorp, 28 points, a career high)

Wyoming 58, Holland 49

(WY: Maxi Morales, 15 points, 7 rebounds; Quintin Williams, 14 points)

Grand River Prep 65, Fruitport Calvary Christian 64

(GRP: LJ Cambric, 21 points, 13 rebounds, 2 blocks; Jaydon Weddle, 18 points, 5 rebounds; Julian Hardy, 16 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists)

Godwin Heights 50, Belding 35

Kelloggsville at Hopkins

Tuesday, Feb. 14 Girls Basketball

Wyoming 55, Holland 15

(WY: Aaliyah Ratliff, 18 points; LaAnna Griffin, 10 points, 12 rebounds; Shakya Anderson, 8 points, 8 rebounds off the bench)

Potter’s House 39, Zion Christian 32

Grand River Prep 60, Fruitport Calvary Christian 55

Muskegon Catholic Central 40, Lee 21

Hopkins 53, Kelloggsville 31

Belding 65, Godwin Heights 56

South Christian 43, Kenowa Hills 30

East Kentwood 40, Grand Haven 39

Watch our latest WKTV Friday Night Highlights Show HERE, Feb. 10!

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, , ,



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org



Take a look at our latest edition of WKTV Friday Night Highlights, February 10!



Every Friday, we’ll bring you some great high school boys and girls basketball clips from the Wyoming and Kentwood areas, highlight some top performers and give a snapshot of the latest conference standings.



Thanks for watching, and see you next Friday!

East Kentwood boys use big second half to stop Grandville in OK Red showdown Friday

City of Kentwood, Sports, West Michigan, , ,
Jamell Hatchett covers Grandville’s Tyson Mann. Hatchett and Marshaun Flakes led the Falcons with 19 points each. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor



If Friday’s result is any indication, opponents of East Kentwood might thick twice about coming out in a zone defense against the Falcons.

Thanks to some accurate outside shooting and timely drives to the basket, East Kentwood’s offense reached overdrive in the second half as the Falcons defeated Grandville 73-58 in an OK Red showdown of conference frontrunners.

“I thought this was a good game for us,” said East Kentwood Coach Mike Thomas. “Our guys struggle against a zone, but they showed tonight they are starting to figure the zone out. This is the largest amount of points we’ve scored against a zone in a long time.”

The 73 points the Falcons scored Friday was almost double the amount of points they scored a month ago when the Falcons dropped a 48-41 decision to Grandville on the road. The win also crowded things at the top of the OK Red as East Kentwood, Grandville, Grand Haven and Hudsonville are all tied for the top spot in the league with 7-3 conference records.

Huge second half for the Falcons

East Kentwood was especially productive against the Grandville zone defense in the second half. Trailing Grandville 32-27 at halftime, East Kentwood outscored the Bulldogs 46-26 in the second half.

East Kentwood stormed out of the locker room at the start of the second half to outscore Grandville 20-5 and take control of the game. Senior Marshaun Flakes led the charge in the second half as he scored Kentwood’s first seven points of the third quarter.

“This was big,” Flakes said. “The last time we played them (Grandville) we started slow. Tonight, we came out with a lot more energy and intensity. We really brought the energy in the second half.”

East Kentwood brought plenty of defensive energy to the floor in the second half. Steals on the defensive end led to some layups on the offensive end of the floor. Both Flakes and Jaden Bowman came up with big steals in the early going in the third quarter as the Falcons took the lead in the game.

“It’s always our defense that gets us going,” Thomas said. “Our defense has kept us in every game. We also made some defensive adjustments at halftime.”

East Kentwood lights up the treys

On the offensive side of the floor, the Falcons sliced apart the Grandville zone with a combination of accurate shooting from the perimeter and timely drives to the basket. East Kentwood connected on seven three-point shots during the game. Jamell Hatchett led the way from outside as he connected on three, three-point shots while Rasheed Watkins hit a pair of treys.

Balance also was a key for the East Kentwood offense. Hatchett and Flakes led the way for the Falcon offense as they both totaled 19 points. Darryl Thompkins poured in 15 points, while Watkins added 12.



East Kentwood’s Darryl Thompkins, Jr. takes the ball up the court. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



A standout on both ends of the court, Flakes also was instrumental in providing the Falcons with strong leadership, especially coming out in the second half facing a five-point deficit.

“Marshaun was unbelievable tonight,” Thomas said. “He is the leader of our team. I’ve been coaching for a while now and have had some great leaders. Like I told my wife, Marshaun is one of the top leaders I’ve ever had.”

That leadership was evident in the early stages of the fourth quarter when Grandville made an effort to get back into the game. Up 49-43 at the end of the third quarter, Grandville whittled the Kentwood lead to 51-47  before Flakes drained a pair of free throws to stem the tide.



Grandville managed to cut the Falcon lead to 53-49, but a three-point shot by Watkins started a 7-0 Falcon run that built their lead to 60-49 with five minutes left in the game. Grandville managed to cut the Kentwood margin to 60-52, but that was as close as the Bulldogs would get as Kentwood pulled away in the final few minutes of the game.

“This was a big win for us,” Flakes said. “This win will give us some momentum going into March.”

With the win, East Kentwood improved to 11-5 overall. The Falcons return to action Saturday when they travel to Benton Harbor to play Detroit Old Redford in the Wilson Chandler Shootout. The Falcons then travel to Grand Haven on Tuesday to face another team that is part of the logjam at the top of the conference standings before heading to Caledonia on Friday.

Grandville fell to 10-6 overall and 7-3 in the league. The Bulldogs were led in scoring by Tyson Mann who finished with 31 points.