EAST LANSING, Mich. – Recapping the Michigan High School Athletic Association boys basketball state championship games in all four classes from Michigan State’s Breslin Center on Saturday.
Class A
Clarkston 81, Holland West Ottawa 38
It was all Clarkston and all Foster Loyer right from the opening tip as the Wolves made it back-to-back state titles. A senior guard and winner of the Mr. Basketball award, Loyer capped off one of the greatest careers in Michigan prep basketball history, scoring 40 points to outscore West Ottawa all by himself.
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Signed with Michigan State Loyer finished as the all-time career scoring leader in Clarkston history (2,323), passing current Michigan State assistant Dane Fife, and set a state record for most free throws made in a career with 632.
Following a 42-point performance in a Friday semifinal, Loyer ended up with 82 points over championship weekend.
Clarkston senior C.J. Robinson added 18 points and Wisconsin signee Taylor Currie had 13 points and 10 rebounds for Clarkston (26-1).
Class B
Benton Harbor 65, Grand Rapids Catholic Central 64 (OT)
Without question, this was the best game of the weekend. Trailing 55-53 late in regulation, Benton Harbor forced overtime on a basket with three seconds left by Shawn Hopkins.
Then with over 10 seconds remaining in overtime, Carlos Johnson of Benton Harbor hit a 3-pointer to give the Tigers a 65-64 lead.
A last second attempt to win by Catholic Central missed before the horn to set off a wild celebration from Benton Harbor.
Johnson finished with a game-high 24 points for Benton Harbor (27-1).
Michigan State signee Marcus Bingham and Darrell Belcher each had 21 points for Catholic Central (24-3).
Class C
Detroit Edison Public School Academy 53, Maple City Glen Lake 38
A week after Edison’s girls team won the Class C state title, the boys team made it a double by winning the program’s first ever state championship.
Leading 33-31 with 3:13 left in the third quarter, Edison went on a 14-0 run to take a 47-31 lead with 3:10 remaining in the game to put Glen Lake away.
Senior guard Pierre Mitchell, who has signed with Central Michigan, scored 17 points and senior forward Gary Solomon added 16 points to lead Edison (17-10).
Xander Okerlund scored 19 points in defeat for Glen Lake (24-3).
Class D
Southfield Christian 64, Buckley 54
For the fourth time in the last seven years, Southfield Christian won it all in the smallest class, this time over a Buckley team that was runner-up last year and entered the game unbeaten.
Junior guard Harlond Beverly, who has scholarship offers from Michigan State, Ohio State and Xavier, led the way with 23 points for the Eagles (23-5).
The game was essentially decided in the first quarter, where Southfield Christian outscored Buckley, 21-10 and never looked back from there.
Joey Weber scored a game-high 26 points in defeat for Buckley (21-6), which is located 20 miles south of Traverse City.