BIG REDS

The OK Green Conference enjoyed a strong season on the basketball court this winter, with the Muskegon girls winning a district title, and the Big Reds boys team advancing to the Breslin Center. With Michigan’s prep hoops season winding down, it’s time for the top athletes and coaches to collect their accolades after months of work.

Follow Josh VanDyke on Twitter31 MHSAA Division 1 boys basketball quarterfinals: Muskegon vs East LansingCALEDONIA – It takes a lot to get under Jordan Briggs’ skin but once you enrage the normally stoic senior leader for the Muskegon boys basketball team you’re in for a difficult night on the court. That’s the lesson the East Lansing boys basketball team learned Tuesday night during the Division 1 state quarterfinals from Caledonia High School. Boyd was called for a technical after the incident but Briggs shrugged off the altercation and got back to work. “We’ve been harping on him to do other things to help the team win and not just rely on his shot because your shot might not go in every night. We just have to keep working hard and if we can come out here and win a state championship then that’s all the respect that I need.”Final Score: Muskegon 59, East Lansing 43.

Sydnor finished with 18 points to lead Muskegon, while Day and Briggs each added 13 points, Guy had seven points, Terrance Davis had six points and Justin Watson had five points. Below is a look at how all the Muskegon-area boys basketball teams performed Monday night in the regional semifinal round of competition. Jordon McDonald led Fremont with 15 points, while Ben Mellema and Gavin Richards each added eight points. Hudsonville Unity Christian (17-9) advances to host Grand Rapids Christian (20-5) on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Division 2 regional finals. A short-lived North Muskegon lead at 44-42 was ousted by a 3-point play by the Pirates and the Norsemen were forced to chase from that point on.

“Mike (East Kentwood coach Mike Thomas) does an excellent job, and for his team to keep grinding, I knew it was going to happen. “I saw him driving, and one of my brothers was beat, so I just stepped over and made the play, sacrificed my body,” Day III said. He was making key shots, timely free throws, and that’s what he’s done all year, step in there and take charges,” Guy said of Day III. As a team, East Kentwood shot 15 of 28 from the foul line. East Kentwood wraps up its first season under Thomas at 18-7, which is an impressive turnaround from the Falcons’ 6-15 finish last year.

Milan's boys basketball team started strong and held off Jefferson for a 74-57 win in the opening round of the Division 2 District Monday night.

Milan defeated Dundee, Erie Mason topped Madison, and Flat Rock won over New Boston Huron in the opening round of the District girls basketball tournament Monday.

Consistency is an ingredient for success and Muskegon standout Jordan Briggs has brought plenty of it to the table for the 16-1 Big Reds basketball program. Averaging 20 points per game, Briggs scored over that average in both of his game since MLive’s previous Mr. Basketball watch list update. As the best player on one of the best teams in Michigan, the Wayne State commit has made a name for himself this season.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Home-court advantage was not present this night, as Muskegon ran away with the win early on. The Big Reds came away with a 68-41 win in a game that was never really in question. Muskegon was led in scoring by Jordan Briggs with 21 points, six of which were threes, while Union was led by Marquan Ross with 14 points.

(Joel Bissell | MLive.com)Joel Bissell | MLive.comMUSKEGON -- Below is a roundup of how all the Muskegon-area high school basketball teams performed on Friday, Dec. 16, 2022. Charles Deutsch finished with 14 points to lead Rockford (3-1), while Andrew Landis added seven points and Drake Irwin had five points. Zane Stahl and Zach Schlepp each scored 14 points to lead Spring Lake, while Reid Grimmer had seven points and six rebounds. Payton Bleich finished with seven points and five rebounds to lead Orchard View, while Elizabeth Estelle had eight rebounds. Anna Wypych finished with 20 points to lead Rockford, while Grace Lyons added 11 points and Alyssa Wypych added eight points.

“Rockford is a heck of a team and for us to play that way against them in our first game of the season was pretty impressive,” said Muskegon head coach Keith Guy. “I thought we played well and I was proud of our guys for sticking it out. The last thing you want to do is play your season opener against a Rockford team that has already played two or three games. “I thought TJ (Terrance Davis) played really, really well and I thought Stanley (Cunningham) did a great job too as far as our bigs. For some of those guys, that was their first varsity action against a really good team.

(Daniel Shular | dshular@MLive.com)Daniel Shular | MLive.comMUSKEGON – The Michigan high school boys basketball season tips off this week and there are some noteworthy early season matchups to monitor as we dig into the 2022-23 season. A lot can change over the next few months, but for now, here are 10 Muskegon-area boys basketball teams entering the 2022-23 season. ---TEAMS TO WATCH---Fruitport Calvary ChristianThe Eagles went 16-6 last season before falling to Muskegon Heights Academy (47-44) in the district tournament. Sophomore standout Bradley Richards returns to the lineup after an All-State season as a freshman, while Quinn Swanson adds an additional scoring threat for the squad heading into the 2022-23 season. ---HONORABLE MENTIONFremontHoltonOakridge---MORE MUSKEGON-AREA SPORTS COVERAGEMuskegon-area boys basketball players to watch heading into 2022-23 seasonMuskegon-area girls basketball players to watch heading into 2022-23 seasonMuskegon-area girls basketball teams to watch heading into 2022-23 season

KALAMAZOO, MI – A raucous crowd at Zuidema Gymnasium couldn’t faze a young Muskegon girls basketball team on Thursday, as the Big Reds escaped with a 66-62 overtime win against Kalamazoo Central. Ty’Veonna Davis, Muskegon’s lone senior to see the court in the season opener, went 4 for 4 at the free throw line in overtime, with the second pair giving the Big Reds an insurmountable 64-59 lead with 45 seconds left.

The Big Reds and Crusaders battled in 2018 with Detroit King coming away with a 41-25 win. The two programs also met in the 1989 Class A state title game with Muskegon clinching a 16-13 win. Can Muskegon win their first state championship since 2017 after falling in 2018 and 2019 or will Detroit King win back-to-back state titles and make it two-in-a-row against the Big Reds as well? Detroit King (9-3) rolled past Mason (52-17) in the state semifinals to return to Ford Field after defeating Brother Rice (22-12), Allen Park (46-15) and River Rouge (41-28) in the playoffs. Messiah Blair (6-foot-7, 225 pounds) anchors a defensive front for Detroit King that has held its opponents to just 18 points per game during the postseason.

Dearborn Divine Child defeated Milan 25-23, 25-20, 25-18 in Thursday's Division 2 Regional final to put an end to a historic Big Red volleyball season.

Milan volleyball won in five sets over Riverview in the Division 2 Regional semifinals Tuesday at Dearborn Divine Child.

DeWitt has advanced to the state championship game in back-to-back seasons and will be aiming for its fifth consecutive regional championship. (Cory Morse | MLive.com) Cory Morse | MLive.comGladwin (11-0) at Oakridge (10-1), 2 p.m. SaturdayThe Eagles will host the Flying G’s this weekend as they attempt to claim the program’s first regional title since 2013. The Flying G’s defeated Ogemaw Heights (35-20) and Kingsford (59-25) to reach the regional finals and will be searching for the program’s first regional title since 1998. Portland has registered 10 wins for the second straight season but is searching for its first state championship since 2012. Stay tuned for more high school football coverage from MLive this week as we bring you previews, predictions and more heading into the regional finals.

Romeo won the regular season matchup, at home as well, back on Oct. 7. DIVISION 2Reeths-Puffer vs. Forest Hills Central (NFHS Network, 7 p.m.)Another year, another OK-White title for Forest Hills Central. What is different in 2022 is that the Rangers have posted their first perfect regular season record in five years. They ended their regular season with a shutout victory over Everett, helping them clinch a playoff spot with a 6-3 record. DIVISION 6Manistee vs. Boyne City (NFHS Network, 7 p.m.)This is another matchup featuring two schools that have never faced each other.

Titus Benson scored four goals to lead Ida to an 11-0 rout of Blissfield in the semifinals of the Division 3 Boys Soccer District at Milan Tuesday. The host team fell 2-0 to Grosse Ile.

Milan opened the dual meet portion of the Huron League season with a 97-69 win over Flat Rock on Tuesday night.

Monroe will face Bedford for the third time this season and Milan will take on a Huron League for the third time in District soccer tournaments.

Milan snapped a five-game losing streak by hitting a season-high for points in spoiling Jefferson’s homecoming 48-28.

Here’s how Muskegon-area teams fared on the football field Friday night. Bryan Convertini ran for a touchdown just 48 seconds into the game, the first of his three rushing touchdowns. Alexander Lee had a pair of rushing touchdowns for Spring Lake. AJ Melchor led Shelby in rushing yards and tackles. Brady Ross combined for 96 rushing yards and two touchdowns for Reeths-Puffer (5-2).

Check out the big matchups, including some key conference games, in Week 5. Watch prep sports on the NFHS Network and DirecTV StreamALL TIMES EASTERNFRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23Detroit Catholic Central vs. Watch prep sports on the NFHS Network and DirecTV StreamWest Bloomfield vs. Rochester Adams (NFHS Network, 6.55 p.m.)An Oakland County clash sees two top teams duke it out. Over the last three seasons, the Lakers have lost just three regular season games. Watch prep sports on the NFHS Network and DirecTV StreamRelated Articles:Check out the Top 50 Michigan high school football rankings for the week of 9/18/22Check out the latest high school sports stories on MLive.com

ANN ARBOR – The Michigan high school football season is rolling right along, and multiple Ann Arbor-area football teams will have an opportunity to pick up important wins on Friday. --Ann Arbor Pioneer (0-3) at Ann Arbor Skyline (0-3)Something will have to give in this game as both teams are trying to find their identities under new head coaches. Prediction: Saline 42, Monroe 20--Temperance Bedford (2-1) at Ann Arbor Huron (1-2)Though it was against a lesser opponent, Huron got in the win column last week with a dominant win over Pioneer. I think Huron’s defense makes the necessary plays to neutralize Bedford’s run game and pull out the win. Prediction: Dexter 38, Lincoln 14--MORE:5 Ann Arbor-area football teams trending up heading into Week 4Highlighting top Ann Arbor-area football performers from Week 3 with Player of the Week pollAnn Arbor-area football conference standings after Week 3You vote, we go: Pick which Ann Arbor-area Week 4 game we shoot, subscribers get photos for free

SOUTHFIELD, MI -- Reigning state champs Warren De La Salle dominated West-side powerhouse Muskegon Friday night in a marquee game. De La Salle quarterback Brady Drogosh established an early lead, connecting twice to Sheron Sutton II in the game’s first minutes. From there, De La Salle stifled Muskegon’s offense, holding the Big Reds to a single touchdown in the first half - an impressive 81-yard run by Destin Piggee. Penalties and turnovers plagued Muskegon in the second half, eventually prompting a running clock that the Big Reds stopped with their second touchdown of the game, a short carry by Wanyai Johnson with 5:17 remaining. Subscribers click the “Get photo” link to download high-resolution images right to their device for free as part of their subscription.

Milan’s girls swimming team won all 11 events to run away with the title in the Rock ‘N’ Relay Saturday.

Those who follow Milan’s football team know all about William Gaskell V.Odds are, most of the Big Reds’ opponents do too. But developing a game plan for the all-state performer and reigning Ann Arbor Defensive Player of the Year won’t be the only task for opposing head coaches this year.

MLive is publishing a preview story every weekday for each Ann Arbor-area high school football team leading up to the opening week of the season. The senior offensive and defensive lineman is confident the 2022 edition of the Big Reds’ program will be on par with the other successful teams in the past because of the mindset the team brings every year. The Big Reds clinched their seventh straight playoff berth last year and won eight games for the fourth year in a row in 2021. Gaskell V also showed promise on the offensive side of the ball and will be utilized in multiple ways to help Milan succeed this fall. “William had a breakout season as sophomore,” Hoskins said.

ANN ARBOR – The Ann Arbor-area Spring Sports Athlete of the Week poll is back for yet another installment. --Jessie Clyde, Ann Arbor HuronGirls SoccerClyde scored the lone goal to lift Huron past Skyline in the D1 district title game on Saturday. --Arianna Ellerson, Ypsilanti LincolnSoftballEllerson hit a walk-off single against Saline to secure the D1 district title for the Railsplitters on Saturday. --Gabriella Newman, Ann Arbor PioneerGirls Track and FieldNewman won the D1 state title in the high jump with a mark of 5-feet-8 inches on Saturday. --Shangyang Xia, Ann Arbor GreenhillsGirls TennisXia claimed the No.

ANN ARBOR – From baseball to softball to soccer, multiple district championships were won by Ann Arbor-area spring sports teams on Saturday. Landry Jobe had three hits, including the game-winner against Huron and Eli Bishar added two hits and two RBIs in the title game. They defeated Father Gabriel Richard, 5-1, in the district semifinals and took care of Pinckney, 9-3, to win the program’s first district title since 2013. McCalla added another home run in the title game and Mya Purdy chipped in with two RBIs. Dexter took control early and held on for a 6-2 win over Ann Arbor Skyline to win the district crown.

Milan defeated Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard and Pinckney to capture its first District championship since 2013.

Milan's girls soccer team captured its first District title with a 6-3 win over Clinton in the Division 2 final Thursday, June 2, 2022.

Kirk Davis knew this could be a special season in the circle for his Milan softball squad and so far, so good. The Big Reds have been on a mission all year long and accomplished their first goal as they rolled past New Boston Huon 9-0 on Monday to clinch the Huron League title outright. Hailey Knox led Milan with four hits and drove in three runs and Leila Daniels recorded two hits and two RBIs. Milan moved to 20-1 overall and finished its Huron League slate at 15-1. Davis said the accomplishment by the Big Reds was nothing short of a complete team effort.

ANN ARBOR – Three up and three down for Milan’s softball team. The Big Reds pulled out their third-straight Ann Arbor-area Athlete of the Week fan poll win as freshman catcher Leila Daniels was voted the winner for the week of May 9-14. Daniels joined teammates Madison Gray and Tierra Ronayne as winners of the AOTW fan poll. See the results from the poll below, and don’t forget to return to MLive on Monday for next week’s poll. If you would like your local high school sports news delivered free to your inbox daily, click here and sign up for one of our local high school sports newsletters.

ANN ARBOR – For the second straight week, a Milan softball player has been named the Ann Arbor-area Athlete of the Week. The Big Reds saw Madison Gray record a walk-off double to lead the team to an 11-10 win over Lakeview Spartans in the Holt Round Robin Tournament win and clinched the AOTW win for Gray.

Milan won a pair of one-run games to win the championship of the Holt Softball Tournament.

And when the sophomore pitcher can sense a batter is intimidated, that often means good things for Milan’s softball team. She’s very aggressive in that manner.”That aggressive play has led to a 10-2 record for the Big Reds and an impressive stat line for Stines. Stines has pitched in every game for the Big Reds and has them in contention for the Huron League title and potentially more down the road. But the confidence Stines has now had to develop over time. “To break the strikeout record, wins record, she’s got the potential to do it.

Milan, which has dropped its last two Huron League baseball games, rallied to nip Airport 3-1 Thursday.

Milan, which had to watch New Boston Huron celebrate the Huron League softball championship on its field last season, got some revenge Wednesday.

A New Coach

A New Coach

Isaac Merkel scored 8 of his 12 points in the fourth as Jefferson’s boys basketball team pulled away to clip Milan 74-62 at Little Caesar’s Arena Saturday.

GAME RECAP: Defense leads Kalamazoo Central boys hoops to upset over No. Kalamazoo Central junior Hutch Ward (12) reacts after making a shot against Muskegon during the fourth quarter at Kalamazoo Central High School in Kalamazoo, Michigan on Tuesday, March 1, 2022. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com)Joel Bissell | MLive.comKalamazoo Central students celebrate a 51-46 victory over Muskegon at Kalamazoo Central High School in Kalamazoo, Michigan on Tuesday, March 1, 2022. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com)Joel Bissell | MLive.comKalamazoo Central celebrates a 51-46 victory over Muskegon at Kalamazoo Central High School in Kalamazoo, Michigan on Tuesday, March 1, 2022. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com)Joel Bissell | MLive.comClick here to purchase images from Kalamazoo Central’s upset over Muskegon.

Allie Millina came up with seven steals to lift Milan while Dundee and Ida also earned girls basketball victories Friday night.

Girls basketball teams from St. Mary Catholic Central, Milan and Dundee all won and improved their league standing Thursday.

SMCC and Airport girls basketball teams started off the new year with victories Monday night.

End of the 1Q: @BHTigersbball 21, @HoopsBigReds 16. Tigers getting the better looks early and handling the Big Reds pressure pretty well. Jordan Briggs has been the catalyst so far for Muskegon on both ends of the court pic.twitter.com/4km3Ykqd9V

Despite a slow start, the Big Reds used crisp ball movement, suffocating on-ball defense and a well-balanced scoring attack to blitz past East Kentwood for a convincing 61-42 win and improve to 2-0 on the season. “I thought it was a good second game for us but in all fairness, it was the second game for East Kentwood too,” said Muskegon head coach Keith Guy. “He’s that guy,” said Coach Guy of Sain Jr. “He’s the glue guy for us. Muskegon (2-0) will be back in action on Jan. 7, as they host Zeeland West (3-1) in a pivotal OK Green Conference matchup, while East Kentwood (0-2) will travel to Forest Hills Eastern (2-3) on Jan. 4. ---MORE MUSKEGON-AREA SPORTS COVERAGEMuskegon’s Ethan Hill evolves into primetime performer for Big Reds basketball programMuskegon boys basketball works off rust to pull away from Traverse City CentralMuskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame Basketball Classic set to return Dec. 28

Follow Josh VanDyke on Twitter29 Muskegon boys basketball hosts Traverse City Central 2021MUSKEGON – The Muskegon boys basketball team was anxious to tip off the 2021-22 season as they took the court Tuesday night for a non-conference clash with Traverse City Central. “We were fortunate enough to get the win tonight against a good Traverse City Central team that was physical. 15 (Anthony Ribel) for Traverse City knocked down some big shots for them. Traverse City Central took an early 6-0 lead over Muskegon to start the game but Muskegon answered right back with an 8-0 run of their own to establish the lead. Defensively, I thought we allowed (Traverse City) to have a couple of offensive rebounds because we weren’t physical enough, so we have to shore up those things.

Follow Josh VanDyke on TwitterMuskegon takes on East Kentwood during the Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame Basketball Classic at Reeths-Puffer High School on Thursday, Dec. 27, 2018. (Cory Morse | MLive.com) Cory Morse | MLive.comCory Morse | MLive.comThe West Michigan basketball community will be gifted a special holiday treat this year, as the Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame Holiday Classic returns to action after a one-year hiatus due to COVID-19 restrictions and concerns. The 19th edition of the Hall of Fame Classic basketball showcase will be held on Dec. 28 at Reeths-Puffer High School and will feature three boys varsity basketball games starting at 5 p.m. The opening game of the tournament will feature Orchard View (0-1) and North Muskegon (1-1) at 5 p.m. For more on the Hall of Fame and the history of the Holiday Classic, visit the organization’s website at www.mashf.com.

Dundee and Milan are hoping heavy schedules in the first two weeks of the girls basketball season help them build team chemistry.

We’ve put together a list of the top 10 Muskegon-area girls basketball games to circle on your calendars this winter, as the season gets underway on Tuesday. Below are the top 10 games to watch this season. The Rockets knocked off Mona Shores once last season and have the playmakers to do it again this winter. ---Western Michigan Christian at Ludington, Jan. 28The Warriors and Orioles shared the Lakes Eight Conference title last season after splitting their regular-season matchups. Their Feb. 18 rematch should be an intriguing matchup after the two teams battle on Jan. 14 at Newaygo.

Fall is fast approaching, and that means the highly anticipated start of football season has finally arrived. Game two of Wayne State’s Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic Thursday night featured the Chippewa Valley Big Reds and the Detroit Catholic Central Shamrocks.