Notebook: Who won the O-K Conference championships?
Hamilton’s Brant Goodpaster hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer as Hamilton beat Coopersville 57-54 to win the O-K Blue Conference championship on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023. (Photo | Lenny Padilla)
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Ottawa-Kent conferences boys high school championships are all settled now. Let’s take a look at the winners.
O-K RED CHAMP: East Kentwood
It was only right that the Red title came down the final week of the season. Marshaun Flakes had a game-high 23 points and Christian Humphrey-Rembert had 14, as the Falcons beat Hudsonville 61-49 to clinch the title to improve to 11-3 in conference and 16-5 overall. It is East Kentwood’s first conference title in eight years. There was a four-way tie in the Red standings two weeks ago.
O-K WHITE CHAMP: Northview
When the Wildcats lost to Lowell and East Grand Rapids in a three-game stretch, it made their road to the league title much tougher. But they rallied to win the last five games in a row. Freshman Cam Ryans had a game-high 20 points as Northview beat Grand Rapids Christian 51-49 on Friday to clinch the title. They improve to 11-2 in conference and 17-4 overall.
O-K GOLD CHAMPS: Tie, Catholic Central and South Christian
Grand Rapids Catholic Central has had a strangle-hold on the Gold title for years now and they aren’t giving it up this year either. They are just going to share it. After South Christian beat Catholic Central 82-54 on Feb. 21, it created a share atop the standings at 13-1. “Means a lot,” South Christian’s Jake DeHaan said of forcing a tie for the conference. “It’s on of the goals that we set at the beginning of the year to win the conference.”
O-K GREEN Champs: Muskegon
The O-K Green was settled awhile ago. The Big Reds ran away with the league title with a 14-0 record and are 19-2 overall. The might be the best team on this side of the state. ““The thing that makes them tough, is that they are so disciplined and so competitive,” Zeeland West coach David Klyn told the Holland Sentinel. “They bring it. They do exactly what their coaches ask of them on offense and defense.”
O-K BLUE CHAMP: Hamilton
It literally took the final shot to decided the O-K Blue. Coopersville and Hamilton went down to the final day with both teams tied atop the standings. So it was only approriate that they played each other and that it was decided on a buzzer-beater. Hamilton senior Brant Goodpaster hit a 3-pointer as time expired for a 57-54 win and the Hawkeyes first conference title since 1988! “The best feeling in the world,” Goodpaster said of being mobbed. “To have all my teammates around me when the final second went off. It feels amazing.”
O-K SILVER CHAMP: Calvin Christian
It really was never a question who was going to win this one. The Squires ran away with the O-K Silver title with a dominant 14-0 record. “It feels good,” Calvin junior Matt Elderkin said of the conference title. “This is my second year on varsity and we’ve won (the conference) outright both years. So it’s a nice feeling to be the top team in the conference. Having those tough rivalry games will prepare us for the tournament.” Calvin Christian is 19-1 and has won 18 games in a row.
ALLIANCE LEAGUE CHAMP: Wyoming Lee
The newest team in the Alliance League is also the champs. Lee, which left the O-K Silver two years ago, finished 8-0 in the league. That’s not the best part. Lee had not won a league title since 1980! Lee beat Grand Rapids Prep 89-68 to clinch the title on Friday. The Rebels improve to an impressive 18-1 record.
NOTEBOOK:
AVIATION ACADEMY: Junior Luke Riebel drained eight 3-pointers and finished with 32 points as the West Michigan Aviation Academy beat Hastings 60-51 on Monday. The 32 points in a school record for WMAA.
BYRON CENTER: Sophomore center Camden Karel had an unofficial visit to the University of Michigan on Feb. 18. He then had another unofficial visit to Purdue on Feb. 24. Karel also taken visits to several other Division I programs, including Michigan State.
CALVIN UNIVERSITY: Jalen Overway was named MIAA MVP. “It’s super exciting,” Overway told the Holland Sentinel. “It shows that I’m already doing well as a freshman. It can only get better from here.” Overway, a 6-foot-9, 280-pound center, is averaging 18.4 points and 10.2 rebounds for the Knights.
GRCC: Sophomore Brock Kohler (Greenville) signed to play his final two seasons with Cleary University.
HOLLAND CHRISTIAN: Isaac Snyder is having a huge season at Emory Oxford University in Oxford, Georgia. The 6-toot-7 sophomore, a grad of Holland Christian, leads the team with 16.3 points and 10.2 rebounds per game for the NJCAA school. He also has hit 10 3-pointers.
HOPE COLLEGE: Senior Clayton Dykhouse scored his 1,000th career point on Thursday in a MIAA Tournament win over Adrian. The Zeeland East graduate isn’t done, however. He announced last week that he will return for a fifth year. “It’s a pretty awesome place,” Dykhouse told the Holland Sentinel. “I’m excited to play here. And when I got the chance to come back, I had to think about it. But I’m excited to be back in this environment next year.” He will take advantage of his COVID year.
KENOWA HILLS: The Knights have missed their leading scorer for the past six games. Javion Otten has been out with a high ankle sprain. The team hopes to have him back for the postseason. Otten, who will play at GVSU next fall, scored his 1,000th career point earlier this season.
SOUTH CHRISTIAN: Sophomore Carson Vis went on an unofficial visit to the University of Toledo on Saturday, Feb. 24. The guard/forward has an offer from Ferris State.
SPARTA: Jax Wilson hit a half-court shot at the buzzer to beat Godwin Heights in overtime 91-90. It might be the wildest buzzer beater around here in years. “It was unreal!” he said. The senior finished with 39 points. But it’s not even his season high. Wilson had a 44-point game earlier this season.
WHAC: Several area athletes earned postseason honors in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference. Cory Ainsworth (Cornerstone/Wayland HS) and Gabe Overway (Aquinas/Holland Christian HS) were named First Team All-WHAC on Friday. Carter Nyp (Cornerstone/Wayland HS) was on the second team and Donovon Brown-Boyd (Aquinas/GR Catholic Central HS) was named to the All-Freshman team.
