Who is the smartest team in West Michigan? Forest Hills Eastern

Grand Rapids Forest Hills Eastern poses for a group photo after winning their bracket in the Cornerstone Holiday Tournament on Dec. 21, 2022. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Stats are a big part of sports. In basketball, the players with the most points, rebounds and assists get the most attention.

But the most impressive stats are what the athletes do in the classroom.

The Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan (BCAM) released the Academic All-State totals for teams with the highest grade-point average as a team.

So who is the smartest team in West Michigan?

That would be the Forest Hills Eastern boys, who had a combined GPA of 3.800.

“It means a lot,” FH Eastern senior Jacob Pallo said. “It shows we do a lot of work inside the classroom and outside of it, too. Coach (Jason) Yelding holds us to really high standards. It’s a good thing that we were able to live up to those. At Eastern, we work really hard and all of our teachers do a really good job.”

Mac DenBraber, another FH Eastern senior, said academics matter to the Hawks.

“I do my job in the classroom and the rest of the guys hold each other to high standards,” he said. “That was kind of our motto. To do our best on the court and off the court.”

BCAM lists Pallo with a 4.0 GPA and DenBraber with a 3.9. So who was the smartest on the team?

“Owen Mast for sure,” DenBraber said. “He’s got like five AP (advance placement) classes. He’s a smart dude.”

Mast, who was standing nearby, was asked what his GPA is right now. He said he’s up to a 4.2. 

Forest Hills Eastern’s Mac DenBraber, left, is guarded by East Grand Rapids’ Simon Neuhaus in the Cornerstone Holiday Tournament on Dec. 19, 2022. According to BCAM, DenBraber has a 3.9 GPA and Neuhaus has a 4.0. Both of their teams are have a high combined GPA. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).

According to the BCAM list, the top team in Division 1 is Mattawan with a 3.87 GPA. The top West Michigan team in Division 1 is Lowell with a 3.77 GPA. Middleville is a close second with a 3.75 followed by East Grand Rapids (3.7154) and Rockford (3.7153).

In Division 2, Yale High School has a 3.83. The top area team is FH Eastern, followed by South Christian (3.588) and Spring Lake (3.581). 

In Division 3, Bridgman has a 3.76 GPA. The top West Michigan team is Saugatuck at 3.69, followed by Covenant Christian (3.53) and NorthPointe Christian (3.45). 

In Division 4, Portland St. Patrick has a 3.89 as the best in the entire state. The top area school is Fruitport Calvary Christian at 3.55.

For the entire list, go to BCAM.org.