By Josh VanDyke | [email protected]
The Division 2 boys basketball season was filled with memorable moments and highlight-reel performances, capped off with a state championship for the Grand Rapids Catholic Central Cougars.
Every marquee victory was engineered by standout playmakers along the way and now that the season has reached its crescendo, we wanted to highlight the top performers from Division 2 boys basketball season.
Below is a look at the 2021 Associated Press Division 2 All-State boys basketball team, as selected by an 11-member panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout Michigan.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Ke’Ontae Barnes, Muskegon Orchard View, Sr. After earning first team All-State honors as a junior for the Cardinals, Barnes upped the ante in his final high school season, averaging 26.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.9 steals and 3.7 assists to help Orchard View to a 17-1 season and a No. 7 ranking in the Associated Press Division 2 poll. Unfortunately, Barnes’ historic prep career was cut short in the district semifinals when the Cardinals were forced to withdraw from the state tournament due to positive COVID-19 tests within the program.
The six-foot shooting guard still managed to etch his name in the history books, however, as he became the school’s all-time leading boys scorer with 1,607 career points, shattering the previous mark of 1,461 that had stood for more than 25 years.
The MLive Muskegon Player of the Year used is explosive athleticism to get the rim at will against opposing defenses and often resulted in thunderous dunks that sparked his team to a slew of marquee wins over his career. Barnes is still undecided on his college destination but there’s no debate that he belongs at the top of the list in Division 2 this season.
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FIRST TEAM
Malik Olafioye, Ecorse, So.Olafioye averaged 27.2 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists per game for the Red Raiders, who finished the season 12-4 overall. The standout sophomore already has collected 18 scholarship offers from notable college programs such as Houston and Georgetown, amongst others.
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Romulus Summit Academy North’s Orlando Lovejoy (5) passes the ball during their MHSAA district finals game against Ecorse at the Huron High School in New Boston, on Saturday, March 27, 2021. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)
Orlando Lovejoy, Romulus Summit Academy North, Jr.Lovejoy averaged 22.3 points, 10.2 rebounds, 8.1 assists and 4.8 steals to help Summit Academy earn its first-ever Charter School Conference championship and regional title. The Dragons finished 20-2 on the season thanks to the stellar play of its junior playmaker.
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Benton Harbor junior Kentrell Pullian (1) dribbles the ball during the game at Ottawa Hills High School in Grand Rapids on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020. (Anntaninna Biondo | MLive.com)Anntaninna Biondo | MLive.com
Kentrell Pullian, Benton Harbor, Sr.Pullian averaged 20 points, 6 rebounds and five assists per game for the Tigers, who finished 17-3 this season. The senior standout had a variety of highlight-reel performances over the course of his career, including a game-winning shot over Muskegon on Feb. 12, when he knocked down a 28-foot step-back jumper to seal a 69-66 win over the Big Reds.
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Grand Rapids Catholic Central junior Jack Karasinski (32) attempts a layup against Ferndale during the fourth quarter at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan on Thursday, April 8, 2021. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com)Joel Bissell | MLive.com
Jack Karasinski, Grand Rapids Catholic Central, Jr.Karasinski averaged 19 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists for the Cougars, who were 20-0 and won their first Division 2 state championship this season. The MLive Grand Rapids Dream Team first-team selection has five Division 1 scholarship offers already, including Western Michigan University.
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Brendan Young, Fowlerville, Sr.Young averaged 27 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.5 steals per game while shooting 61 percent from the field and 31 percent from 3-point range for the Gladiators, who finished 12-4 in 2021. The senior standout ended his prep career as the school’s all-time leader in points scorer with 1,400-plus career points and finished fourth all-time in Livingston County.
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Owen Lobsinger, Flint Powers Catholic, Sr.Lobsinger averaged 20.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals while leading Powers to an 8-4 record and a trip to the Division 2 district finals before the Chargers season ended because of their second COVID-19 quarantine of the season. He shot 51 percent from the field, 40.5 percent on 3-pointers and 85 percent from the free-throw line. The four-year varsity starter is committed to Western Michigan University to continue his basketball career at the next level.
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Kobe Bufkin, Grand Rapids Christian, Sr.Bufkin played five games for the Eagles before he fractured his wrist in the first quarter of his sixth game and was out for the rest of the season. Despite his limited action, the McDonald’s All-American averaged 27 points per game and proved to be one of the most prolific scorers in Michigan this winter. The Mr. Basketball finalist is committed to continue his college career at the University of Michigan next season.
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Ryne Petersen, Battle Creek Pennfield, Sr.Petersen averaged 16.5 points and 6.1 assists per game this season for the Panthers, who finished 21-3 and finished state runners-up in Division 2. The senior standout broke school record for career points with 1,194 and set the program’s single-season assists record in the process.
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Drew Goodline, Coloma, Sr.Goodline averaged 26 points, 6.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game while shooting 51 percent from the filed and 85.7 percent from the free-throw line for the Comets, who finished 13-5 this season.
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SECOND TEAM
Kaden Brown, Grand Rapids Catholic Central
Jason Drake, Ferndale
Jackson Barath, Monroe Jefferson
Jaylen Hodges, Bridgeport
Jacob Wallace, Williamston
Hunter Soper, Croswell-Lexington
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HONORABLE MENTION
Ty Wyman, Blissfield; Erik Victorson, Escanaba; Ayden Davis, Onsted; Braiden McDonald, Fremont; D.J. Voltz, Carrollton; Treyvon Lewis, Ferndale; Jayland Randall, Harper Woods Chandler Park; Tamario Adley, Harper Woods Chandler Park; David Hughes, Detroit Edison; Carter Hudson, Escanaba; Grant Gondrezick II, Stevensville Lakeshore; D’Marco Singleton, Marysville; Brent Wiles, New Haven; Tyler Johnson, Croswell-Lexington; Connor Mackenzie, Armada; D.J. Ferguson, Lansing Catholic; Logan Schafer, Ionia; Cole Mieske, Corunna; Cole Prout, Standish-Sterling; Chase Raymond, Standish-Sterling; Hudson Hodgins, Ogemaw Heights; Trevor Brown, Ogemaw Heights; Demarcus Lee, Big Rapids; Ben Reinert, Frankenmuth; Derrick Campbell, Saginaw; Finlay Tate, Paw Paw; Isaiah Moore, Three Rivers; Zac Velthouse, Hudsonville Unity Christian; Colin Weber, Hopkins; Elliott Grashuis, Grand Rapids South Christian; Cameron Garner, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood; Aidan Brehm, Boyne City; Beau LaTulip, Kingsley; Dayton Cole, Whitehall; Peyton LaCombe, Lundington; Seth Schuitema, Grant; Logan Carson, Buchanan; Tyson Davis, Goodrich; Aidan Rubio, Goodrich; Cole Mieske, Corunna; Ben Steele, Eaton Rapids; Alex Watters, Lansing Catholic; Carson Socia, Corunna; Xander Thelen, Haslett; Jeremy Pilch, Stockbridge; Ryan Brenner, Frankenmuth; Seth Bradford, Midland Bullock Creek; Bryson Huckaby, Freeland; Paul Gadde, Alma; Cade Frillici, Alma; Thomas Alfano, Shepherd; Jordan Fansler, Chelsea; Joe Francis, Adrian; Daane Harvey, Ada Forest Hills Eastern; Donovan Boyd-Brown, Grand Rapids Christian; Durral Brooks, Grand Rapids Catholic Central; Conner Dykema, Grand Rapids South Christian; Gabe Newhof, Hudsonville Unity Christian; Jalen Overway, Holland Christian; Trevor Smith, Hopkins; Blake Stewart, Coopersville; Jakhary Towns, Wyoming Godwin Heights; Kareem Aburashed, Detroit Country Day; Jack Olis, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep.