Back to Breslin: Brandywine boys basketball is onto the MHSAA Division 3 state semifinals

KALAMAZOO — All season long, the Brandywine boys basketball has had one goal: return to the Breslin Center.

The Bobcats achieved that goal Tuesday.

Brandywine dispatched Grand Rapids Covenant Christian, 58-34, in MHSAA Division 3 state quarterfinal game at Loy Norrix High School in Kalamazoo. The Bobcats (24-3) will face McBain (25-2) in the semifinals Thursday at noon on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing. They will be followed by Detroit Old Redford (20-7) against Riverview Gabriel Richard (23-3).

The championship game is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

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“It feels great,” senior Robert Whiting said. “We’ve accomplished our goal. That was one of our goals. We’ve worked really hard for this. It just feels really good to get back to the Breslin. We want to win it this year.”

The second quarter proved to be the difference in the game Tuesday. Brandywine opened the frame on a 19-0 run, turning a close contest into a blowout. It would eventually win the frame, 26-6, to take a 35-13 lead into the halftime locker room.

“We were attacking more,” said Brandywine coach Nathan Knapp of what changed for his team in the second quarter. “We wanted to get up and run a little bit. When we’re in attack mode, we’re a tough team to defend.”

About the only tension in the second half came when the Chargers cut the deficit to 15 early in the fourth quarter. Whiting made sure to steal the momentum back, making a tough shot and drawing a foul to put the Bobcats ahead, 49-32, with 4:23 to go.

Whiting finished with 11 points. Afterwards, Knapp called the senior a “little dog.” It’s a term Whiting sees as a compliment.

“I love it,” Whiting said. “I love being that little pit bull on the court. I love doing the dirty work for this team.”

Sophomore Nylen Goins finished with a team-high 15 points for Brandywine. Senior Jaremiah Palmer also tallied 11 points, senior Ja’Torian Smith added eight, senior Byron Linley had seven and senior Jamier Palmer six to round out the team scoring.

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Getting back to the state semifinals was one goal. Winning the whole thing is the next step. Brandywine lost in the semifinal a year ago to Traverse City St. Francis, 46-36.

It’s motivated them to get back to this point. They hope to finish the story this time around.

“The kids know what they want,” Knapp said. “I know what it takes, as a coach, to get them there. But these kids want it. They wanted to get back there – it was their dream, they’re there. Even at practice, I get into stuff and add a few wrinkles and such, and they’re already doing other things off that. They’re locked in. They know it’s not going to be easy. I think they learned from last year, and they’re ready.”

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Brandywine throttles Covenant Christian in MHSAA Division 3 state quarterfinal