Tag Archives: Godwin Heights Boys Basketball

Godwin Heights rallies in second half to earn road win at Fruitport and Top Spot in the Silver

Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Kent County, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, WKTV Featured sports, , , , , ,



By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
greer@wktv.org


Trailing by nine points midway through the third quarter of its OK Silver basketball showdown with Fruitport Tuesday, Godwin Heights was in need of an energy boost, especially considering the Wolverines were playing their fourth game in five days.


That boost came from lone senior Jamaan Hastings in a big, big way. Hastings drained back-to-back treys from downtown that provided the spark for a come-from-behind 58-51 win giving the Wolverines sole possession of first place in the conference.

“I knew we needed this win,” Hastings said. “I’ve been out for a couple of weeks so I knew I had to step up for my team and make a couple of plays. This was a very big win. We knew we needed to come in here with energy and intensity in order to win. For our confidence, this was a much-needed win.”
 

The treys by Hastings ignited a 17-4 run by the Wolverines that turned a 34-25 deficit midway through the third quarter into a 42-38 lead by the end of the quarter in a game that had a huge impact on who will win the conference title.

“It’s nice having him back, being able to provide some of that scoring punch” said Godwin Heights Coach Bernard Varnesdeel. “The message was, they (Fruitport) are a good team. I told them you got to understand this is a game of runs. They are a good team. This is championship Tuesday and you better suck it up and claw back and get in the game and we did.


“I’m very happy for Jamaan. He’s been out a few games, but he comes back and has a big game. Jamaan is a kid who lines up every day and works his tail off.”

Up by four points heading into the final quarter, the Wolverines turned to their defense to take command of the game. That defense, anchored by post player Isaiah Guyton, who blocked three Fruitport shots during the fourth quarter, held the Trojans scoreless for the first 4 minutes and 30 seconds of the final quarter.

“Isaiah has those Inspector Gadget arms, they just keep going sometimes,” Varnesdeel said. “Being able to get a piece of those shots, and that’s why we try to teach them to keep your hands up, you never know what you are going to get.”

The Godwin defense was evident all over the floor as Godwin’s perimeter defenders forced turnovers on the perimeter.

“In practice all we do is work on defense,” Hastings said. “We knew the scouting report. Our coach had us very prepared and we knew what to do to shut them down.”  


 

Godwin Heights junior Dere’on Brown (1) sets up the offense against Fruitport. Brown scored 16 points in the win. (WKTV Greg Chrapek)


Godwin’s 7-0 run to start final quarter huge

While Godwin kept the Trojans off the scoreboard, the Wolverines expanded the lead to double digits. A three-point shot by Dere’on Brown was the highlight of a 7-0 run to start the final quarter that enabled Godwin to take a 48-38 lead.

Fruitport cut the Wolverine lead to six points with two minutes remaining, but that was as close as the Trojans would get other than trimming the margin to 56-51 with 12 seconds left in the game before Brown slammed the door shut with a pair of free throws with three seconds left in the game.

Godwin Heights improved to 9-2 in the league, while Fruitport fell a game behind with an 8-3 mark. Both teams have three league games left.

The win also evened the ledger for Godwin against Fruitport as the Trojans edged the Wolverines 56-54 in their first meeting of the season last month at Godwin.

Like the previous meeting between the two teams, the contest was close right from the opening tip-off.

Godwin Heights grabbed the early lead at 14-7 in the first quarter as Hastings ignited the offense with a pair of treys, while Brown also added a triple that quarter.



Godwin Heights post player Lonnie Sanders (24) eyes a rebound during Tuesday’s OK Silver showdown at Fruitport. (WKTV Greg Chrapek)



Fruitport led 24-22 at the half and 34-25 in the third

Fruitport turned the tables in the second quarter as the Trojans outscored Godwin 17-8 to take a 24-22 lead into halftime.

Fruitport kept the pressure up in the early minutes of the second half by outscoring the Wolverines 10-3 to build a 34-25 lead in the opening minutes of the second half.

The offensive lull by the visiting Wolverines may have been the effects of Godwin playing its fourth game in five days. After defeating Calvin Christian last Friday, the Wolverines traveled to Portage Northern and suffered a 48-44 loss to a 16-3 Berrien Springs team. After a day off Sunday, Godwin defeated visiting Belding 55-23 Monday in a makeup game.

To counter any fatigue, the Wolverines relied on a total-team effort against Fruitport. Every player who was dressed for the game against Fruitport played during the opening half.

“That was two real good teams going back and forth,” Varnesdeel said. “I feel like our depth really, really saved us, and it wasn’t so much the second half, but in the first half we played all 12 kids and all 12 of them contributed in some way, shape or form which gave us a huge, huge lift in the second half.”

The Wolverines, who return to action this Friday against neighborhood rival Kelloggsville, were led on offense by Hastings with 17 points, while Brown added 16. Jaden Farmer also hit double figures with 10 points and Guyton added eight.

With three games remaining in the season, Godwin is in position to win back-to-back league titles.

“Super proud of the boys,” Varnesdeel said. “Super proud of the community. There were a lot of people in the community here supporting us and cheering us on.”

Godwin Heights turns back Calvin Christian 39-34 Friday in defensive struggle; earns sole possession of second place

Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Kent County, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, WKTV Featured sports, , , , , ,
Godwin Heights junior Isaiah Guyton (35) scored some key points along with playing strong defense in the game against Calvin Christian. (WKTV, Greg Chrapek)


By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
greer@wktv.org



Defense was the name of the game when Godwin Heights traveled to Grandville Calvin Christian for a key OK Silver clash Friday evening. In the end, the visiting Wolverines came up with the key defensive plays and just enough offense to secure a 39-34 win in a struggle that came down to the final seconds.

The win was a huge victory for Godwin Heights as it gave the Wolverines sole possession of second place in the conference and keeps them a half game behind league-leading Fruitport.

“Our pre-game talk was we have to hang our hats on the defensive side of the basketball,” said Godwin Heights Coach Bernard Varnesdeel. “That’s what we build off of and that’s what we are working for. Down the stretch that was the last message, we said we have to win on defense. Very proud of the effort coming back on the road to get a tough conference win.”

The contest was a defensive struggle from the opening tip. The host Squires took the early lead in the game and were up 11-8 at the end of the first quarter.

The Calvin Christian defense was especially stingy for an almost eight-minute stretch of the first and second quarters when it held Godwin Heights without a point. After a three-point bucket by Godwin’s David Rodriguez with just over three minutes to play in the first quarter, the Wolverines did not score again until Isaiah Guyton connected on a bucket at the 3:34 mark of the second quarter.

Calvin Christian led 17-12 at halftime

While the Wolverines had a lid on their basket, the Godwin defense picked up the slack and allowed Calvin just five points over the same eight-minutes stretch as the bucket by Guyton cut Calvin’s lead to 14-10. The two teams combined for just five points the rest of the first half as Calvin led 17-12 at halftime.

Wolverines score 13 points in the third

In the second half, the Godwin Heights offense began to cook in the third quarter. The Wolverines doubled their offensive output of the entire first half as they scored 13 points during the third quarter. Trailing 19-18 midway through the third quarter, the Wolverines took a lead for the first time in the game when Jaden Farmer drained a trey putting Godwin up 21-19. Farmer closed out the third quarter for the Wolverines by adding a three-point play the old-fashioned way as he scored on a drive to the bucket, drew a foul and tacked on the free throw giving Godwin a 25-21 lead heading into the final quarter.


Godwin Heights guard Jaden Farmer (2) led the Wolverines with nine points. (WKTV, Greg Chrapek)



“Before halftime, we were one for our last 26 from beyond the three-point line,” Varnesdeel said, “so we made a couple of them in the second half. We also made a couple of jump shots which were huge for us. I told the guys at halftime, keep taking them with confidence. We are going to get one or two of them sooner or later. Take them with confidence and be ready to knock them down. We had to get a big win.”

For Farmer and his teammates, the game meant a lot since Calvin Christian defeated the Wolverines 50-35 at Godwin in the first meeting between the two league rivals in early January.

“We just wanted to execute our plays,” Farmer said. “That was our main point as they beat us last time. We wanted to get back so we needed to play defense really well and execute.”

The game tightened up even more during the fourth quarter. Calvin Christian tied the game at 30-30 midway through the final quarter when Grant Morren came up with a four-point play. Morren drained a three and was fouled on the shot and then added the free-throw to eliminate what was a four-point Godwin lead.

Godwin gained the lead for good with 3:41 remaining in the game when Guyton scored a bucket in the paint putting the Wolverines up 34-32.

Up 35-34 with under two minutes left in the game, the Godwin defense again stepped up as the Wolverines kept the Squires off the scoreboard the remainder of the game.

“We work a lot on defense in practice,” Farmer said. “We watch a lot of film and work on executing on defense.”    

Godwin put the game on ice with four free throws in the final two minutes of the game, including a pair of free throws by Justin Chan with one second remaining on the clock.


Godwin Heights Justin Chan (12) sealed the win against Calvin Christian with a pair of free throws with one second remaining in the game. (WKTV, Greg Chrapek)



Godwin Heights parlayed balanced scoring in the defensive struggle with Farmer leading the offense with nine points. Chan and Lonnie Sanders added seven points apiece, Dere’on Brown added six pints, Guyton five points, Rodriguez four points and Zxavier Guzman three points.

Morren led Calvin Christian with 15 points, while Will Orme added eight.

Godwin Heights improved to 7-2 in the conference, 10-7 overall. The Wolverines host league-rival Belding in a makeup game on Monday and then travel to Fruitport on Tuesday to play the Trojans who are 8-2 in the league.

“We control our own destiny,” Varnesdeel said. “Fruitport is one game ahead, but we have to go to Fruitport. They beat us at home so we get a chance to at least tie with them. If we win out in the conference it will put us in a position to tie for the conference or win it out.” 

Godwin Heights basketball team continues to make progress, beats Comstock Park Tuesday

Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Kent County, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, , ,
Godwin Heights senior Jamaan Hastings (0) led the Wolverines with 23 points in the win against Comstock Park. (WKTV, Greg Chrapek)

By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor

greer@wktv.org


Going into the season with just one senior on the roster, the Godwin Heights boys basketball team expected to encounter some growing pains. While the young Wolverine squad has encountered some rough patches in the early going, the team continues to show steady improvement as conference play swings into full gear.

With a roster loaded with talented juniors as well as a sophomore and a freshman, the Wolverines boast a squad that is poised to show dramatic improvement as the season rolls along. Godwin took another step in that direction Tuesday evening when it turned back OK Silver Conference rival Comstock Park 73-45. With the win, the Wolverines improved to 4-3 overall and 2-0 in league play.

“I felt like we played hard,” said Godwin Heights Coach Bernard Varnesdeel. “We have been figuring things out this season. We have a lot of talent. We have been figuring things out in terms of rotation, figuring out positions, and we have had some injuries and some other stuff that we have had to take care of. Once we got into the flow of the game, I felt that’s when we started to see our offense and defense improve. I was very proud of how unselfish we were tonight.” 

Godwin Heights took the early lead in the game with the Panthers and steadily built their advantage as the game progressed. The host Wolverines built a 15-9 lead at the end of the opening quarter. Godwin was paced in the opening quarter by junior big man Isaiah Guyton. The 6-foot-5 junior flashed his all-around skills on the offensive end of the floor by scoring eight points in the opening quarter to stake the Wolverines to an early lead.

Godwin continued to build the lead in the second quarter as they combined some strong, aggressive defense with efficiency on the offensive end of the floor. Jamaan Hastings, the lone senior on this year’s squad, paced the offense in the second quarter as he poured in seven points during the quarter as the Wolverines built a double-digit lead. Up 23-14 early in the quarter, Hastings helped key a 7-0 Wolverine scoring run that upped the Godwin advantage to 30-14. Heading into halftime the Wolverines led 34-23.

Coming out of halftime, Godwin picked up the intensity even more. The Wolverines took complete charge of the game by opening the second half with a 9-3 scoring run to take a 43-26 lead. Guyton led the charge on the offensive end of the floor as he scored the first seven points of the second half.

“I felt like we had a good game plan coming in,” Varnesdeel said. “Once we got settled in terms of taking care of some of those things in the game plan, I think we started to see some good things.”  

Comstock Park made a run near the end of the third quarter to cut the Godwin lead to 48-36 heading into the fourth quarter.

The Wolverines picked up the pace early in the fourth quarter to put the game on ice. The Godwin defense limited the Panthers to single digits in the final quarter while the Wolverine offense put up 25 points.

The win for Godwin was the second straight after falling to a Division 1 Clarkston team 46-33 at the Aquinas College Tournament prior to New Years. The win was also the fourth in the last five games for the improving Wolverines who have the talent on hand to post a big season.

“The season has been going good,” Varnesdeel said. “We had some things we had to work through early in the season. We had an injury and with a young team we had to get into the flow of the season.” 


 

Godwin Heights junior Isaiah Guyton (35) totaled 20 points as the Wolverines defeated Comstock Park 73-45 Tuesday. (WKTV, Greg Chrapek)


Guyton and Hastings paced the Wolverines in scoring with a combined 43 points as Hastings totaled 23 points and Guyton added 20. Juniors Jaden Farmer and Xzaevier Guzman added six points apiece while fellow juniors Ka’Res Harris, Steven Manzi and Carlos McIver and freshman Martellis Forest added three points each.

“We have a ton of potential,” Varnesdeel said. “We talked to the kids about this. Potential is arguably one of the most dangerous words in the dictionary. Because it can mean so much, so many great things, but then it’s tough to reach that potential sometimes. Potentially, we can be really, really good. If you got potential and you got players, you got talent, then you can always get it fixed.”   


Godwin Heights junior guard Xzaevier Guzman (3) applies pressure in the backcourt during the game with Comstock Park. (WKTV, Greg Chrapek)

Godwin Heights boys basketball team captures OK Silver crown; tough district ahead

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Godwin Heights Boys Basketball Team. Coach Bernard Varnesdeel, second from right. (Photo Courtesy, Geskus Photography)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor

For most first-year coaches, getting their program established is usually a major accomplishment. For Godwin Heights boys basketball Coach Bernard Varnesdeel, not only did he get his style implemented, but he also led the Wolverines to an OK Silver Conference title.

With eight straight conference wins to close out the season, Godwin Heights ended up winning the OK Silver by a full two games over second place Sparta. Godwin Heights ended the regular season with a 13-1 conference record to go along with a 16-5 overall record.

“I’m super-proud of the guys,” Varnesdeel said. “As a first-year coach implementing a whole new program, our team stepped up tremendously. I’m super proud of them. We have a really good group of guys and to win most every night is not easy.”

Winning in the Silver is no easy chore as the conference is full of quality teams from top to bottom. Godwin also had to come up with some key wins down the stretch to secure the title.

“All of our games in the conference were pretty tight,” Varnesdeel said. “The game at Sparta was a big win for us. For five days heading into that game, we weren’t even able to get into the gym due to the weather. To be able to go to Sparta without being able to practice for five days and get a win is pretty big.



“Our win at Belding was also a very big win just because of the style of play. We won 32-28 and to adjust to that style of play and get a win is big. We also beat Sparta at home despite being down by 15 points in the third quarter and that was also a pretty big win.”

A total team effort for Godwin Heights

The key to success for the Wolverines this season was a total-team effort. Having a deep bench proved beneficial time and time again for Godwin.

“The key was our depth,” Varnesdeel said. “We go 10, 11 players deep so we always have fresh players on the floor. Overall, we also have very good athleticism. Our depth and athleticism allows us to keep up the pressure on defense and get out in transition on offense.”

The overall depth is evident by the balanced scoring the Wolverines feature. Four players average in double figures in scoring. Jamaan Hastings averages over 12 points per game, Isaiah Guyton and Jacari Jones average around 10.5 points, while Jace Reid-Anderson averages over 10 points. Guyton and Jones also lead the team in rebounds.

“Another strong point is we shoot very well,” Varnesdeel said. “We have a very good two-point shooting percentage. Several kids are shooting around 60% and several more are shooting in the upper 50s and that’s pretty good.”  

Godwin also made substantial progress as a team since the beginning of the season.

“I think we made a lot of progress in just realizing our identity as a team,” Varnesdeel said. “We made a lot of progress in knowing we have to play hard and defend well. Our rebounding has also come along. Our improvement in rebounding has enabled us to create opportunities on offense in transition. Once that light clicked on, we made a big jump as a team.”

Tough, tough district ahead

With a conference title secured, Godwin is now on to the state tournament where they play in arguably the toughest Division 2 district in the state with what has to be the toughest draw facing any team in the state. Godwin opens up tournament play at the Unity Christian district by playing South Christian, who was a state finalist last year. If the Wolverines win that game they would play Unity Christian, ranked 12th in the state in the semifinals with the winner likely playing Grand Rapids Christian, the No. 1-ranked team in the state in the district finals.

“We are capable of doing some really special things in the state tournament if we play up to our abilities,” Varnesdeel said. “We do have the potential for a state tournament run. That said, we will be tested early and often.”

No matter the outcome in the state tournament, this year’s young squad accomplished plenty in Varnesdeel’s first season at Godwin.

“I’m super proud of all of our kids,” Varnesdeel said. “Everyone of them filled a key role. I couldn’t have been more happy with what all of our kids did for us.”    

Godwin Heights stays in hunt for league title with 76-48 win over Comstock Park

City of Wyoming, Local Sports, Sports, , ,
Godwin Heights’ Jacari Jones (0) applies defensive pressure during Tuesday’s game with Comstock Park. Jones and Isaiah Guyton led the Wolverines with 12 points apiece. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor



The Godwin Heights boys basketball team may be on the young side this season, but future foes need to be aware that this year’s squad of Wolverines is becoming a nasty team to deal with.

Combining a tenacious defense with an explosive offense, the Wolverines have been on the prowl lately. That was evident Tuesday as Godwin Heights turned back Comstock Park 76-48 to stay in the thick of the chase for the OK Blue Conference title.

The Wolverine defense proved tough to crack right from the opening tip while the offense gained momentum as the game progressed en route to its highest point total of the season. With the win, the Wolverines improved to 7-1 in the conference, a half game behind league-leading Sparta who travels to Godwin next Tuesday for a big conference showdown.

“We took a tough loss to Calvin Christian a couple of weeks ago and the one thing I’m super proud of is the way the guys learned from that loss,” said Godwin Heights Coach Bernard Varnesdeel. “Our team learned what our identity is from that loss. First, we realized that we have to hang our hat on our defensive pressure. We apply pressure both full court and in the half court. We put the pressure on with our defense and push the tempo on offense especially after creating turnovers on defense.”

That was the formula the Wolverines used against Comstock Park. The Wolverines used their strong defensive pressure to take a 12-9 lead at the end of the first quarter. Godwin dialed up that pressure in the second quarter as it outscored Comstock Park 26-13 to take a commanding 38-22 halftime lead.

“I feel like we did a lot better job of getting rebounds and I feel we did a good job of passing the ball on offense,” said Godwin Heights junior Jamaan Hastings. “I feel like we are working together better to play as a team and are starting to gel as a team for the March playoffs.”

Teamwork is a major strong point for the Wolverines. Not only do the Wolverines play strong team defense, but they share the ball on offense and have multiple players who can contribute on the offensive end of the floor. Nine different players scored for Godwin during the second-quarter offensive outburst and all 11 Wolverines scored during the game.



Sophomore guard Ka’Res Harris (10) looks for an opening as he moves the ball around the perimeter of the Comstock Park defense. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



“We have 11 really, really good basketball players,” Varnesdeel said. “I tell all the guys that they will get the opportunity to get their run.”

Godwin players continued to get plenty of “run” during the second half as the defense continued to force turnovers while the offense capitalized on the offensive end. Godwin extended the lead to 58-35 at the end of the third quarter as it outscored the Panthers 20-13.

“I think we have a really good team,” said Wolverine senior Ben Dolo. “I think we are a super-underrated team. We can play with the top teams in the area and we can’t wait till March to show what we’ve been working on this season.”

Godwin closed out the game strong outscoring the Panthers 18-13 to end with a 28-point win.

“We’ve made a ton of improvement,” Varnesdeel said. “This is a great group. I’m a new coach here and we had a lot of younger, inexperienced players coming into the season. We only had one guy with a lot of experience and we have four sophomores. Those guys have made a lot of progress this season.


“We are learning each and every day and improving. We still have a lot to work on, but we’ve made a ton of progress.”

Godwin’s depth was evident in the scorebook. Jacari Jones and sophomore Isaiah Guyton were the lone Wolverines in double figures with 12 points apiece. Senior Jace Reid-Anderson added nine points, followed by Marcos Rodriguez and Hastings, eight points apiece; Armani Dedrick, six; sophomores Justin Chan, Ka’Res Harris and Dom Sanders, five each; sophomore Lonnie Sanders, four and Dolo, two.


Godwin Heights guard Ben Dolo brings the ball up the floor against Comstock Park. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)


“Jace is our most experienced player and he is doing a great job of leading our young players,” Varnesdeel said. “Isaiah is a sophomore who is doing a nice job for us. Jacari had a really good game tonight and Ka’Res is our sophomore point guard who is doing a really good job. All 11 of our guys did a nice job and it was a great team win.”

With the win, the Wolverines improved to 10-5 overall. Godwin returns to action Friday at Calvin Christian before returning home for the OK Blue showdown with Sparta next Tuesday.        

Boys Basketball Coach Tyler Whittemore reflects on Godwin Heights’ season

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Godwin Heights Coach Tyler Whittemore. (Courtesy, Godwin Heights)



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org



After winning its first two tournament games, including a barnburner over a great Lee team, and losing to Hudsonville Unity Christian in a district final, Godwin Heights boys basketball Coach Tyler Whittemore looks back at his team’s successful season.

“I am lucky to have one of the best backcourts in West Michigan with Damarie Thompson and Jakhary Towns,” said Whittemore, whose team finished 14-8 overall and 8-5 in the OK Silver. “Those two guys are our leaders. Damarie has a toughness and intelligence about him that helped him lead the team in assists and steals.


Jakhary Towns. (Courtesy, Troy Maleport)
Damarie Thompson. (Courtesy, Godwin Heights)

“Jakhary is a special player that has a scoring ability that he has crafted over the years. His ability to score inside and out is dangerous for other teams. He often faced specialized defenses that attempted to take that away, but he continued to find ways to be efficient and effective for our team.”



Towns led the Wolverines with 28 points per game and also registered 3.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals.

“We came a long way this season when it comes to consistency and providing that effort needed to be successful,” Whittemore said. “The guys truly pushed one another to be great every possession. We improved on that and were in some great games throughout the season.”

Godwin beat Lee to advance to a district final last week

Godwin beat Lee 83-80 in overtime in a district semifinal matchup. Lee finished the season atop the Alliance League at 8-0 and was 19-2 overall.

“That game was important because it was win-or-go-home,” Whittemore explained. “We trusted and followed our leaders for this game. One of our captains, Jamarion Collins, set the tone tremendously by his defensive pressure and intensity. Many of his teammates fed off of his focus and were aggressive this game.

“I believe it was the toughness and intensity of Tre’Vonte Buckley that really helped us that game. Yes, Jakhary scored a lot of points that game (47), but it was Tre’ diving for loose balls and gathering second chance opportunities for his teammates.



From left: Damarie Thompson, Jace Reid-Anderson and Tre’Vonte Buckley. (WKTV, Greg Chrapek)



“We knew if we just played our game, remained together, and never stopped flying around until the buzzer sounds then anything can happen.”

Whittemore said he was very fortunate to have so many great athletes that are quick and can impact a game at any point.

“A couple of seniors that stick out to me that I knew I could lean on and trust in tough spots, even if things weren’t going their way earlier in the game, are Rashaad Dorsey and Johnny Horrell,” Whittemore said. “Those guys are very mentally tough and bring much quickness to our full-court defensive pressure.”

With many seniors this year, who will step up next season?

“Big leaps are made by all players who commit themselves to the weight room and time in the gym to work on their skills,” Whittemore explained. “A few players that I am excited for next season are Ben Dolo, Jaylen Martin and Jacari Jones. The underclassmen that will impact varsity greatly are Marcos Rodriguez, Jamaan Hastings and Isaiah Guyton.”

Godwin Heights rallies to outlast Lee 83-80 in district semi OT thriller; Towns scores 47 points

City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, , ,
Godwin’s Jakhary Towns (10, far right), teammate Damarie Thompson (2) and Lee’s Clarence Lewis (11) during the district semifinal game. Towns finished with a career-high 47 points. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor


The venerable Godwin Heights gym has seen some thrillers in its long history, but few have produced the drama that the host Wolverines and Lee produced in Wednesday’s district semifinal game.

Trailing by six points with 20 seconds remaining, Godwin tied the game and sent it into overtime where it eventually came away with an 83-80 win.

Godwin Heights senior guard Jakhary Towns turned in a game for the ages as he poured in 47 points to lead the comeback and give himself and his teammates one more game to be played on their home court.

“When we were down by six late in the fourth quarter we were talking in the huddle about getting two more stops,” Towns said. “We had a lot of energy left and we knew if we could get two more big stops, we could do it.”

Godwin’s comeback hopes received a big shot of adrenaline with 17 seconds left in the game when Towns stepped back and drained a three-point shot that cut the Lee lead in half. After a turnover by the Legends, Godwin regained the ball and Towns cut the margin to 69-67 after splitting a pair of free throws with 16 seconds remaining in the game.

Off to overtime at 69-all

On the ensuring inbounds play, the Godwin defense forced the second turnover it needed with 13 seconds left on the clock. Three seconds later Godwin tied the game when Towns drew a foul and connected on both free throws to tie the game at 69-69.

Lee, however, was determined to retake the lead. The Legends quickly moved the ball down the floor, but missed a pair of shots that would’ve won the game in the final seconds of regulation.

“That was crazy,” said Godwin Heights Coach Tyler Whittemore. “I told the guys we needed to execute on offense and force a couple of turnovers. I told the guys whatever happens we have to stay together and that’s what we did. Everybody came through and did their jobs.”

As thrilling as the final seconds of the game were, the four-minute overtime session provided even more thrills. The two teams combined for 25 points in overtime. Like regulation, the overtime had plenty of lead changes as the two teams exchanged the lead six times.


Lee’s Marc Whitfield (0) prepares to drive to the basket as Jaylen Martin (23) of Godwin Heights defends. Whitfield led Lee with 27 points. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



Up 75-74 with 1:36 remaining in overtime, Marc Whitfield drained a pair of free throws putting the Legends up 77-74.

Godwin Heights cut the lead to 77-76 with 1:25 remaining when Towns scored. The next basket came with 23 seconds left when Towns again delivered from long range putting the Wolverines up 79-77.

Lee split a pair of free throws with 15 seconds left to cut the margin to 79-78. With 10 seconds remaining Towns proved to be money at the free-throw line by draining two free throws to up the Godwin lead to 81-78.

Lee battled to the end and with 1.5 seconds remining in the game Whitfield scored on a drive to the hoop cutting the margin to one point before Godwin ended the game with Jaylen Martin hitting a pair of free throws with 0.4 seconds remaining.

“When we were down by six points, we still knew we could come back,” Martin said. “It was not just a one-man effort. We all had to produce if we were going to come back and win this game.”


Lee’s Joe Russau (14) and Marc Whitfield (0) and Godwin Heights’ Jaylen Martin (23) line up along the lane during a free-throw attempt during a Division 2 semifinal game Wednesday at Godwin. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



Towns, who scored a career-high 47 points, delivered five three-point baskets during the game along with scoring on numerous drives to the hoop.

“It feels great,” Towns said. “I’ve never been to a district final during my four years of high school. To have a game like this on my home court is special.”

Along with the 47 points from Towns, Godwin received 12 points from Damarie Thompson, eight from Jamarion Collins and seven from Tre’Vonte Buckley.

“Jaylen Martin was a big, big part of this win,” Whittemore said. “He has just dug in and gotten better all season. He played some great defense tonight.”

With the win, Godwin Heights improved to 14-7 for the season and will host Unity Christian for the district championship Friday after Unity defeated Grand Rapids Catholic Central 57-55 in the other semifinal game.

Lee finishes exceptional season with big turnaround

Lee finished the season with a 19-2 record and first place in the Alliance League at 8-0.

“This team really laid the foundation for our program going forward,” said Lee Coach Dominic Shannon. “Every one of our players left everything they had on the court. I’m so proud of our players and so proud of our coaching staff.



“We won only five games last year so to go 19-2 this year is a big turnaround. We also became the first Lee team in 43 years to win a conference championship.”

Whitfield scores 27

Junior Marc Whitfield led Lee with 27 points, followed by Clarence Lewis, 18; Joe Russau, 16; Ny’Zhem Marshall, 10 and Troy Fox, nine.

“You have to salute their senior guard Jakhary Towns,” Shannon said. “He had a great game tonight. We knew he was one of the keys. We put our best defender, Clarence Lewis, on him and he made it hard on him. He just was hitting shot after shot. They played well. You have to give them credit.” 

NorthPointe Christian overcomes early deficit to upend Godwin Heights

City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, ,
Jakhary Towns led the Wolverines with 23 points. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor



Godwin Heights came out of the gate fast during Tuesday’s OK Silver showdown against NorthPointe Christian, but it was the visiting Mustangs that came away with a 69-67 win in a game that came down to the final seconds.

“You have to give the credit to NorthPointe,” said Godwin Heights Coach Tyler Whittemore. “They are a well-coached team and their kids played hard. They made some key shots and battled the entire game.”

Godwin Heights grabbed the early advantage in the game thanks to some outstanding defense and shot making on the offensive side of the floor. Godwin built a double-digit lead by the middle of the first quarter. The Wolverines were up 18-8 before NorthPointe Christian cut the margin in half by the end of the opening quarter.

The Wolverines kept control of the lead in the early going of the second quarter with a three-point shot by Jaylen Martin putting the Wolverines up 26-19 with 4:34 remaining in the half.

All tied up at the half

NorthPointe Christian, however, would not back down and a six-point Mustang run trimmed Godwin’s lead to a single point. By halftime, NorthPointe caught the Wolverines and the two teams went into the locker rooms tied at 34-34.

“We have a team full of seniors,” said NorthPointe Christian Coach Justin Yoder. “We start four seniors so we have a lot of experience. I told the guys no matter if we are up by 10 or down by 10, we have to stay the course. We have to execute on offense and play good defense.”

From halftime on, the game became a back-and-forth struggle, with neither team able to get more than a four-point lead in the third quarter or a five-point advantage in the fourth.

NorthPointe led 51-50 at the end of the third quarter before Godwin Heights surged ahead in the early minutes of the fourth. NPC led 65-63 with a minute remaining in the game when the Mustangs received a big play from Deangelo Person. He drove to the basket and scored and was also fouled on the play. Person added the free throw putting NorthPointe up 68-63.

Jamarion Collins trey tightens it up at the end

Godwin replied with a final run of its own. After a free throw by Jamarion Collins, the Wolverine defense came up with a stop and on the next possession Collins drained a three-point shot cutting the margin to 68-67 with 15 seconds remaining.

With eight seconds left in the game, NorthPointe’s Mitchell White split a pair of free throws that put the Mustangs up 69-67. Godwin had an opportunity to tie the game in the final seconds, but a pair of missed free throws and a missed putback at the buzzer enabled NorthPointe to come away with the win.

“We had a shot at the end and that is all you can ask for,” Whittemore said. “They (NorthPointe) made the shots. That’s a really good team and we’ve battled back and forth with them all year.”

Godwin gets earlier win

Godwin Heights defeated NPC 84-72 when the two teams previously met January 10 at NorthPointe.

“Godwin is a really good team,” Yoder said. “We changed up our defense this time. We went to a 3-2 zone the whole game and tried to mix it up. It was a game of runs and I’m super-proud of my boys. This was a big win for us.”

Jakhary Towns scores 23

Jakhary Towns led Godwin with 23 points, followed by Collins and Damarie Thompson, 10 apiece and Marco Rodriguez, nine.

NorthPointe was led by Kayden Bird with 27 points and Person, 17.

With the loss, Godwin Heights fell to 10-4 overall and 6-3 in the league. The Wolverines return to action Friday when they host Calvin Christian and then host Belding next Tuesday.

Calvin Christian outlasts Godwin Heights for top of OK Silver

Sports, West Michigan,
Godwin Heights players, from left, Damarie Thompson, Jace Reid-Anderson and Tre’Vonte Buckley talk over strategy during Friday’s OK Silver game with Calvin Christian. (WKTV, Greg Chrapek)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor


Sole possession of first place in the OK Silver was on the line when Godwin Heights visited Calvin Christian Friday night and the long-time rivals added another thrilling chapter to the rivalry with the host Squires holding off Godwin 71-61.

Led by standout senior guard Jakhary Towns, Godwin Heights started fast. The Wolverines jumped out to an 8-1 lead and were up 14-7 before Calvin began to assert its height advantage and pound the ball inside and flex their muscles on the offensive glass.

Senior guard Jakhary Towns led Godwin Heights with 32 points. (WKTV, Greg Chrapek)

Towns was on fire offensively in the opening quarter as he scored 12 of his game-high 32 points then and assisted on both of Godwin’s other two field goals in that quarter.

“Jakhary is one of the best guards in the state and he showed it again tonight,” said Godwin Heights coach Tyler Whittemore. “He just showed that consistency that he’s had over the past four years.”

Calvin was prepared for Towns and the Squires did the best they could throughout the game to keep him from dominating the game.

“We knew coming in that Jakhary is a great player,” said Calvin Christian coach Matt Veltema. “We knew that we had to at least try and contain him because he is just too good a player to stop.”

With three players standing 6-foot-5 and four players 6-foot-4, Calvin had the size advantage and the Squires used that to their advantage. Calvin pounded the glass on the offensive end and came up with numerous second and third chances on offense. Calvin gained control of the game in the second quarter as the Squires outscored Godwin 16-6 to take a 30-22 lead.

“We always make it a priority to battle hard on the boards,” Veltema said. “We knew we had to do a good job of controlling the boards.”

The Squires also featured a talented senior guard of their own in Jack Agema. Agema’s ball-handling skills were key against Godwin’s pressure defense and his playmaking enabled the Squires to get the ball to their big players down low. Agema also led the Calvin offense with 21 points.

Calvin was up 33-26 at the half and opened up a 38-28 lead early in the third quarter. Godwin, however, battled back each time Calvin made a run. The Wolverines cut the Calvin lead to 42-35 midway through the third quarter and then cut the Squire lead to 47-42 on a bucket by Towns late in the third.

“We play the game for the entire 32 minutes,” Whittemore said. “You never know what is going to happen. The guys gave it their best shot and they never quit.”

Godwin makes fourth-quarter run

Trailing by 11 points early in the fourth quarter, the Wolverines made a strong run midway through the final stanza. Godwin reeled off seven consecutive points, cutting the Calvin lead to 55-51 with 4:09 remaining in the game when Towns drained a pair of free throws. That was as close as the Wolverines would get, however, as Calvin stemmed the tide and outscored Godwin 8-3 in the final minute of the game with all the points coming at the free-throw line.

“It was a battle,” Veltema said. “I know Tyler and he always has a very well-coached team. It is always a battle with his team. It was a fun game, up and down the court, and they (Godwin) never gave up.”

With the win, Calvin Christian improved to 8-1 overall and 3-1 in the OK Silver. Along with 21 points from Agema, the Squires received 16 points from Carson DeHaan and 14 from Matt Elderkin.

Godwin Heights fell to 5-2 overall for the season and 3-1 in the conference. Towns led the way with 32 points, while Damarie Thompson added 15 and Jaylen Martin six.

“I think we are growing every day as a team,” Whittemore said. “I give a lot of credit to the boys for how hard they worked in the off-season. They are performing at a high level right now because of that hard work.”

Godwin Heights returns to action at Belding on Tuesday and then hosts Hopkins Friday.