On Friday morning, the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan (BCAM) and the Detroit Free Press announced four finalists for the Hal Schram Mr. Basketball award for the 2024-25 season. The annual honor is presented to the top senior boy basketball player in Michigan.
All four players are from the east side of Michigan this year, including two from the Catholic High School League’s Central Division.
Members of BCAM will vote for who they think should be Mr. Basketball, with the winner expected to be announced on Monday, March 10.
Here are the four players looking to become the next Mr. Basketball.
Detroit Jesuit’s Leroy Blyden (2) looks to pass as Detroit U-D Jesuit faces Orchard Lake St. Mary’s at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Prep High School on Friday, Jan. 19, 2024.Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com
Leroy Blyden Jr., G, Detroit U-D Jesuit
6-foot-1
Commitment: Toledo
Blyden made a case for Mr. Basketball early in the season and never looked back. In a matchup with Orchard Lake St. Mary’s and fellow finalist Trey McKenney on Dec. 13, Blyden scored 39 points to help lead the Cubs to a 63-54 range and was 5-for-10 from 3-point range.
Despite his size, Blyden led Jesuit in rebounding as a junior and shot 64 percent from the field that season while also shooting and 40 percent from 3-point range.
So far this season, he is averaging 21.5 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals.
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Trey Mckenney (1) celebrates an and-one as Orchard Lake St. Mary’s faces North Farmington in the Division 1 state championship game at MSU’s Breslin Center in East Lansing on Saturday, March 16, 2024.Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com
Trey McKenney, G, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s
6-foot-5
Commitment: Michigan
Trey McKenney was a front-runner for the Mr. Basketball award entering the season. Despite missing six games with an injury this season, that was not nearly enough to hurt his chances. McKenney suffered a broken bone in his hand during a 37-point effort in what ended up being a 67-62 loss to national powerhouse IMG Academy in Florida on Jan. 9.
When he came back at the start of the CHSL tournament, he had 21 points, 11 rebounds in a win over Toledo St. John Jesuit to open the CHSL Bishop tournament and then dropped 29 points in a surprising 72-41 blowout of Brother Rice.
In the CHSL championship game, hit two free-throws with 19 seconds left to give the Eaglets a 58-57 win. McKenney led St. Mary’s (14-6) with a double-double by score 22 points and collecting 10 rebounds.
This season, he averages a double-double with 23.8 points, 10.2 rebounds. He was the Gatorade Michigan Boys Basketball Player of the Year as a junior and led St. Mary’s to a Division 1 title that season.
Huron’s Macari Moore (21) shakes his teammates hand before the start of the division 1 regional semifinal at Northville High School in Northville on Tuesday, March 5, 2024. Huron defeated Catholic Central 54-53.Rebecca Villagracia | MLive.com
Macari Moore, G, Ann Arbor Huron
6-foot-5
Commitment: Iowa State
There have been many great players among the numerous great teams Huron has had over the years, and Moore has found a way to rise above them all.
He became Huron’s all-time leading scorer last week in a win over Skyline, breaking a record had stood for 46 years and was held by Erich Santifer. He’s also the only Huron player ever with 1,500 career points.
No player from Huron has ever been a finalist for the Mr. Basketball award, let alone win it. This year, Moore is averaging 20 points, 6 assists, 6 rebounds.
Renaissance’s Lance Stone (11) moves the ball as Detroit Cass Tech faces Detroit Renaissance in the Detroit Public School League championship game at Wayne State Fieldhouse in Detroit on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024.Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com
Lance Stone, G, Detroit Renaissance
5-foot-7
Commitment: Detroit Mercy
While Stone is just as proficient in his scoring as the other finalists this year, no one in state history has been able to distribute the ball like Stone.
On Jan. 24 this season, Stone surpassed the MHSAA career record for assists by dishing out 11 in an 80-27 win over Detroit Western International. Stone broke the record of 803 set by Evan Kraatz of Allen Park Inter-City Baptist from 2011-14.
Not long after breaking the state record for career assists, Stone broke the Renaissance record for points in a game with 56 in a 96-19 win over Detroit Cody to open the PSL tournament.
He leads a Phoenix offense that averages 80.6 points per game and have eclipsed the 90-point mark six times, three of them surpassing 100 points. He was last year’s Mr. PSL winner as well.
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