Fowler vs. Wyoming Tri-Unity Christian – – Division 4 Boys Basketball State Final – – The Bleacher Denizen – – March 15, 2025 – – by Chuck Krafft

Today, the Michigan High School Athletic Association is hosting the Boys State Basketball Finals at the Breslin Center at Michigan State University. The Defenders from Wyoming Tri-Unity Christian will fast the Eagles from Fowler.

Wyoming Tri-Unity Christian has a 26-2 record and is ranked #2 coming into the state final. They finished first in the Alliance League. Coach Mark Keeler has had a lot of success in the tournament over the years as he has six state titles and six runner-up finishes under his belt.

Tri-Unity has a number of impressive wins. They have beaten #9 Adrian Lenawee Christian as well as Division 3 Western Michigan Christian, Beal City and Schoolcraft and Division 2 Grand Rapids Covenant Christian. They have played Fowler earlier this season, in December, and lost.

Per the Athletic Association’s “Breslin Bound” preview, here are some of the players who have helped Tri-Unity advance to this point. (Please note that these statistics were posted before the semifinal games.)

Keaton Blanker averages 11.1 points and 4.2 assists per game. Noah Silverton scores 11.1 points per game. Joe Mellon averages 13 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. Cody Osbun averages 7.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.

Fowler has a 25-3 record and is ranked #4 coming into the state final. The Eagles are led by four seniors, two of who have started four years and two who were starters or played starter minutes for three years.

Jacob Halfmann is in his fourth year of starting for the Eagles. He averages 12.5 points and 4.0 assists. He has hit 41 three point shots this year. Aaron Simon averages 12.3 points per game and has hit 65 three point shots so far this year. Alex Halfmann averages 11 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. He is another Fowler four year starter. Asher Koenigsknecht averages 11.7 points per game and has hit 53 three point shots.

I have covered a number of Eagle games this year and can tell you that all four of these players as well as the rest of the team can play some fearsome defense as well. I was here for Thursday’s semifinal game. https://thebleacherdenizen.com/2025/03/14/fowler-vs-allen-park-inter-city-baptist-mhsaa-boys-state-basketball-semifinal-the-bleacher-denizen-march-14-2025-by-chuck-krafft/

Before the game, Fowler’s sign language class signed the National Anthem as it was played. They did a fine job!!

It is now time to review the results of this game through the lens of an Aging Bleacher Denizen who was never able to escape church league when he attempted to hoop in the days of yore. It seems that he shot too many bricks. Back in the days when we had to shoot at peach baskets, your Bleacher Denizen’s bricks destroyed way too many of them. Your Bleacher Denizen was removed from the team as a cost-cutting measure.

Tri-Unity wins the opening tap. Keaton Blanker passes to Joey Mellon, who hits a layup to give the Defenders the first two points of the game. Fowler misses a threeball from the wing. The rebound goes out of bounds and Tri-Unity takes possession. Keaton Blanker drives and hits a layup to give Tri-Unity a 4-0 lead.

Keaton Blanker steals the ball for the Defenders. Joe Epkey knocks the ball away from Tri-Unity and Jacob Halfmann picks it up for Fowler. Fowler misses a threeball from the side and fouls on the rebound. Tri-Unity misses a twelve foot shot off the dribble in the lane. Joey Mellon steals the ball for the Defenders. Tri-Unity misses a layup. Keaton Blanker steals a Fowler pass. Joseph Peters passes to Cody Osbun, who is fouled as he shoots a layup. Cody Osbun hits two free throws to give Tri-Unity a 6-0 lead with 4:47 left in the opening quarter.

Fowler misfires on a threeball from the corner. Joseph Peters passes to Joey Mellon, who hits a layup for the Defenders. The Halfmann connection happens for Fowler as Alex passes to Jacob, who hits a three point shot to give Fowler its first points of the game. Tri-Unity has an 11-3 lead.

Alex Halfmann knocks the ball away from Tri-Unity and Jacob Halfmann picks it up for Fowler. Keaton Blanker knocks the ball out of bounds; Fowler retains possesion. Jacob Halfmann passes the ball to Aaron Simon, who throws in a threeball from the side to trim the Tri-Unity lead to 11-6.

Clayton Rowlader saves a loose ball to prevent a Tri-Unity turnover. The Defenders miss a three point shot from the wing. Cody Osbun blocks a Fowler layup. Joey Mellon hustles to prevent a loose ball from becoming a Defender turnover. Tri-Unity commits a traveling violation. Fowler misses a threeball from the side. Augustine Spitzley pulls down the offensive rebound for the Eagles. Fowler misses a six foot hook shot off the dribble in the lane. Tri-Unity misses a threeball from the corner just before the buzzer announces that this quarter is over.

After one quarter, Tri-Unity has an 11-6 lead.

Fowler inbounds the ball to open the second quarter. The Eagles travel as they shoot a layup. NOah Silverton drives and hits a layup for Tri-Unity. Keaton Blanker steals the ball and hits a layup for Tri-Unity. Noah Silverton steals the ball and hits a layup for Tri-Unity to give the Defenders a 17-6 lead.

Noah Silverton knocks an Eagle pass out of bounds. Fowler retains possession. Brayden Nelson gets a hand on the ball, but Fowler recovers. The Eagles miss a jump shot. Alex Halfmann pulls down the offensive rebound for Fowler. Fowler misses a threeball from the side. The rebound goes out of bounds and Tri-Unity takes possession. Joey Mellon hits a layup for the Defenders and is fouled. He makes his free throw to give Trk-Unity a 20-6 lead with 5:22 left in the first half.

Joey Mellon steals an Eagle pass. Tri-Unity misses a reverse layup. Cody Osbun gets the offensive rebound for the Defenders. Alex Halfmann steals the ball for the EAgles. Fowler misses a layup and fouls on the rebound. Noah Silverton drives and hits a layup to give Tri-Unity a 22-6 lead.

Fowler misses a threeball from the corner. Keaton Blanker drives and dishes the ball to Cody Osbun, who hits a layup for the Defenders. Fowler misses a three point shot from the side. Alex Halfmann gets the offensive rebound for the Eagles. Aaron Simon passes to Jacob Halfmann, who hits a three pointer from the side for the Eagles to trim the Defender lead to 24-9.

Tri-Unity misses a layup. Fowler misses a three pointer from the wing. Keaton Blanker passes the ball to Noah Silverton, who is fouled as he throws up a threeball from the wing. Noah Silverton hits two of his three free throws to boost the Tri-Unity lead to 26-9 with 2:13 to play in the second quarter.

Dylan Pline passes to Alex Halfmann, who hits a layup for the EAgles. Tri-Unity misses a three point shot from the corner. Fowler misses a fast break layup. Jacob Halfmann knocks the ball away from the defenders and Isaac Thelen picks it up for the Eagles. Jacob Halfmann drives and hits a layup to shave the Tri-Unity lead to 26-13.

Tri-Unity misses a threeball from the wing. Cody Osbun knocks the ball away from the Eagles and Keaton Blanker picks it up for the Defenders. Jacob Halfmann steals the ball and passes to Asher Koenigsknecht, who hits a fast break layup and is fouled. Asher Koenigsknecht hits is free throw for the Eagles with 10.0 seconds left. Keaton Blanker is fouled driving to the basket and hits two free throws for Tri-Unity with just 3.3 seconds to play. Fowler misses a heave from midcourt.

At halftime, Tri-Unity holds a 28-16 lead.

Jacob Halfmann leads Fowler’s scoring with 11 points.

Noah Silverton has 11 points for Tri-Unity. Joey Mellon has 7 points and Keaton Blanker has 6 points.

Fowler inbounds the ball to get quarter number three underway. The Eagles misfire on a threeball from the side. Tri-Unity misses a driving layup. Aaron Simon passes to Joe Epkey, who hits a layup for the Eagles. The Defenders miss a threeball near the top of the key. The Eagles miss a threeball from the corner. Joe Epkey gets a hand on the ball, but the Defenders are able to recover. Joseph Peter passes to Cody Osbun, who hits a layup to give Tri-Unity a 30-18 lead.

Fowler misses a threeball from the side. The rebound goes out of bounds and the Eagles get another opportunity. Fowler misses a three pointer from the side. Joe Epkey pulls down the offensive rebound for the Eagles. Aaron Simon gets into the lane and hits a ten foot floater to trim the Defender lead to 30-20.

Tri-Unity commits a trveling violation. Fowler misses a driving layup. Tri-Unity fouls on the rebound. Noah Silverton knocks and Eagle pass out of bounds; Fowler retains possession. Fowler misses a twelve foot shot off the dribble in the lane. Alex Halfmann hits a putback to shave the Defender lead to 30-22.

Dylan Pline knocks the ball out of bounds; Tri-Unity retains possession. The Defenders miss a threeball from the side. Fowler fouls on the rebound. Tri-Unity misses a driving layup. Keaton Blanker hits a putback for the Defenders. Asher Koenigsknecht passes the ball to Jacob Halfmann, who hits a three point shot from the side to chop the Defender lead to 32-25.

Alex Halfmann steals the ball for the Eagles after a Tri-Unity pass hits the backboard. Fowler makes a shot fake, but travels. Keaton Blanker passes to Clayton Rowlader, who hits a three pointer from the side for Tri-Unity. Fowler is whistled for a traveling violation. Tri-Unity is not able to shoot before the buzzer brings the end to quarter number three.

After three quarters, Tri-Unity leads 35-25.

Tri-Unity has the ball to begin the fourth quarter. Keaton Blanker drives and hits an off balance layup for the Defenders. Fowler misses a layup. Joe Epkey gets the offensive rebound for the Eagles. Fowler misses a three pointer from the corner. The rebound goes out of bounds and the Eagles get the ball back. Fowler misses a three point shot from the corner. Asher Koenigsknecht pulls down the offensive rebound for the Eagles. Joe Epkey passes to Asher Koenigsknecht, who fall down as he shoots, but hits a three point shot from the corner to trim the Tri-Unity lead to 37-28.

Keaton Blanker passes to Cody Osbun, who hits a layup for Tri-Unity. Fowler misses a three pointer from the corner. Alex Halfmann gets his hand on the ball; Tri-Unity is able to recover. The Defenders lose the ball out of bounds. Fowler misses a three point shot from the corner. A Tri-Unity pass is too high for the receiver and goes out of bounds. Fowler misses a twelve foot shot in the lane. Tri-Unity misses a layup.

Fowler gets into the lane and misses a ten footer from the side of the lane. Aaron Simon’s tough defense forces a Tri-Unity traveling violation. Fowler misses a three point shot from the wing. Aaron Simon hits a putback for Fowler. Tri-Unity misses a reverse layup. Joey Mellon hits a putback to give Tri-Unity a 41-30 lead.

Joey Mellon harrasses Fowler into missing a layup. Tri-Unity travels with the rebound. Jacob Halfmann inbounds the ball to Joe Epkey, who hits a layup for the Eagles to trim the Tri-Unity lead to 41-32.

Jacob Halfmann steals the ball for the Eagles. Fowler misses a threeball from the wing. The rebound goes out of bounds and Tri-Unity takes possession. Cody Osbun passes to Clayton Rowlader, who hits a three point shot from the side for Tri-Unity. Fowler misses a three point shot from the side. Keaton Blanker passes to Clayton Rowlader, who hits a three point shot from the corner to give Tri-Unity a 47-32 lead.

Fowler misses a threeball from the wing. Keaton Blanker drives and makes a reverse layup for Fowler. Fowler misses a driving layup. Tri-Unity dribbles out the final minute.

Wyoming Tri-Unity Christian wins this game and the state championship by the final score of 49-32.

Jacob Halfmann had 11 points to lead the Fowler scoring. Aaron Simon contributed 7 points. Asher Koenigsknecht added 6 points. Alex Halfmann and Joe Epkey each scored 4 points.

Tri-Unity’s KEaton Blanker led all scorers with 12 points. Noah Silverman had 11 points, all in the first half when Tri-Unity established its lead. Clayton Rowlader and Joey Mellon each chipped in with 9 points. Cody Osbun tossed in 8 points.