Thank You for Jack Up Cancer Night!

Jack Up Cancer t-shirt logo 

Supporters of Jack Up Cancer Night

We need to express our deepest and most sincere THANKS! to SO VERY MANY people for all the help Friday night. Countless volunteers, people who supplied baked goods, advertisers, numerous others, and really the whole Grand Blanc community combined to ensure that the first ever Jack Up Cancer Night was a big success! We raised over $1000 for Hurley Children's Hospital and registered 30 new people for the bone marrow donor registry. Thanks to everyone for making it such a memorable night!

Jack and his pals

Warming up, decked out in orange

Tip off in front of an orange-clad crowd

Even the mascot oranged up!

In addition to the GREAT community support that Jack Up Cancer Night brought, it was wonderful to see the following local media pick up on the story:

mLive's Brendan Savage wrote a nice piece in advance of the event.

The premier issue of Cherish Local's online magazine included a feature on Jack Up Cancer Night on page 42, followed by this video interview with Jack's dad Pete on page 43.

The local CBS affiliate did a story, but it doesn't appear to be online anywhere.

Meanwhile, NBC25, who you may recall did a wonderful story on Jack this summer, had a couple pieces on the event. First, they talked about it during the game highlights portion of their Friday night Hometown Hoops broadcast. Then, Sports Director Jeanna Trotman awarded her game ball of the week to the Grand Blanc community for their support of Jack Up Cancer Night.

 

ABC12 also sent out a news reporter to do a piece on the event...

Jack Up Cancer Night

Friday, December 21st will be a special night at Grand Blanc High School as the Bobcats take the court against Bay City Western on “Jack Up Cancer Night” in honor of 2018 Grand Blanc graduate and Bobcat basketball alum, Jack Scribner.

A true student-athlete, Jack earned varsity letters for the Bobcats in both basketball and baseball each of the last two seasons, and was a member of the National Honor Society, graduating in the top 3% of his class. He planned on attending Miami University (OH) this semester, but last June, just days after playing in the baseball district championship game for the Bobcats, Jack was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. As a result, plans for college had to be put on hold as he undergoes extensive chemotherapy.

A bone marrow registry drive will be held and there will be a bake sale to support Hurley Pediatrics. And to show our support for Jack in his fight against leukemia, we are encouraging all fans to set aside their Grand Blanc school colors of red & black for one night, and instead wear orange, the color of leukemia awareness. Be there Friday, December 21st as we join together to Jack Up Cancer!

Bobcats at the Next Level: Lon Martin

Lon Martin is putting in the work and getting it done as he plays for the postgrad team at the prestigious IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Check out some of his highlights from this past weekend.

Lonnell Martin Highlights From The Veterans Day Classic! IMG Academy Post Grad @lon_mart

Full 🎥: https://t.co/dCylkv8Y69 pic.twitter.com/JWZ3yv2PIc

— Courtside Films (@CourtsideFilms) November 12, 2018

Bobcat Madness

Make sure to be at Bobcat Madness this Friday night! There will be all sorts of fun for the family, STUDENT SECTION GAMES for the high schoolers, and SCRIMMAGES for the Varsity Boys & Girls teams, and even a SLAM DUNK CONTEST!

ADMISSION IS FREE. Concessions available. Doors open at 7pm.

🚨🚨BOBCAT MADNESS IS ALMOST HERE🚨🚨🚨

Doors up @ 8 (show up early)

FREE ADMISSION✅

Seniors in ⚫️
Juniors in 🔴
Sophomores in ⚪️
Freshmen in GREY

EVERYONE COME OUT THIS FRIDAY ‼️‼️‼️ pic.twitter.com/lKhNBlnYcl

— GB Student Section (@GBSection) November 13, 2018

Bobcats at the Next Level: Goliath Mitchell

Check out Goliath Mitchell ('18) knocking down the game-winning basket for Delta College Saturday in an 80-79 win over Grand Rapids Community College. Goliath is averaging 23.7 ppg and fellow GB alum Jackarus Smith ('18) is averaging 20.3 ppg, as the duo has led Delta to a 3-0 start on the season!

Game Winner @goliath_11bball @delta_pioneers @DeltaCollege @DC_pioneer @NJCAABasketball @GrandBlancHoops #EPIC #NextPlay @DeltaCollegiate pic.twitter.com/sfFe4ScCRY

— Delta Mens BBall (@MensDeltaBBall) November 10, 2018

2021-22 Varsity Schedule

Team Pictures

2021-22: 19-5, State Runner-up

2020-21: 15-3, State Champions

 

 

2019-20: 18-3, SVL Champions

Seated: Coaches Doreace Miller, LaQuan Collins, Mike Thomas, Jujuan Cooley, Cameron Burns. Middle Row: Amonte' Allen-Johnson, RJ Taylor, Braylon Neal, Danny Smith, Nick Pappadakis, Josh Rechsteiner. Back Row: Austin Perry, Jacob Carlson, Andre Ridley, Connor Williams, Matai Swain, Ty Rodgers, Mark Miller, Kevin-David Rice, Nate Brown.

2018-19: 16-8, District Champions

 

Standing: Coach LaQuan Collins, Coach Doreace Martin, Will Nemecek, Latrell Fordham, Connor Williams, Kevin Rice, Matai Swain, Ty Rodgers, Jimmy Collins, Coach Juwan Cooley, Coach Cameron Burns; Seated: Danny Smith, Nick Pappadakis, Braylon Neal, Joe Rechsteiner, Kortez Toles, Head Coach Mike Thomas, Nathan Snyder, Cedric Givens, Mark Miller, Tylor Leedom, Devin Hampton

2017-18: 19-4, KLAA Champions

2017-18 Grand Blanc Bobcats

Congrats to the Graduates!

Congratulations to our eight seniors who will graduate tonight!

Lon will be attending IMG Academy in the fall, where he will enter their postgraduate program and play basketball. As far as college is concerned, he has reclassified to the class of 2019.

Lon was All Conference the last two years, in addition to being Honorable Mention as a sophomore. He was Team MVP as a junior, leading the team in scoring, assists and rebounds. As a senior, he was named Team Offensive MVP in helping lead the Bobcats to the KLAA Championship.

  

Cam is headed to Michigan State in the fall, where he will be pursuing a Law degree. An exemplary student, he shared the team award for top grade point average this basketball season, was a three-time KLAA Scholar-Athlete Award winner, and is a member of the National Honor Society.

As an athlete, Cam earned honorable mention all state honors on the court, as well as all conference honors in both basketball and football.

  

Aareon will be attending Olivet College, where he will play football and study Sports Medicine. He was both an All KLAA selection and and  All State selection in football.

A spectacular athlete Broughton was also the leading dunker on the Bobcat hoops this year, and scored 20 points in a victory over three-time defending state champion Beecher. 

Jack will be attending Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where he will study Business and be pre-Law. He shared the team award for top grade point average this basketball season, ranked among the top 3% of students in this year's graduating class, is a two-time recipient of the KLAA Scholar-Athlete Award, and is a member of the National Honor Society.

A four-year member of the Grand Blanc High School boys basketball program, Jack started five games his junior year in addition to one this season. He also is a varsity baseball player, where he has seen action the last two years as a first baseman and designated hitter, and is one of just three Bobcat hitters to slug a home run during that time span.

Jay is headed to Delta College, where he will continue both his studies and his basketball career.

A versatile inside/outside threat, Jay was the Bobcats' leading scorer and leading rebounder this year. He was recognized by being named first team All Conference and All Flint Dream Team, as well as honorable mention All State. 

James is headed to Eastern Michigan University after having been a part of the Grand Blanc Basketball program the last two years. He plans on studying Fashion Management.

In addition to his contributions on the court, James was named the Judge Herman Marable Student of the Year for the 2015-16 school year!

 

Goliath will be attending Delta College as he continues his basketball career and his studies, with an ultimate goal of studying sports medicine.

He transferred to Grand Blanc for his senior year (having gone to middle school in Grand Blanc). Goliath was an immediate contributor, earning All Conference honors as he led the Bobcats' in assists per game and was second in scoring average.

Kentrell will attend Northwood University, where he will study Sports Marketing and play football. In addition to being a key player on the basketball squad, he won numerous honors on the gridiron, being named first team All State, All Conference, and All Flint Dream Team.

Lon Martin Reclassifies to Attend IMG Academy

Senior Lon Martin has announced that he will be reclassifying into the class of 2019 in order to continue his education and take the next step in his basketball career this fall in the post-grad program at the prestigious IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. At just 17-years old, he is actually a year younger than most of this year's senior class, so the reclassification will result in him being in the age group in which he naturally would have been.

The fact that he was a year younger than most players in his class only makes Lon's career at Grand Blanc that much more spectacular. A key varsity player for the Bobcats for three seasons, he was the team MVP as a junior when he averaged 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists, leading the team in each category. As a senior, he put up very similar numbers and was named Team Offensive MVP, all the while providing leadership for the Bobcats both on and off the court. A long-range marksman with almost limitless range, he hit 85% of his free throws and led the team in three-point field goals made. Both seasons, he was named All-Conference in the KLAA.

Coach Mike Thomas commented, "It was great having Lon as a part of our program. He played a major role in creating the new foundation here at Grand Blanc, and is a special player and person."

Thomas continued, "Lon's leadership skills and his willingness to listen and learn will take him a long way. I truly believe that Lon will accomplish great things while on his journey at IMG. I think it is a smart move on his part to take the time out to develop his body and sharpen his skills."

Below are some highlight videos from Lon's senior season.

The D Zone Spotlights Cedric Givens

Current Grand Blanc junior Cedric Givens got some nice publicity from The D Zone for his play at last weekend's Adidas Gauntlet in Indianapolis. According to The D Zone's coverage, Cedric had many key plays on both sides of the ball, and during the weekend he averaged 27.5 points per game.

Here's are some highlights as well as an interview that they posted with Cedric.

Highlights of one of the top performers Sunday at the Adidas Gauntlet in Indy, 2019 Cedric Givens (FS Comrades/Grand Blanc). Givens had many key plays on both sides of the ball Sunday and during the weekend he averaged 27.5 ppg. @D1_DREAMS_23 @Freshskillztv @GrandBlancHoops pic.twitter.com/18LxHrbILA

— The D Zone Basketball (@TheDZoneBBall) May 3, 2018

Jackarus Smith Signs

Over the weekend, senior Jackarus Smith signed to continue his education and his basketball career at Paris Junior College. The Dragons boast one of the top junior college programs in the state of Texas. 

Smith paced Grand Blanc in both scoring and rebounding this year, while leading the Bobcats to a 19-4 record. Along the way, Smith won honors for All Conference, Flint Dream Team, and was honorable mention All State. Grand Blanc had numerous scoring threats this year, but in the biggest games especially, Smith stood out above the pack:

• Averaged 24 points in the Bobcats' two contests with rival and state quarterfinalist Carman-Ainsworth
• Scored 21 & 18 in a pair of matchups with conference foe and state semifinalist Novi
• Tallied 19 against three-time defending state champion, Beecher
• Averaged over 22 points per game in Grand Blanc's three District contests

Grand Blanc Coach Mike Thomas said, "Jackarus was a huge part of our team's success. With his versatility, he caused a matchup problem every single night which opened things for other players. Not only was he a great player, but he was also a great teammate and one of my most coachable players ever."

Thomas went on to say: "Jackarus is a very special player whose best basketball is still ahead of him. He is a natural born leader, and if he continues to work, great things will happen for him."

Florida State Coach Leonard Hamilton Visits

GBHS coaches with Coach Hamilton

It was great to have Florida State Head Coach Leonard Hamilton stop by Tartoni Athletic Center at Grand Blanc High School to visit with our coaches and work out a few of our players!

In addition to his experience as a head coach in the NBA, Coach Hamilton best known as one of the best college coaches in the business. Fresh off leading his Florida State Seminoles to the Elite Eight in this year's NCAA Tournament, he has won over 500 NCAA games in his tenure at Oklahoma State, Miami and Florida State. His teams have played in nine NCAA Tournaments, twice reaching the Sweet Sixteen in addition to this year's Elite Eight run. A two-time Big East Coach of the Year (1995 & 1999) and two-time ACC Coach of the Year (2009 & 2012), Coach Hamilton was also the UPI National Coach of the Year in 1995. He also coached the 1999-2000 Big East regular season champions and the 2012 ACC Tournament champs.

What an incredible resumé! Great to have you with us, Coach!

Head Coach Mike Thomas

The 2017-18 season was the first for Mike Thomas as head coach at Grand Blanc, and it proved to be a highly successful one. The Kensington Lakes Activities Association Champions went 19-4 under his leadership, winning the KLAA’s Gold Division in the regular season, and defeating state semifinalist Novi (for the third time in the season) in the league championship game.

A graduate of Saginaw High School, Thomas’s first varsity head coaching job was at Kalamazoo Central High School, beginning in 2008. Over the next four years, he led the Maroon Giants to two state championships as well as one state runner-up finish, compiling a record of 92-11. In 2010, both the Detroit Free Press and the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan named him their Michigan High School Coach of the Year.

In 2012, Thomas returned to his alma mater, serving as an assistant coach at Albion for five seasons. While a player at Albion, Thomas was a four-year starter, helping the Britons achieve MIAA championships in 2003 and 2005 and a trip to the sectional title game in the 2005 NCAA Division III Championships. A three-time all-MIAA first team selection, Thomas is second on Albion’s all-time scoring ladder with 1,389 points. He is also third in school history for most 3-point field goals and free throws made in a career.

Coach Thomas and his wife Trish have three children, Makaiya, Michael Thomas lll, and Micah.

Skills Camp

Sign up today for Skills Camp with Coach Thomas!

Postseason Player Awards

Congrats to the following Bobcats who received various individual awards this season!

 

 Associate Press All State:

•  Jackarus Smith  (Honorable Mention)

All Conference (KLAA Gold Division):

• Jackarus Smith
• Lon Martin
• Goliath Mitchell
• Mark Miller (Honorable Mention)

Flint Area Dream Team (mLive):

• Jackarus Smith  (First Team)
• Lon Martin (Third Team)
• Mark Miller (Honorable Mention)

All-Flint Area Team (Buick City Basketball):

• Jackarus Smith  (First Team)
• Goliath Mitchell (Second Team)
• Lon Martin (Third Team)

The following team awards were presented at our post-season banquet:

• Most Valuable Player: Jackarus Smith (Sr.)
• Most Valuable Offensive Player: Lon Martin (Sr.)
• Most Valuable Defensive Player: Kortez Toles (Jr.)
• Most Improved Player: Mark Miller (Soph.) 
• Most Coachable Player: Jack Scribner (Sr.)
• Hustle Player of the Year: Devin Hampton (Soph.)
• Practice Player of the Year: Joe Rechsteiner (Jr.)
• Academy Award for the Best Coach Thomas Impersonation: Cam Cyborowski (Sr.)
• Highest GPA: Jack Scribner & Cam Cyborowski (4.167)
• Most Improved GPA: Joe Rechsteiner (Jr.)
• Team GPA for 2017-18 Season: 3.2

Season Highlights

Check out the season highlight video below with plenty of clips from all your favorite Bobcats. (FYI...it doesn't include any dunks, because they have their own video here). Make sure to click the "mute/speaker" button at the bottom of the video screen for audio.

Jam Time

Check out the video below which includes every Grand Blanc dunk from the 2017-18 campaign.  Make sure to click the "mute/speaker" button at the bottom of the video screen for audio.

KLAA Champs!

After a spectacular regular season that included a 14-3 record, a KLAA Gold Division championship, and securing the #1 seed for the KLAA Tournament, Grand Blanc followed up a pair of tough overtime wins in the tournament's first two rounds by knocking off a very talented Novi squad for the third time this season, securing the school's second KLAA championship!

Grand Blanc becomes the first school to win multiple KLAA championships in the nine year history of the conference. What a great way to cap off our time in the league as we will be competing next year in the Blue Division of the Saginaw Valley League!

    KLAA Boys Basketball Champions

                                                    2010      Livonia Churchill

                                                    2011      Novi

                                                    2012      Salem

                                                    2013      Grand Blanc

                                                    2014      Westland John Glenn

                                                    2015      Walled Lake Western

                                                    2016      Canton

                                                    2017      Wayne Mamorial

                                                    2018      Grand Blanc