There was nobody in Division 2 this season that was better than Markus Blackwell.

The two-time Division 2 state champion was unanimously voted as classification’s Player of the Year by Michigan sportswriters, acknowledging his leadership and skills from this season with the Abes.

Also the Macomb County player of the year two years running, Blackwell averaged 19 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists per game this season — and even those numbers were low compared to what the Eastern Illinois pledge may have averaged had Lincoln’s style catered more toward individual scoring. But as any true leader would, he sacrificed personal accomplishments for the sake of winning. Clearly, it worked.

It’s Blackwell’s second first team all-state honor.

Two players that benefitted from Blackwell’s leadership and willingness to play off ball were Division 2 all-state second team selections Geon Hutchins and Da’Marion Bozeman.

Hutchins’ lone season with the Abes saw the Northern Iowa commit average 16 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks per game. He transferred from Oak Park for his senior season, and it paid off with a state title and all-state nod.Bozeman is a Lincoln lifer and two-time state champion — the wing averaged 13 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks per game.

The Abes’ coach, Wydell Henry, was voted as the second team Coach of the Year.

Center Line’s Terez Holmes was named a first team all-state athlete for his excellent season with Derrick Walton Sr. and the Panthers, filling the stat sheet with 25 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 blocks and 3 steals per game.

The 2025 Michigan Sports Writers Division 2 All-State boys basketball team, which was selected by a panel of 16 sports writers:

Player of the Year

Markus Blackwell, Warren Lincoln

All-State

• Markus Blackwell, Warren Lincoln

• Stevie Elam, Adrian

• Cam Thompson, Whitehall

• Javontae Ross, Flint Powers Catholic

• Carson Vis, Grand Rapids South Christian

• Terez Holmes, Center Line

• Parker LePla, Goodrich

• Wilson Huckeby, Freeland

• Jalen Kampen, Parchment

• Drew Blanton, Chelsea

• Jackson Kohler, Yale

• Keyshawn Summerville, Lansing Sexton

Coach of the Year

Chris Pearl, Grand Rapids Catholic Central

Second Team

(nominees receiving at least two votes)

• Gavin Grondin, Kingsford

• Geon Hutchins, Warren Lincoln

• Graham Junge, Flat Rock

• Jaquan Stennis, Detroit Old Redford

• Da’Marion Bozeman, Warren Lincoln

• Joey DeCasas, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep

• Carl Thompson, Grand Rapids Christian

• Drew Wilson, Detroit Old Redford

• Truman Brennan, Paw Paw

• Quentin Edwards Jr., Allegan

• Chance Houser, Romulus Summit Academy North

• Jensen LePla, Goodrich

• Connor McGarry, Caro

• Amir Perryman, Romulus Summit Academy North

• Zaiden Phillips, Grant

• Derek Sanders, Brooklyn Columbia Central

Coaches

• Dale Clyde, Bay City John Glenn

• Wydell Henry, Warren Lincoln

Honorable Mention

(nominees receiving one vote)

• Jaden Alger, Boyne City

• Chib Amaezechi, Plainwell

• Tristan Comer, Freeland

• Braylon Frantz, St. Clair

• Alex Genuise, Allendale

• Bradley James, Flint Kearsley

• DeQueris Mayfield, Flint Hamady

• Seth Mead, Gladwin

• Austin Miller, Marshall

• Peyton Ruel, Oakridge

• Morgan Sleik, Kingsford

• Kayden Dickerson, Portland

• Owen Seeley, Alma

The Michigan Sports Writers All-State team was chosen by Doug Donnelly, Monroe News/Adrian Daily Telegram; Brady McAtamney, Macomb Daily; Marc Vieau, Cadillac News; Dave Goricki, Detroit News; Patrick Nothaft, Grand Rapids Press; Jonathan Szczepaniak, Flint Journal; Brian Calloway, Lansing State Journal; Matthew Ehler, Kalamazoo Gazette; Josh VanDyke, Muskegon Chronicle; Brenden Welper, Port Huron Times-Herald; Brandon Watson, Sturgis Journal; Matthew Mowery, Oakland Press; James Cook, Traverse City Record-Eagle; Jim Lahde, The Morning Sun; Jason Juno, Daily Globe; Tom Greene, Huron Daily Tribune.