Michigan’s boys basketball record book is not built on averages. It is built on extremes. Nights when the rim felt twice as wide. Seasons where the ball never seemed to leave one player’s hands. Careers defined by dominance so sustained it demanded permanent documentation. Scattered throughout those pages are names from West Michigan gyms. Players whose performances rose above the ordinary and etched their schools into state history. From small-town rebounding legends to modern-day closers and rim protectors, these are the West Michigan athletes who didn’t just win games. They rewrote the numbers.
Jaxson Whitaker, Muskegon Reeths-Puffer
22 points in a quarter (4th quarter), vs. Zeeland East, Feb. 20, 2024
State placement: Tied for 22nd all-time in points scored in a quarter
Whitaker’s 22-point fourth quarter places him inside the top 25 single-quarter scoring performances ever recorded by the MHSAA. Doing it in the fourth quarter separates it from many early-game bursts and cements it as one of the state’s most impactful closing stretches.
Adam Bowen, Fremont
12 three-pointers in a game, vs. Fruitport, Feb. 2, 1993
State placement: Tied for 6th all-time in three-pointers made in a game
Bowen’s night sits just three makes shy of the state record. His 12 triples place him firmly among the top single-game shooting performances in Michigan history.
Parker Hovey, Hart
217 assists in a season (2022–23)
State placement: Tied for 9th all-time in single-season assists
Hovey’s season ranks inside the top 10 assist seasons the state has ever documented, a rare distinction in a record book dominated by scoring numbers.
Jeff Elliott, Mason County Central
20 assists in a game, Feb. 19, 1982
State placement: Tied for 5th all-time in assists in a game
205 assists in a season (1982–83)
State placement: Tied for 10th all-time in single-season assists
577 assists in a career (1980–83)
State placement: Tied for 7th all-time in career assists
Elliott is one of the few players to rank top 10 at every level of a statistical category. His presence across game, season, and career sections underscores rare, sustained playmaking excellence.
Rodney Savage, Muskegon West Shore Christian Academy
19 assists in a game, Dec. 11, 1982
State placement: Tied for 8th all-time in assists in a game
Savage’s 19 assists place him among the top single-game distributors the state has ever seen, regardless of school size or era.
Deyonta Davis, Muskegon
380 rebounds in a season (2013–14)
State placement: Tied for 18th all-time in single-season rebounds
16 blocked shots in a game (twice)
State placement: Tied for 2nd all-time in blocks in a game
199 blocked shots in a season (2013–14)
State placement: 1st all-time in single-season blocks
Davis owns the single-season blocks record outright and sits second all-time for single-game blocks. His rebounding total further places him among the elite interior forces in state history.
Drew Naymick, North Muskegon
527 blocked shots in a career (2000–03)
State placement: 1st all-time in career blocks
148 blocks (2001–02) and 144 blocks (2002–03)
State placement: 3rd and 4th all-time in single-season blocks
859 career rebounds
State placement: Tied for 16th all-time in career rebounds
Naymick stands as the most prolific shot blocker in Michigan history. His name appears at or near the top of every major blocking category.
Spencer Krannitz, North Muskegon
2,008 career points (2009–12)
State placement: Tied for 49th all-time in career scoring
Crossing 2,000 points places Krannitz inside the top 50 scorers the state has ever produced, a benchmark few players reach.
Michael Mack Jr., Montague
12 blocked shots in a game, Dec. 15, 2007
State placement: Tied for 9th all-time in blocks in a game
108 blocks in a season (2007–08)
State placement: Tied for 25th all-time in single-season blocks
219 blocked shots in a career (2006–08)
State placement: Tied for 13th all-time in career blocks
Mack Jr.’s rankings across all three block categories show consistency rather than a single spike. He remains one of the most statistically complete rim protectors the region has produced.
Matt DeJong, Montague
90 steals in a season (2007–08)
State placement: Tied for 12th all-time in single-season steals
DeJong’s total places him among the top defensive disruptors in state history, highlighting perimeter defense in a list often dominated by interior stats.
Paul Griffin, Shelby
41 rebounds in a game, Feb. 4, 1972
State placement: Tied for 5th all-time in rebounds in a game
671 rebounds in a season (1971–72)
State placement: 1st all-time in single-season rebounds
1,323 career rebounds (1969–72)
State placement: 2nd all-time in career rebounds
Griffin owns the single-season rebounding record and ranks second all-time in career boards. His dominance remains unmatched for its era and volume.
Camden Thompson, Whitehall
303 rebounds in a season (2022–23)
State placement: Tied for 48th all-time in single-season rebounds
Thompson’s placement inside the top 50 single-season rebound totals shows that even in the modern era, elite rebounding still earns a place in history.
Records are often reduced to numbers on a page, but every entry carries a night, a gym, and a crowd that understood it was witnessing something rare. The players who appear in Michigan’s record book from did not arrive there by accident. They did it through singular performances, relentless consistency, or careers that refused to fade quietly. Decades apart and separated by style, pace, and era, they share one thing. When the final buzzer sounded, the numbers no longer fit the norm. And because of that, their names remain. Not just remembered, but recorded.
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