Boys State Final Preview and Pick.

Written Friday March 24th at 5:00 PM

The Class A State Final is now hyped up to be Foster Loyer vs Xavier Tillman.

Loyer will lead the Clarkston Wolves against Tillman and the undefeated Grand Rapids Christian Eagles on Saturday afternoon at noon at the Breslin Center on the campus of Michigan State.

Tillman is a senior center and a Michigan State recruit. He is very athletic and talented. Tillman had 18 points and 14 rebounds against Kalamazoo Central. However, the Eagles have another Division One recruit in James Beck. He is very athletic and talented. Beck is a senior power forward and is an Oakland University recruit. Beck had 19 points and 13 rebounds against Kalamazoo Central in the State Quarterfinal and 24 points and eight rebounds against Romulus in their 78-52 win in the State Semifinal. Grand Rapids Christian had to deal with Holland West Ottawa in a Regional Final where they needed a buzzer beating three to win that game 59-56.

Clarkston has their share of Division One recruits as well in Foster Loyer and Dylan Alderson. Loyer is a Michigan State recruit and a junior had 32 points on 10 for 17 shooting against West Bloomfield and Alderson is a Milwaukee recruit and a senior had 27 points against the Lakers in the State Semifinals. The Wolves also have guard CJ Robinson and center Taylor Currie, both could land Division One offers before too much longer.

Duwane Washington is the Eagles best defender and will likely get the assignment of guarding Loyer. He is Grand Rapids Christian’s best guard and a solid three-point shooter.

If the Wolves win the State title on Saturday it would be their first ever under coach Dan Fife. Fife has been at Clarkston for 36 years and was formerly the School’s Athletic Director until this season when he stepped down from that post. 

Fife's record is legendary at 676-169.

PICK: This is an interesting match-up with a lot of plot lines. If Currie can handle Tillman and get him into foul trouble then this will be interesting. The key match up will be Alderson vs Beck. If Alderson can go off like he is capable of doing then the Wolves can get the job done. Washington vs Loyer will be a good match up but the wildcard is CJ Robinson. If Robinson goes off then that gives Grand Rapids Christian more problems. This will be a good game, some will pick the Eagles, some will pick the Wolves. Clarkston loves challenges and Grand Rapids Christian is undefeated coming into this game. For me this was an easy pick, I’m going with the latter. PICK: CLARKSTON.