The final buzzer sounded and the chants from the stands began.
Kee-ler! Kee-ler!
It was a fitting tribute to Mark Keeler, whose Wyoming Tri-Unity Christian team had just won a back-to-back state championship with a 49-32 win over Fowler.
Earlier in the season, Keeler had announced that this would be the final season of his 38-year career. He ends with 721 victories, 3rd most in state history.
The Detroit Free Press’ Jared Ramsey covered the title game, and said Keeler took a few moments late in the contest to enjoy the moment.
“I probably was just pinching myself and realizing where I was at and what I was doing,” Keeler told Ramsey. “This is the last game I will coach and to be here, be at the Breslin and look around, this is unbelievable.”
It was Keeler’s 7th state championship, with his first title coming in 1996.
This year’s state championship was perhaps the most unlikely of them all, as Tri-Unity Christian graduated eight players from last year’s title team.
The amazing run to end Keeler’s career adds to what has been another amazing year of boys basketball in the Detroit area, including Trey McKenney winning the Hal Schram Mr. Basketball Award. All the area’s high school sports, including basketball, will be honored at the 2024-25 Detroit High School Sports Awards on June 16 at The Fillmore Detroit. The show is produced with the support of Gift of Life Michigan, whose generous support makes the show free for everyone. Tickets are available here.
