4 out of 5 seniors make Dream Team
The 2024-25 boys basketball season is in the books as Lake Leelanau St. Mary, Glen Lake, Leland, and Suttons Bay rose to the occasion.
The 2024-25 season had plenty of highlights, blowouts, and closely contested games, which made it memorable.
More than a dozen local players received nominations, seven of whom were selected for an Enterprise Dream Team.
Sports editor Brian Freiberger and Leelanau coaches Jason Bradford (Glen Lake), Jim Bunek (St. Mary), Ryan DeFour (Leland), and Noah Phillips (Suttons Bay) voted on the Leelanau Enterprise Dream Team.
MVP: Jacob Plamondon (Glen Lake) Glen Lake junior Jacob Plamondon notched his second straight boys basketball Dream Team MVP with a dominant 2024-25 season.
“Jacob is an extremely hardworking, committed basketball player. He is a competitor who leads our team in both scoring and rebounding. If we need a basket, he is the one that is able to get it done. He had doubledouble performances in a majority of the games that he has played this season,” Glen Lake coach Jason Bradford said. “He has gotten doubleteamed in most games, and he still finds a way to score, rebound, and help his team out. For a big guy, he has great dribbling skills and can go downhill and finish with a soft touch. Finally, Jacob is also a team player who supports his teammates and encourages them to support each other.”
Plamondon averaged a double- double this season with 22.9 points and 12 rebounds per game. He also notched 1.1 assists and 1.4 blocks a game.
Plamondon helped lead the Lakers to the regional final game, which resulted in a loss to Ishpeming Westwood. He eclipsed the 1,000th point mark in February against Traverse City St. Francis. But he admits there is still work to be done, as he is currently trying out for an AAU team based in Milwaukee.
“I’m not super good at everything, so there’s always stuff to work out. I feel like working on taking the ball up and shooting. Making everything in my game just get better so I can dominate more,” Plamondon said.
His favorite moment of the season was defeating Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart because they knocked the Lakers out of the tournament during the 202324 season. Plamondon scored 49 points in the game and set a new school record.
“Another one of my favorite parts was beating Frankfort. They got us the first time we played them this season, and then we got them,” Plamondon said.
Benji Allen (Glen Lake)
Glen Lake senior Benji Allen leaves behind a legendary basketball career for the Lakers.
“Benji is a 3-year varsity player as a senior. He is an allaround athlete who can play any position on the floor. He is our best defensive player that gets it done on both ends of the floor,” Glen Lake coach Jason Bradford said.
The senior averaged 13.4 points per game, four rebounds, 2.36 assists, and one steal.
Allen was a threat anytime he was on the court, shooting a 3-pointer, driving the paint, and throwing down a vicious slam dunk. The senior helped lead the Lakers to a Northwest Conference Championship for the second straight season. This is his second time making the basketball Dream Team.
Grayson Opie (Suttons Bay)
Suttons Bay senior Grayson Opie made his second straight Dream Team appearance after leading the Norsemen with his athletic presence on the offense and defensive ends.
Opie averaged 13.3 points per game, 7.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.6 blocks and 2.0 steals per game. He had 276 points, 136 rebounds, 57 assists, 43 steals, and 27 blocks on the season.
Opie won the Enterprise Athlete of the Week in January when he dropped 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in a win against Leland. The senior was a double-double machine and a threat whenever he touched the court. This is the second time he has made the Dream Team.
Luke Bramer (St. Mary)
Lake Leelanau St. Mary senior Luke Bramers earned his second straight Dream Team nomination after a dominant senior season. Bramer is a fouryear starter on varsity and the last starter from the Eagles Final Four team that went to the Breslin and advanced to an MHSAA Div. 4 state semifinal in 2022.
Bramer had three doubledoubles on the season as the Eagles point guard.
“Luke was the heart and soul of our team. He led by example and always set the tone for practices and games,” St. Mary coach Jim Bunek said. “He spoiled me in my first year as Varsity coach. He will be greatly missed.”
The senior produced in all fields, including points, rebounds, and assists. Bramer averaged 9.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, two assists, and 1.7 steals per game.
Brady Keen (Leland)
Leland senior Brady Keen earned his spot on the team after an impressive senior season.
The Comets may not have had the season they wanted, but near the end and during tournament time, the Comets turned on the Jets, which was one of the most exciting storylines of the season.
Keen helped lead the Comets to the district final, where they lost to TC Christian.
The Comets finished the season strong, winning over Benzie to end the season. Leland defeated Frankfort 52-49 in the predistrict, then turned around and defeated Lake Leelanau St. Mary in the district semifinals before falling to TC Christian in the regional final. The senior prided himself as an all-around player and ended his career as a great defender and smooth 3-point shooter.
SIXTH-MAN OF THE YEAR: Zachariah Raphael (Suttons Bay) The Suttons Bay big man in the middle, Zachariah Raphael, earned sixth-man honors for this season behind a dominant performance in the paint for the Norsemen.
The junior averaged 14.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, one assist, 1.2 blocks, and 1.1 steals per game. He had 270 points, 147 rebounds, 23 steals, and 18 blocks on the season.
SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD: Michael Houtteman (Glen Lake) Glen Lake senior Michael Houtteman was a pivotal guard for the varsity Lakers. The senior also earned the sportsmanship award that the coaches voted on.
“Michael is a two-year varsity player and team leader. He is a great shooter but often passes the ball off to his teammates. He runs the floor well and is one of our top defenders. His speed is hard to match on the floor, which makes him hard to guard and a great defender,” Glen Lake coach Jason Bradford said.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Glen Lake senior Isaac Hlavka finds himself as an honorable mention after an impressive season with the Lakers that resulted in 6.4 points per game, three rebounds, one assist, and one steal a game.
“Isaac is a two-year varsity player. He comes up with some big, game-changing plays in the second half of the season. He is the one that always gives our team a spark. Not to mention that his work ethic is hard to match.” Bradford said.
Suttons Bay senior Urijah TwoCrow earned his spot as an honorable mention with 9.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, three assists, and two steals per game. The senior had 209 points, 70 rebounds, 59 assists, 45 steals, and 15 blocks throughout the entire season.
Lake Leelanau St. Mary junior Oliver Mitchell averaged 6.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and one assist a game. Mitchell was a defensive standout and some of his highlights include holding MCBain NMC’s leading player to zero points and is the only player this season to hold TC Christian legend Reece Broderick to zero made 3-pointers in a game.
Leland junior Adrian Spencer found his way onto the honorable mention list for his performance at the end of the season. During the two biggest games of the season, he scored 25 points against Benzie and Frankfort.
Lake Leelanau St. Mary junior Josh Bunek earned honorable mention by averaging 9.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, two assists, and 1.7 steals per game.
