EAST LANSING — Since falling in the state semifinals in 2025, Grady Eklund and the Pewamo-Westphalia boys basketball team made it their mission to not only get back, but finish the job.
The Pirates did just that
P-W got key late free throws from Eklund and Farmer while capturing the Division 3 state title with a 61-57 victory over Arts and Technology Academy of Pontiac on Saturday, March 14, at Breslin Center.
The state title was the first since 2019 and second in program history for P-W.
“Getting a taste of being at the Breslin and seeing how close we were last year I think it motivated our guys in the host summer gyms,” P-W coach Dominic Schneider said. “The days they didn’t feel like showing up, we showed up because we saw what the joy on a lot of people’s faces and our guys really, really wanted it.
“You could see today things were going well and thing went wrong. They said we aren’t quitting. We worked way too hard to get to this spot. We did it as a team and they left champions.”
Farmer, who finished with 14 points, made a pair of free throws with 9 seconds remaining to make it a two possession game and help P-W hang on. Eklund scored a team-high 26 points for the Pirates and also had key baskets down the stretch and a key free throw in the final 30 seconds. He also had nine rebounds and four assists.
“It’s what I wanted to do the whole game,” Eklund said of his performance. “Coming in today and on the bus ride here I wanted to do what I have to do to win. If that’s what it took to win today, then I’m happy I did that.:
Trent Piggott added a double-double for P-W with 11 points and 12 rebounds.
Lewis Loveyjoy had a game-high 41 points for ATAP, the highest total ever in a Division 3 / Class C state final. It marked the seventh-most points scored in a state championship game in MHSAA history.. Lovejoy became just the ninth player to reach the 40 points in a state final.
Lovejoy gave ATAP momentum with his scoring and was a big part of a third quarter where it outscored P-W to own a 46-45 advantage heading into the fourth. But the Pirates regrouped with Farmer playing a role in slowing down Lovejoy a little in the fourth as he had just six points in the final eight minutes.
“What can you say about Mr. Lovejoy out there,” Schneider said. “That guy is a stud.
“I will say our guys did the job and became state champions because they believe in each other, they believe in what we do as a program. That was a perfect example of team ball out there. I’m so proud of our guys.”
The Pirates took the lead for good with a 7-0 run in the fourth quarter that featured Piggott hitting the go ahead basket with 6:38 to play.
The Pirates made the lead stand, getting enough stops and converting when they needed to on offense the rest of the way to capture the trophy they were hoping to hold in their latest Breslin trip.
“Getting it done (and winning a state title), I was just in shock,” Piggott said. “I just couldn’t believe it, but now it’s settled in there’s just so much joy I feel. I’m proud of my teammates, proud of my coach. It’s just an unreal feeling.”
Contact Brian Calloway at bcalloway@lsj.com. Follow him on X @brian_calloway and Bluesky @briancalloway.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Pewamo-Westphalia boys basketball completes mission, wins D3 state title
Reporting by Brian Calloway, Lansing State Journal / Lansing State Journal
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