EAST LANSING, Mich. — East Lansing’s brick-by-brick philosophy will face a new test this season as the Trojans boys basketball team defends its state title with a retooled roster.
They reached this moment by claiming last year’s championship at the Breslin Center, a milestone that still resonates with senior forward K.J. Tolbert.
“Some of us dreamed of playing in that gym, and some of us had played there when we were younger,” Tolbert said. “It gave us that extra energy before the game.”
That surge carried East Lansing to the program’s first state title since 1958, a moment that stretched beyond the players on the floor. Elementary classrooms tuned in to watch, the fire department provided an escort, and the entire High school took a half day to rally behind the Trojans.
At the Breslin Center, the sea of blue and white in the stands created an electric atmosphere that carried the players through every possession and solidified the championship as a life long memory.
The energy on the court ran even deeper than the unforgettable support from the community. Every play, every possession carried the weight of a season’s worth of work and the bond the players had built with one another.
“It was very exciting and surreal, being able to do what we did with a team that felt like a second family,” junior guard Kingston Thomas said.
Thomas emphasized his responsibility to the team, saying he is focused on keeping all his teammates “in check and staying dialed in throughout the season.” Now, with the spotlight shifting to this season, Tolbert said his focus is on “stepping into more of a leadership role” while guiding a younger roster.
Head coach Ray Mitchell said that balance of veterans and fresh faces will define the Trojans this season. With eight seniors gone from last year’s championship team, new contributors like sophomore guard Tyree Anthony, senior gerd Henry Peck, and junior forward Corey Stewart are stepping into bigger roles.
“They’ve got the talent, but more importantly, they’ve bought into what we do here,” Mitchell said. “That’s what gives me confidence.”
The Trojans won the state championship last year, fueled by talent, trust and a culture built over years. Plenty of opportunities will arise for new leaders to make their mark, but East Lansing’s foundation of hard work, accountability and team unity provides every reason to expect continued success this season.
Winning a state title was of course very meaningful to Nikki Norris, East Lansing High School’s Athletic Director, but she says the team’s values are what matter most.
Norris has seen plenty of wins during her time leading the athletic department, but what stands out most to her is how the program has built an identity around more than just basketball. She points to the way players carry themselves in the classroom, in the community, and with each other as proof that East Lansing’s culture is just as strong as its record.
“It’s about unity, pride, and life lessons that extend far beyond the court,” she said. Principles she believes are the foundation of the Trojans’ success and why the program is poised to keep winning.
Mitchell agrees. He said the program’s success is not measured only in wins and losses but in the culture that has taken shape over time. That culture, he added, is built on accountability, selflessness and respect. The championship banner is just one piece of evidence of that foundation. The true measure, Mitchell said, comes in the way athletes grow as leaders, support one another and carry those lessons beyond basketball.
“The first thing is not even about winning basketball games, right? It’s teaching these young men life lessons, and to establish the work ethic they’re going to need to be successful after high school,” Mitchell said.
That philosophy has become the backbone of East Lansing basketball. The Trojans’ championship run wasn’t just the product of talent but of a culture that emphasizes family, commitment, competitiveness, and kindness. Norris pointed to the outpouring of support during last year’s playoffs as proof.
“At East Lansing we’ve always had a strong community base,” Norris said. “The core has been parents, families, friends and grandparents, and that’s grown steadily since COVID. It really culminated with the massive turnout for the semis and finals.”
What made the title run even more remarkable, Norris added, was how close to home it all felt. The Trojans’ championship path stayed local at every stage of the postseason. From district matchups to the semifinals and finals, the team played on familiar courts in front of supportive crowds, giving East Lansing a sense of comfort and confidence that made the run feel even more personal.
“What was really kind of special and unique about last year’s championship run is we never left Ingham County,” she explained. “We hosted our district. The regional was at the field house here at Lansing Eastern. Our quarterfinal was at Mason, and then semis and finals at Breslin.” That path gave the Trojans what was essentially home-court advantage throughout the postseason, culminating in a title just miles from their own gym.
While community support fueled the Trojans, Mitchell credits the championship run to the work his players put in long before March. That meant long hours in the weight room, endless repetitions in open gyms, and a deliberately tough non-conference schedule designed to push them to their limits.
“Our guys, they trust each other. I just had to convince them to trust me,” Mitchell said. “We purposely play in a lot of non-conference, tough matchups to do two things: make our guys tougher and make sure we’re challenged.”
That trust showed up in the way the Trojans played together. “If I force a guy this way, I know my teammate is there for help. And if I make the extra pass, I trust he’s going to make the right play once I give it to him,” Mitchell explained.
Many of his players had been teammates for years through AAU circuits, spending hundreds of days together and forming the chemistry that ultimately carried them to a championship.
Mitchell emphasizes goal-setting, accountability, and work ethic beyond basketball. “We try to set our short-term, mid-term and long-term goals, and we say inch by inch, life’s a sense; yard by yard, life is hard. I always say, get 1% better every day. It adds up. It’s a slow grind, it ain’t gonna happen in the microwave, it’s not instant. You just have to take your time and build it up.”
That step-by-step, moment-by-moment approach will be tested this season as East Lansing looks to defend its title with a retooled roster. Players like Tolbert and Thomas will be counted on to uphold the standard and keep the Trojans focused on daily improvement.
Tolbert said the Trojans are aware of the spotlight that comes with being defending champions. He described the team’s approach as “trying to take it step by step” and “not rush over things,” knowing that “everyone wants to play us,” and that the season will ultimately show how they respond.
Thomas echoed that mindset. “For this upcoming year we have to be locked in 100% because we know every team in the state has our name circled,” he said. “So we gotta go into each game like we haven’t won.”
The banner in the gym may celebrate last year’s championship, but the program’s vision remains rooted in values that go deeper than basketball. From the bond between teammates to the guidance of coaches and the support of the community, East Lansing’s success isn’t measured solely in victories. It’s the combination of hard work, character, and daily commitment that has built a program capable of winning titles while shaping young athletes into confident, disciplined individuals.
Norris put it simply: “At any level interscholastic athletics, I think prepares our student athletes for life beyond high school, whether that be learning how to win with grace, how to handle adversity, how to deal with challenges.”