Negaunee senior Dre Tuominen, right, attacks the basket against Manton’s Trever Salani during the Class C quarterfinal game played at Petoskey High School on Tuesday night. (James Gensterblum photo)

EAST LANSING (AP) — Malik “Mighty Mouse” Ellison received a FaceTime call on the night of Feb. 28.

The 5-foot-8, 155-pound Beecher point guard was fresh off an emotional high of dropping a Flint-area record 63 points and 11 assists, in a thrilling 108-104 triple-overtime loss to New Haven for the season finale.

He immediately answered the call when former Beecher star and Iowa State floor general Monte Morris hit him up.

At that point, Ellison was averaging nearly 27 points per game with only one offer from Division II Northwood University.

“I told him that Michigan State missed out on me doing the same thing they are doing to you, but you’ve just got to keep grinding and wait your turn,” Morris explained. “People know good players. I just told him to play the waiting game and when you do get that offer just make people pay for it.”

Ellison took that advice and has now been voted as The Associated Press’ Class C Player of the Year.

Negaunee senior Dre Tuominen was one of 10 players statewide to join Ellison on the Class C First-Team All-State, while teammate Trent Bell made it onto Second-Team All-State.

Tuominen averaged 20.5 points, 7.1 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game this year while amassing an astounding 5.2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio as the Miners reached the Class C state quarterfinal game on Tuesday night.

He also finished with more than 1,000 career points, making 50 percent from the field and 83 percent on free throws as a senior.

Bell, a 6-foot-7 senior dominating presence for the Miners, had averages of 19.6 points and 10.7 rebounds as a senior to go with two steals, two blocks and one assist per game.

He made 69 percent from the field and 72 percent at the free throw line while accumulating 14 double-doubles.

Ishpeming’s Hart Holmgren was also an honorable mention selection for the all-state voters.

Ellison, though, learned patience is a virtue in Flint.

“So deserving. So satisfying. It’s a relief for me,” Beecher coach Mike Williams said. “I didn’t want to feel like I wasn’t doing my job or I wasn’t doing enough for that kid.”

Just recently, Ellison also picked up his first Division I offer from Eastern Michigan University after a 95-64 regional victory against Unionville-Sebewaing on March 13.

Ellison averaged 26.2 points, 5.3 assists, 4.2 steals and 3.5 rebounds in his senior season. He was astonished to learn the news of being named Player of the Year.

“It’s crazy. I can’t even explain it for real,” Ellison said. “You dream about being an MVP or Player of the Year then you work so hard for this. I’ve been playing basketball since I was 6 and I’ve really never won a Player of the Year or MVP award.”

AP all-state teams are selected by a panel of Michigan sportswriters and broadcasters.

Joining Ellison and Tuominen on the First Team are Carson Wonders of Iron Mountain, Kylen Brown of Michigan Center, Nick Welch of Monroe St. Mary’s Catholic Central, Jamal Cain of Detroit Cornerstone, Victor McEwen of Burton Atherton, Craig Sterk of McBain, Jack Staley of Breckenridge and Gary Solomon of Detroit Edison PSA.

Michigan Center’s Travis Gaddy was voted Coach of the Year.