Dollar Bay’s Liam Tourtillott, right, makes a move into the lane while guarded by Detroit Douglass’ Dimauvion Smith-Powe during the MHSAA Division 4 boys basketball semifinal game played at the Breslin Center at Michigan State University in East Lansing on March 12. (Photo courtesy of Adam Sheehan of Hockey Weekly Action Photos via MHSAA.com)

DETROIT — Dollar Bay reached the furthest of any Upper Peninsula team in the MHSAA Division 4 boys basketball tournament nearly a month ago.

The Blue Bolts now have also received the top two honors gained by any U.P. team when Division 4 all-state honors were handed out Monday by the Michigan Sports Writers organization, the group that took over the task from The Associated Press a few years ago.

Senior Liam Tourtillott was named First Team All-State, while his coach, Jesse Kantala, was named coach of the Second Team.

Dollar Bay reached the semifinals at Michigan State University on March 12 when it bowed out to Detroit Douglass 58-47.

Another high-achieving U.P. player earned his way onto Second Team All-State, junior Vic Giuliani of Forest Park, while the last U.P. team that the Blue Bolts defeated in the tournament, Pickford in the quarterfinals, had the other D-4 all-state recognition with senior Gunner Bennin making Honorable Mention All-State.

The U.P. trio made up the Division 4 part of the All-U.P. Dream Team that was chosen last week by the U.P. Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association, with Tourtillott also elected U.P. Division 4 Player of the Year and finishing runner-up to Westwood’s Ethan Marta as Mr. U.P. Basketball.

A pair from D-4 state champion Concord earned top all-state honors, Jett Smith as Player of the Year and Marcus Gill as Coach of the Year.

Concord won the title with a 60-47 victory over Detroit Douglass at Michigan State University on March 14.

Smith, Concord teammate Connor Stevens and Douglass player Damani Oliver joined Tourtillott on the 14-member First Team All-State.

One player also made the top honor squad from the team that joined DB in bowing out in the semifinals, Wyoming Tri-unity Christian. That was Cody Osbun.

The remainder of the First Team is Ethan Esse of Allen Park Inter-City Baptist, Jaxon Salenbien of Adrian Lenawee Christian, Ryder Gorham of Mason, Noah Zeien of Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart, Garrett Schultz of Traverse City Christian, Dalton Williams of Colon, Jack Huffman of Hillsdale Academy, Collin Franzel of Ubly and Brody St. John of Petersburg-Summerfield.

Just five players were named Second Team All-State. Joining Giuliani were Jackson Dzwik of Battle Creek St. Philip, Landon Jakeway of Harbor Springs Harbor Light Christian, Thomas West of Peck and Owen Gorham of Mendon.

The honorable mention coach is Cam Gatrell of Beal City, while the players joining Bennin in this group are Peyton Harrington and Nick Cummings of Kingston, Braydon Schwartzkopf of Midland Calvary Baptist Academy, Carlos Jackson of Allen Park Inter-City Baptist, Grady Harless of Bear Lake, Quincy Blair of Colon, Seth Williams of Waldron and Jacob Geilhart of Caseville.

The Michigan Sports Writers selection group included Jason Juno of The Globe in Ironwood and these Lower Peninsula representatives — Doug Donnelly of The Advance in Blissfield, James Cook of the Traverse City Record-Eagle, Bryan Everson of the Oakland Press in Pontiac, Daniel Stickradt of the Macomb Daily in Clinton Township, Fred Kelly of the Midland Daily News, Josh VanDyke of the Muskegon Chronicle, Tom Greene of the Huron Daily Tribune in Bad Axe, Dan D’Addona of the Holland Sentinel, Brandon Watson of the Sturgis Journal, Patrick Nothaft of the Grand Rapids Press, Jared Ramsey of the Detroit Free Press and Matthew Ehler of the Kalamazoo Gazette.

Story contents based on an Associated Press list of honorees. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.