East Kentwood trio turning heads while playing with top travel team
East Kentwood sophomore Samuel Makuag hangs on the rim after dunking the ball while playing for The Family 16U team during the Rumble in the Rapids on Saturday, April 26, 2025. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - A trio of East Kentwood sophomores are almost unrecognizable wearing bright yellow basketball jerseys.
The Falcons wear red and black colors.
But when Jeremiah Cook, Andrew Kenyi and Samuel Makuag are playing for The Family - a travel basketball team - their skills are just as bright as their jerseys.
“This is the cream of the crop in the state,” East Kentwood coach Mike Thomas said of The Family’s 16U team. “The recruitment is at a higher level, when you’re talking about playing for The Family.”
Thomas was watching his players during the Rumble in the Rapids this weekend in Grand Rapids.
“A lot of our non-conference games were on the east side of the state this year and we got a lot of exposure doing that,” Thomas said. “That’s part of the reason they are on this premier team.”
East Kentwood sophomore guard Jeremiah Cook pushes the ball up court for The Family 16U team during the Rumble in the Rapids on Saturday, April 26, 2025. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).
Cook, a dynamic point guard, was East Kentwood’s leading scorer at 17 points per game. He said playing for The Family was a perfect fit. Especially since he’s with two of his East Kentwood teammates.
“It’s good because we’ve already got chemistry,” Cook said. “This is the best team in the state that I could play for.”
His Family team includes Mateen Cleaves Jr., a star at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, and Eden Vinyard, an elite player from Ferndale.
Cook, a 6-foot-2, 175-pound guard, was happy with his breakout season, but isn’t satisfied.
“It was good,” Cook said. “But next year I’m going to work on being more consistent. We were young and this was my first year on varsity. So we should be a lot better next year.”
Kenyi, a 6-foot-9, 215-pound center, averaged nearly a double-double last season.
“He lost a lot of weight and he’s in the gym a lot working on his game and his touch around the rim,” Cook said. “It’s been great seeing him develop.”
Makuag, is a 6-foot-6, 185-pound forward, who plays above the rim and is a good shooter. He had a series of highlight dunks on Saturday at the Rumble in the Rapids.
“He’s in the gym every day, too,” Cook said. “So I love seeing him get better.”
So what is the upside of the three East Kentwood sophomores?
“Sky’s the limit,” Thomas said. “All of ‘em have good Division I potential. As long as they keep working.”
East Kentwood sophomore Andrew Kenyi, at 6-foot-9, competes for The Family 16U team during the Rumble in the Rapids on Saturday, April 26, 2025. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).
