Rockford’s state title is a dream come true for sophomore best buddies

Rockford sophomores Eli Wolfe, center and Josh Bascom share a laugh about something coach Kyle Clough said during the postgame press conference after winning the Division 1 state title on Saturday, March 13, 2026. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Eli Wolfe and Josh Bascom have been best friends since they were in elementary school. The Rockford High School sophomores do everything together on and off the court.
And on Saturday, they won a state championship together, too.

“Josh, he’s as close as a brother can be without be your actual brother,” Wolfe said.

The Rockford players went wild on the court celebrating winning their first boys basketball state title since 2003. They beat East Lansing 54-50 in the Division 1 championship game on Saturday afternoon. 

“Holy cow!” Rockford coach Kyle Clough said. “What an incredible game, incredible opponent. (East Lansing) was on our radar all year. We thought if we were going to find our way here to The Breslin that we knew we were going to have to play them. What can you say about KJ Torbert. One of the best players in this state in quite awhile.”

Josh Bascom, a sophomore, had a team-high 14 points for Rockford (25-3), Opoku-Agyeman 13, Jake Bascom 11, Dylan Gross 8 and Wolfe 7. 

Rockford players go nuts after winning the Division 1 state title on Saturday, March 13, 2026. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).

Wolfe and Josh Bascom met as little ballers and have been inseparable since. 

“We’ve been best friends since fourth grade when he moved to Rockford from Cedar Springs,” Josh said. “We played played in a Gus Macker together in like fourth grade. And ever since then, we’ve had a bond.”

When the duo were just in seventh grade, Grand Rapids Storm coach Jason Martin had them fill in on a high school team during Fall Ball season. 

“That was fall league when we played with the big boys,” Josh recalled. “I didn’t think high school ball would be that hard. They were such great players back then. Those games made us so much better. I think we played the Northview team with Cam (Ryans) and Brady (Swartz).”

Said Wolfe “Pretty much every day we’re together. He picks me up every day going to school and then drops me off afterwards. We’re basically always with each other.”

Wolfe and Josh could also play in college together. They both have offers from Ferris State University and Central Michigan University. Josh’s brother Jake will be playing at CMU next season.

Rockford players pose at the postgame news conference after winning the Division 1 state title on Saturday, March 13, 2026. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).

East Lansing led 35-30 at halftime. But Rockford held the No. 1 team in the state to just 16 points in the second half. 

With 50 seconds left in the game, East Lansing trailed by two points and had the ball. They had several shots at a bucket, but Rockford got the ball back with six seconds left. 

“I want to give my staff a lot of credit for that,” Clough said. “We’re not letting KJ Torbert getting the last shot. We put in that run-and-jump defense this morning in the bottom of the Kellogg Center. We said ‘late in the game, late in the quarter, he’s not getting the shot’ And if he does, it’s going to be over two people. He’s that good.”

Torbert, who was named Michigan’s Mr. Basketball winner, finished with 28 points, including four deep 3-pointers.   

“It’s crazy,” senior Chase Pitsch said. “This means everything. I’ve wanted to win a state title since I was born. Now there’s no more next game. It’s so weird. I’m retired now.”

The players grabbed the championship trophy and beelined it to the student section to celebrate with them.

“We had to win this for them,” Josh Bascom said. “They showed up during every game of the season and all the playoff games. They deserved this state championship, too.”

Rockford senior Jake Bascom puts up a shot in the first half of the Division 1 state title game on Saturday, March 13, 2026. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).

Clough said they didn’t have much time - or space - to prepare for East Lansing, a team they lost to in overtime on January 10.

"We had a walk-through in about a closet in the bottom of the Kellogg Center (Hotel) this morning,” he said. “So when you’re preparing for KJ, that’s not very comforting.” 

The Rams coach said it was a relief to finally win a title.

“We’ve been knocking on the door trying to make a run here in the past couple years and fell short,” he said. “This year, these guys were incredibly determined. I’m just proud. They represent their school the right way.”

Opoku-Agyeman is just a freshman. But he starts most games for Rockford and he had a huge game. 

"It’s unbelievable,” he said. “It’s something we’ve been working on all season. Since 2003, we hadn’t won one. So we knew it was time to win another one.”

His other brother Kyler VanderJagt, is a senior at Toledo, where he’s on the basketball team. He was a Mr. Basketball finalist his senior year at Northview High School.

“It feels good,” Opoku-Agyeman said. “I know that I’ve got bragging rights over him. But at the end of the day, I love him.”

Rockford freshman Jace Opoku-Agyeman celebrates winning the Division 1 state title on Saturday, March 13, 2026. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).