Sophomore scoring 21 points per game for hot Fruitport team

Fruitport sophomore Dexter Lillmars shoots a jumpshot against NorthPointe Christian on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. He scored 21 points in the game. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Dexter Lillmars pulled up for an NBA-range 3-pointer and drained it easily.

The Fruitport High School sophomore has developed into one of the most talented basketball players in West Michigan. 

“He’s probably the best shooter I’ve ever coached,” Fruitport coach Steve Erny said. “He’s someone everyone has to game plan for.”

Lillmars and teammate DayDay Williams scored 21 points apiece as the Trojans beat NorthPointe Christian 67-60 on Wednesday, Jan. 28 to move into first place in the O-K Silver Conference. 

“It was great,” Lillmars said. “We were looking forward to this game. It was great to come out on top.”

Fruitport took an 11-2 lead to start the game and led 34-20 at halftime. But NorthPointe rallied to tie the game at 41-41 going into the fourth quarter on the hot shooting of Kai VanderKodde and Grant Wohlgemuth, who combined for five 3-pointers in the third.

“They’re a good team,” Erny said. “It was great for our guys to experience the way that game went. And then come out on top. We’ve got a group of guys who just wanna hoop. They don’t backdown in moments like when NorthPointe made their run.”

Fruitport is 5-0 in the O-K Silver and 11-2 overall. They won the conference last year. 

"We’ve got guys like Dexter and DayDay who are hard to handle for anybody,” Erny said. “Then you have guys around them like Hudson Hazekamp, Garrett Olson and Brady Hanson. We’ve got a good squad and it was great to take the lead in the conference, for sure. That’s one of our goals to win it this year.”

Fruitport senior DayDay Williams puts up a shot over NorthPointe Christian’s Hudson Hornback on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. He scored 21 points in the game. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).

It’s no coincidence that Fruitport took off last year with Lillmars having an impressive freshman season. He averaged 15.6 points per game and set the school record for 3-pointers with 70.

This season, the 6-foot-2, 185-pound guard is averaging 21.2 points per game and has 39 threes. After Wednesday’s game, he now has 635 career points with at least 10 more games to play. So by early next year, he could reach 1,000 career points.

“He’s one of our team leaders,” Erny said. “Last year, he was a highly touted freshman. But we weren’t asking him to be a leader vocally. But this year he’s stepped up. He has everyone’s respect in the locker room.”

Lillmars also has a shot at the school scoring mark of around 1,400 career points, which is held by Jared Olson, the father of Garrett Olson, who is a freshman on the team.

“It’s definitely in the back of my head,” Lillmars said. “It’s not a huge focus of mine. But as I get closer to it, it definitely is a goal. I think it would for anybody.”

Lillmars, who plays travel ball with the Grand Rapids Storm, said he’s gotten some attention from some colleges, but no offers yet. 

“I have some schools looking at me,” he said. “But I just want to finish out the school season and see where it brings me afterward.” 

Fruitport sophomore Dexter Lillmars shoots a 3-pointer over NorthPointe Christian’s Josh Stokes on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. They are travel ball teammates with the Grand Rapids Storm (Photo | Lenny Padilla).

He got to play against his Storm teammate Josh Stokes on Wednesday. The NorthPointe Christian sophomore had 10 of his 12 points in the fourth quarter. They ended up guarding each other.

“I’ve known him for a long time,” Lillmars said. “He’s a great player. He got me a little bit in the fourth quarter.”

Erny said, no matter how good Lillmars is, he’s still a team-first player.

“He can go get a bucket whenever he wants,” Erny said. “But I just love how he’s still all about the team. When his teammates do well, he’s the first to be happy for them.”

The Fruitport coach is also exited to have the talented sophomore for another two years.

“He’s got a really bright future and he’s only a sophomore,” Erny said. “He looks way different now than last year, physically. I can’t wait to see how he is as a junior and a senior.”