Breslin Bound: 2024-25 Girls Report Week 6
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 13, 2025
January signals the start of a two-month trek for basketball teams as they push through the heart of winter toward March, the playoffs, and hopefully a trip to East Lansing to finish the season.
It’s also when we start pointing toward our Michigan Power Ratings (MPR) and the data we’re calculating on every MHSAA team in the state to seed our District brackets, which will begin play March 3.
This season, for the first time, those brackets will be seeded in their entirety (not just the top two teams) – making every result that much more important. We detail several of last week’s below, and more matchups coming up as girls hoops teams approach the season’s midpoint.
“Breslin Bound” is powered by MI Student Aid and based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Grass Lake 53, Detroit Renaissance 49 (OT) Earlier games against tough larger opponents no doubt prepped Division 3 Grass Lake (5-3) to hand the Division 1 Phoenix (10-1) their first defeat, as part of the Rocket Hoop Classic at Westland John Glenn.
2. Rockford 51, Tecumseh 45 The Division 1 Rams’ impressive weekend run of Saturdays continued as they improved to 10-1 by downing a previously-undefeated Division 2 contender in Tecumseh (7-1) at The Platform in Grand Rapids.
3. Tecumseh 53, Chelsea 41 Although it did lose its first game to finish the week, Tecumseh (7-1) earlier earned a significant win to open Southeastern Conference White play by handing Chelsea (6-1) its lone loss.
4. Paw Paw 71, Kalamazoo Christian 61 Paw Paw (7-1) is a one-point defeat from a perfect start and ended the same for Kalamazoo Christian (7-1).
5. Ewen-Trout Creek 56, Lake Linden-Hubbell 41 This could end up a decider in the Copper Mountain Conference as E-TC (9-1) took an important step by handing the Lakes (7-2) their first league loss.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Dexter (6-4) The Dreadnaughts’ four defeats came to teams that are a combined 34-3, and that may have made their record a bit deceptive before handing Saline its first loss of the season last week 55-30. Doing so kept Dexter in a first-place tie with Temperance Bedford in the SEC Red heading into Tuesday’s first of two meetings this season with the Kicking Mules. Dexter also handed Mio its lone defeat, 56-48 on Dec. 28, as it builds off last season’s 17-8 run that included a District title.
Grand Haven (7-1) Coming off a four-place league finish but 18-6 overall record last season, Grand Haven could be poised to make a move in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red. A 60-48 loss to league-leader Rockford on Jan. 3 is a good barometer early, and the Buccaneers bounced right back by downing Hudsonville 57-36 last week. They also handed Midland what remains its only defeat, 50-35 on Dec. 14, and earned a notable 55-22 victory over Ludington – a Division 2 Regional finalist last year.
DIVISION 2
Detroit Country Day (10-0) Country Day just missed eliminating Division 2 champion Detroit Edison in a Regional Semifinal last season, falling 59-57, and the Yellowjackets have stormed through the first half of this winter with wins over Grass Lake, Dexter (both noted above) and last week previously-undefeated Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 49-39 and reigning Division 1 champion West Bloomfield 66-59. Country Day travels to Frankenmuth tonight for what should be a telling matchup, and a Feb. 21 meeting with Renaissance should provide another solid test with the postseason approaching.
Grand Rapids West Catholic (8-1) The Falcons enjoyed a big weekend, first downing O-K Gold rival Grand Rapids South Christian 62-49 on Friday and then 2024 Division 1 quarterfinalist Holt 56-46 on Saturday at The Platform. Expectations were high again this season after West Catholic missed making the Division 2 Final last year with a two-point Semifinal loss. The Falcons’ lone defeat this winter was to Parma Western during the first week, and no other opponent has come within single digits.
DIVISION 3
Lawton (6-1) The Blue Devils have climbed from three to nine to 13 to 16 wins over the last four seasons, respectively, and might be lining up to take another step with their only loss so far to Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep. Lawton bounced back last week to hand Saugatuck its only defeat, 50-43, and will have a chance to move into the lead in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley on Friday when it sees leader Kalamazoo Christian for the first of two meetings.
Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (9-0) The Kestrels have a one-game league in the Huron League as they seek to repeat as champions. An early 64-40 win over Riverview was key to that start, and they’ll see one-loss New Boston Huron tonight for the first of two meetings this season. Only Flat Rock, falling 38-30, has come within single digits of catching SMCC, which finished 19-5 overall a year ago. One of those losses came in a split with Carleton Airport, and St. Mary already has defeated the Jets 65-48.
DIVISION 4
Fowler (7-1) The Eagles are a 46-43 loss to undefeated Pewamo-Westphalia from being unbeaten instead, and they’re surely looking forward to that rematch Feb. 5. In the meantime, they’ve kept in contention in the always-tough Central Michigan Athletic Conference with wins over Laingsburg and Portland St. Patrick, and defeats of Alma and last week Lansing Christian also were notable. Circle a Jan. 21 matchup with Division 1 Holt as another that could be telling as Fowler attempts to return to Breslin for the sixth-straight season (not counting 2020, which ended prematurely due to COVID-19).
St. Ignace (8-1) The Saints already have rebounded from their lone loss this season, defeating Sault St. Marie 57-46 on Friday after losing the first meeting 50-49 on Dec. 3 – with Friday’s victory also ending a five-game losing streak against the rival Blue Devils. St. Ignace – 18-8 last season – also owns a solid 56-40 win over Harbor Springs and is tied for first in the Eastern Upper Peninsula Conference with Brimley with their first of two meetings scheduled for Jan. 23.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Monday – Detroit Renaissance (10-1) at Detroit Cass Tech (8-2) – Renaissance leads the Detroit Public School League Blue and Cass Tech is second and a game back after the Phoenix won the first meeting 57-48 on Dec. 9.
Tuesday – DeWitt (8-1) at Haslett (7-1) – Picking which game this week was bigger for the Vikings was tough, as they will come off this matchup with their longtime rival to take on St. Johns (8-1) in a key Capital Area Activities Conference Red clash Friday.
Friday – Berrien Springs (7-0) at Niles Brandywine (9-0) – These two are tied for first in the Lakeland Conference as the first round of league games comes to close, and they’ll meet in the league finale next month as well.
Friday – Temperance Bedford (6-1) at Saline (8-1) – The Hornets may be coming off their first loss, but they will have plenty of opportunities to make noise in the SEC Red starting with this matchup against the league’s co-leader.
Saturday – Mio (5-1) vs. TBD at St. Ignace – The Thunderbolts remains one of the most intriguing teams in the state regardless of division, and a matchup with the host Saints (8-1) at the B.C. Pizza Classic no doubt would draw a few eyes.
MHSAA.com's weekly “Breslin Bound” previews and reviews are powered by MI Student Aid, a division within the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
PHOTOS (Top) East Lansing’s Sydney Black (11) winds up to send a pass to teammate Navaeh Vasquez while Holt’s Breanna Cornelius attempts to deflect it during the Rams 65-52 win Friday. (Middle) Birmingham Seaholm’s Addy Flynn (24) works to get past Davison’s Gracie Wright during the Maples’ 36-34 overtime victory Thursday. (Holt/East Lansing photo by John Johnson. Seaholm/Davison photo by Terry Lyons.)
Breslin Bound: 2025-26 Girls Report Week 1
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
December 15, 2025
We’re one week into the 2025-26 girls basketball season, and several annual contenders wasted little time seeing how they match up against each other – at least to start this winter.
Of course, there’s a long way to go before all is said and done. But there were plenty of solid statements, with more opportunities to shake things up as we settle into holiday break this weekend.
“Breslin Bound” is powered by MI Student Aid and based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Howell 41, Detroit Edison 26 The Highlanders (3-0) closed an impressive first week by downing Edison (2-1) at the Best of Michigan Holiday Classic at Belleville.
2. Frankenmuth 48, Portland 46 These two have played a series of stunners over the last two seasons, as Portland (1-1) won last year’s regular-season meeting by one and Frankenmuth (2-0) avenged in a Division 2 Regional Final.
3. Bath 71, Fowler 41 The Bees (3-0) avenged last season losses by nine and 34 to the Eagles (0-2), the reigning Division 4 champions.
4. Wayne Memorial 55, Detroit Renaissance 33 Wayne (2-0) won this rematch of a Division 1 Regional Final from last season, also won by the Zebras, at the Best of Michigan Tournament at Detroit Mercy.
5. Jackson Lumen Christi 50, Michigan Center 28 The Titans (2-0) opened in a big way in a matchup of teams that both won 19 games last winter.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Plymouth (3-0) After back-to-back six-win finishes earlier this decade, Plymouth improved to 14 victories two seasons ago and 15-8 last winter. The Wildcats could be ready to take another step after opening this season with a 30-point win over Flat Rock, a 17-pointer over Dearborn Heights Crestwood and a 19-point victory over Brownstown Woodhaven. They’ll have a chance to avenge last season’s first defeat, to Berkley, when they meet Friday.
Rochester Hills Stoney Creek (3-0) Last year’s solid 16-8 run started with a loss to Walled Lake Northern, but Stoney Creek got off to a better start this time with a 35-32 victory over Northern last week. The Cougars followed with 41-32 victories over both White Lake Lakeland and Rochester Adams, and they could get another good gauge on their early-season progress when they host Goodrich on Wednesday.
DIVISION 2
Ionia (2-0) The opening week gave the Bulldogs a spark, and they’ll have an even bigger opportunity this week. Ionia started with a 51-44 win over St. Johns – avenging a loss from a year ago – before defeating Lake Odessa Lakewood. But these next few days could be telling, as Ionia hosts Eaton Rapids on Tuesday after tying the Greyhounds for second in the Capital Area Activities Conference White last winter. On Friday, Ionia travels to face reigning champion Portland, which also ended the Bulldogs season in March.
Kalkaska (2-0) Last week was one of the most successful for the Blazers in some time as they opened with a 33-32 overtime victory over Mancelona, then edged Benzie Central 26-23. Kalkaska finished 3-19 last season – and had won a combined five games over the last four. The Blazers will play in this weekend’s Elk Rapids Invitational to finish up a memorable December.
DIVISION 3
Lawton (2-0) A 50-45 win over South Haven and 53-30 victory over Constantine got the Blue Devils moving in the right direction again as they look to build on last winter’s 15-6 finish and third place in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley. Next up is Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep – which finished second in the Valley last season, defeating Lawton twice – before the Blue Devils close 2025 with Watervliet at the Bangor Holiday Shootout.
Tawas (3-0) Tawas has jumped from four, to eight, to 13 wins over the last three seasons, and could be in for an exciting run given its success during the first week. A 44-32 win over Houghton Lake avenged a 30-point loss from last season, a 36-32 victory over Au Gres-Sims avenged a 20-point defeat from February, and a 27-16 win over Alpena came after 20 and 25-point losses to the Wildcats last winter.
DIVISION 4
Auburn Hills Oakland Christian (3-0) The Lancers have won 14 or 15 games three times this decade, including in going 15-9 a year ago, and they are well on their way to approaching those totals again. Oakland Christian hung on for a 32-26 win over Bloomfield Hills Academy of the Sacred Heart, but defeated Pontiac and Brighton Charyl Stockwell Academy by much more comfortable margins.
Reading (3-0) The Rangers finished fifth in the Big 8 Conference last season, but then won a pair of close matchups to claim a District title and advanced all the way to the Regional Finals. They earned double-digit wins over Camden-Frontier, Colon and Litchfield to kick off this campaign last week, and Tuesday’s matchup with reigning Big 8 co-champion Bronson could tell a lot.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Friday – Rockford (2-0) vs. Howell (3-0) at Cornerstone University – These two are in a high-powered Cornerstone Invitational bracket with DeWitt and Coldwater.
Friday – Concord (0-1) at Bronson (0-1) – This pair shared the Big 8 Conference title last season after splitting their regular-season series.
Saturday – Tecumseh (3-0) at Detroit Edison (2-1) – The 2023 Division 2 champion Pioneers – semifinalists last year – host the reigning title winner at their Pioneer Classic.
Dec. 29 – Pewamo-Westphalia (2-0) at Flint Powers Catholic (1-0) – P-W won last year’s matchup 53-50 on the way to finishing 25-1, while Powers went enjoyed an 18-6 run.
Jan. 3 – Tecumseh (3-0) at Grand Rapids West Catholic (2-1) – Tecumseh definitely isn’t taking it easy over break, with this a rematch of last winter’s Division 2 Final.
MHSAA.com's weekly “Breslin Bound” reports are powered by MI Student Aid, a division within the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Click to connect with MI Student Aid and find more information on Facebook and X @mistudentaid.
PHOTO Negaunee's Gretel Johnson drives to the net while being defended by Lexi Curran during the Miners' 43-26 win over Marquette on Dec. 9. (Photo by Cara Kamps.)