Breslin Bound: 2024-25 Girls Report Week 9
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 3, 2025
Several girls basketball leagues across Michigan are being paced this season not just by a couple of top teams locally, but by top local teams that also have worthwhile statewide aspirations.
We saw several of that caliber of matchup this past week, with many more on the way, and we’ve highlighted some of the most intriguing below in our looks back and forward as we continue to push toward March.
“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. Wayne Memorial 57, Belleville 52 Wayne (10-5) took over first place alone in the Kensington Lakes Activities Associate East with this stunner, handing Belleville (14-1) its only defeat.
2. Negaunee 45, Gladstone 28 Negaunee (15-0) remains undefeated after handing Gladstone (12-1) its only loss, and they meet again Feb. 27.
3. Rockford 45, Grand Haven 34 The Rams (15-1) strengthened their spot atop the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red by finishing a season sweep of Grand Haven (12-2) – no other opponent has defeated the Buccaneers this winter.
4. Tecumseh 56, Chelsea 39 Tecumseh (12-1) also finished a season sweep of a league rival, in the Southeastern Conference White, and remains the only team to defeat Chelsea (11-2).
5. Yale 69, Armada 62 Yale (13-1) moved into first alone in the Blue Water Area Conference by handing Armada (12-1) its only defeat in league play and overall. They meet again Feb. 20.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Northville (10-5) The Mustangs have moved to the top of a competitive KLAA West that has six of eight teams playing above .500 overall. Northville took over the top spot alone with a week that saw a 49-43 win over Howell and then a 51-44 victory over Hartland; Howell is now third and Hartland second, and Hartland had won the first meeting with the Mustangs 47-24. Northville has won seven straight, with notable early losses to Clarkston (11-5), South Lyon (13-1) and Midland (12-1) and another impressive win to start this month over Farmington Hills Mercy (11-3).
Wayne Memorial (10-5) The Zebras had lost last year’s matchups with Belleville by 28 and 11 points, but Saturday’s 57-52 win over the Tigers was their eighth in nine games this winter and boosted them up to No. 8 in statewide Division 1 MPR. A 2-4 start this season was filed with valuable losses to Rockford, Detroit Edison (48-46 in overtime) and a pair of Indiana teams, and the only loss since was to an Ohio opponent. Wayne’s rematch with Belleville (14-1) is Feb. 14, and the Zebras also have a key KLAA East win over third-place Livonia Stevenson, 60-53, and will see the Spartans (12-4) again Feb. 18.
DIVISION 2
Detroit Edison (11-3) The reigning Division 2 champion has put together another run to set up a potential playoff push, with its only losses in double overtime to Tecumseh (12-1), by two to Detroit Renaissance (15-1), and to another Division 2 contender Parma Western (13-1). Balance that out with wins over Wayne, Clarkston, Utica Eisenhower (14-1), Detroit Cass Tech (10-5) and most recently annual Illinois contender Bolingbrook. Five of the Pioneers’ six nonleague opponents remaining are 11-3 or better, and the sixth is reigning Division 1 champion West Bloomfield. Circle Feb. 21 at Belleville and Feb. 22 home against Frankenmuth as arguably the best weekend of basketball in the state before the MHSAA Finals.
Frankenmuth (13-2) The Eagles also are gearing up for another potential tournament run, riding an 11-game winning streak with those early losses by a combed five points against Portland (12-3) and Midland Dow over the first two weeks of December. Frankenmuth clinched a share of another Tri-Valley Conference Red title last week against Saginaw Swan Valley and can finish the championship outright by closing out a season sweep this week against Freeland (11-2). The Eagles also have notable wins over Flint Powers Catholic (10-3), Detroit Country Day (12-3) and Saginaw Heritage (12-3), and will head toward March with a string of seven opponents that have all won at last nine games and includes matchups with Goodrich, Rockford, Edison and Orchard Lake St. Mary’s.
DIVISION 3
Cass City (12-1) The Red Hawks moved up five spots to No. 6 in statewide Division 3 MPR this week as they pulled within two more wins of clinching the inaugural Big Thumb Conference White championship. They’ve jumped from 14-11 a year ago and won eight straight since suffering their lone loss, 53-46 to Division 4 contender Kingston (9-1). Cass City also had a solid early win over Deckerville (10-4) and cleared Caro and Unionville-Sebewaing by impressive margins in the first meetings against their closest league challengers. Cass City closes against undefeated Sandusky, a rematch of last season’s Regional Semifinal that ended the Red Hawks’ season.
Harbor Springs (12-2) As 2,000-point scorer Olivia Flynn surges toward the conclusion of her high school career, Harbor Springs is looking like a great possibility to surpass its longest tournament run of her career so far, to the Regional Semifinals a year ago. The Rams shared the Lake Michigan Conference title last season and lead the Northern Shores Conference by two games, with their only losses overall to Division 2 Sault Ste. Marie and Division 4 contender St. Ignace. Harbor Springs also has downed Indian River Inland Lakes (10-3) and East Jordan (10-4), and has an intriguing matchup with Gaylord St. Mary (11-1) to finish the regular season.
DIVISION 4
Baraga (10-4) Although the Vikings will need help to catch Ewen-Trout Creek in the Copper Mountain Conference, they also put L’Anse a game back in the standings with a 52-49 overtime win over the Purple Hornets (11-2) last week. That victory avenged a 68-50 loss to L’Anse from mid-December and came after Baraga opened last week with a 49-46 revenge win over Lake Linden-Hubbell (11-4) – which had won their first meeting 49-37. Baraga will hope to keep that rebound streak going if they see E-TC in a Regional Semifinal – E-TC won the regular-season matchup 61-34 – but in the meantime the Vikings will face last season’s champion Ishpeming on Feb. 10 in what should be their toughest regular-season game the rest of the way.
Gaylord St. Mary (11-1) A mid-December loss to Division 1 Muskegon Mona Shores has been the only flaw in an otherwise perfect run for the Snowbirds, who own a one-game lead in the Ski Valley Conference thanks to a 51-47 victory over Indian River Inland Lakes (10-3) two weeks ago. Those two will meet again Feb. 25, and St. Mary also has a rematch coming up with East Jordan (10-4) after winning their first game impressively. As noted above, The Snowbirds will test themselves against Harbor Springs on Feb. 27, which could provide a nice momentum boost as they pursue a potential fifth-straight District title and possible first Regional championship since 2022.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Monday – New Lothrop (13-1) at Ovid-Elsie (13-2) – A third meeting might be ahead in Division 3 District play, but for now these two are likely the decide the Mid-Michigan Activities Conference title with New Lothrop leading thanks to a 46-37 win in their first meeting Dec. 20.
Tuesday – Shelby (12-2) at Hart (12-1) – Hart has a slim lead in the West Michigan Conference Rivers thanks to a 37-34 win over second-place Shelby from Dec. 10, and these two also could meet again in Division 3 District action.
Wednesday – Pewamo-Westphalia (14-0) at Fowler (12-1) – The Central Michigan Athletic Conference has at least two Finals contenders again this season, and the Division 3 Pirates defeated the Division 4 Eagles 46-43 in their first meeting Dec. 17 to earn their current one-game lead in the league.
Friday – Grand Rapids South Christian (13-2) at Grand Rapids West Catholic (13-1) – The O-K Gold title is almost assuredly coming down to these two, and West Catholic has a one-game lead after winning their Jan. 10 matchup 62-49.
Friday – Michigan Center (13-1) at Grass Lake (12-3) – The Cascades Conference East has two intriguing playoff contenders as well, and Division 3 Grass Lake tops the standings after downing Division 2 Michigan Center 56-46 on Jan. 9.
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) Ishpeming's Jenessa Eagle brings the ball into the paint against Gwinn during Wednesday’s 54-30 Hematites win. Eagle scored her 1,000th career point in the victory. (Middle) Flint Powers’ Kendyl Smith (23) powers to the basket during her team’s 71-41 win over Davison on Tuesday. (Ishpeming/Gwinn photo by Cara Kamps. Powers/Davison photo by Terry Lyons.)
Niles' Arnold Remembered as Teacher & Leader, 'Doing Exactly What He was Meant To Do'
By
Scott Hassinger
Special for MHSAA.com
January 13, 2026
NILES – Throughout his 22-year career coaching varsity girls basketball at Niles High School, Jim Arnold required one thing from his players.
Just have fun.
"Jim always stressed to his players that the one thing he wanted them to do when on the floor was to just have fun playing the game," said George Brawley, who served 15 seasons as one of Arnold's assistant coaches at various levels.
Arnold, 81, died Dec. 9 following an extended illness.
But throughout his career, Arnold's teams did much more than just enjoy themselves. The Benton Harbor native built a highly-successful program at Niles, where he achieved an overall win-loss record of 360-139 from 1986-2008, with 19 winning seasons. Under Arnold's watch, the Vikings captured seven conference titles, 10 District championships – including nine straight from 1997-2005 – and five Regional crowns.
Among Arnold's other accomplishments were being named Class B Coach of The Year by The Associated Press in 1998 and receiving honorable mention in 1997, along with selection by the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan as Region 5 Coach of the Year in 2002 and 2004. He was also named conference Coach of the Year seven times and received the Herb Quade Memorial Sportsmanship Award for the 2002-2003 season.
Arnold also coached Niles to back-to-back District championships in softball in 1993 and 1994.
As young athlete himself, Arnold excelled on the baseball diamond. A successful player while at Benton Harbor, he also played on Twin City American Legion teams and was known as a team captain and a coach on the field. Arnold later had an invitation to try out at the professional level with the Baltimore Orioles, but an injury ended his pursuit of that dream.
Arnold later played third base for Bargain Center, a slow-pitch softball team that won a regional championship and went on to play in the national title game in St. Louis, Mo.
His daughters Sonya and Allison were among the athletes that Arnold mentored during his coaching career. Sonya (Martinez), his oldest daughter, played for her father in eighth grade.
"He made the game fun, and you wanted to do your best because you didn't want to disappoint him. He poured his heart into each and every practice and game because preparation mattered to him. He demanded excellence, and every player became better because of his coaching ability," said Martinez, a 1986 Niles graduate.
Allison (Clay) his youngest daughter, played on the 1990 Niles varsity squad that finished 25-1, winning conference, District and Regional titles. She is a 1991 graduate.
"It was awesome playing for my dad. Some of my best memories in my life were during that time,” Clay said. “He had high standards and inspired others to be the best version of themselves. He put his heart and soul into what he did, and I had a front-row seat to that."
Linda Arnold has fond memories as a coach's wife.
"I loved watching my husband coach because of the joy it brought him. His passion, intensity and the love he had for his players was genuine,” she said. “It was more than a game. It was more about developing players in the area of discipline, teamwork and giving your all. Even in the busiest part of the season, he always made me feel like a priority. I didn't just watch a coach. I watched a man doing exactly what he was meant to do.
"My husband coached with passion, but he loved his family with intention. My girls would go to his practices and we all attended his games, and we had the team over for team dinners. His players were a part of our extended family. He made sure we felt a part. He was the best coach in the world, and he was mine."
Jim Arnold was highly respected by his coaching peers. He was kind and treated everyone with dignity. The community of Niles knew what he stood for and they knew his standards were high. He was admired for his preparation and understanding of the game as well as his commitment to doing things the right way. He was strict but fair and treated everyone the same, whether you were the star player or last one off the bench, Martinez explained.
"Developing his players' character was far more important to him than winning," she said. "Dad lived what he taught. He modeled humility, hard work and lived a life of integrity. He made people better by being a part of their lives."
When Jim Arnold first began his junior high teaching career in Niles, he also coached the boys junior high basketball team. There were no girls basketball teams at the time, so a girl tried out for the boys team. She was good enough to make the team, so Arnold kept her. The following school year, the principal asked Arnold to organize a girls team – and the rest was history.
Former Niles varsity girls basketball coach Jessica Johnson, a teammate of Clay’s, recalls the experience of playing for Coach Arnold.
"Coach Arnold taught us discipline, resilience and always required 110 percent effort from you. He would instill confidence in you while still holding you accountable," said Johnson, now an assistant women’s basketball coach at Southwestern Michigan College.
Johnson recalls Arnold's use of comic strips as a teaching tool to help his players improve upon their mistakes.
"If you had a game where you didn't shoot very well or took questionable shots, he would place pictures of bricks in the gym the day following the game," Johnson said.
"Coach Arnold went out of his way to build that relationship and trust with his players. He gave us lessons that extended way beyond the court that made us better people."
Mark Haase, a Niles alumnus and the current Vikings head varsity boys basketball coach, also had the privilege of playing for Arnold.
"I played freshman basketball for Coach Arnold. It was one of the most disciplined and well-conditioned teams I ever played on. He ran a tight ship, but it was done out of love and concern for his players. He has a great family and is a Niles legend," Haase said.
Niles athletic director Matt Brawley referred to Arnold as an amazing teacher, coach and individual in the school and community.
"Coach Arnold would never ask you to do anything he wouldn't do. He was very structured and expected a lot out of his players, and he got results without excuses,” Brawley said. “He was a true leader of Niles athletics. He was an unbelievably kind and humble individual.”
Scott Hassinger is a contributing sportswriter for Leader Publications and previously served as the sports editor for the Three Rivers Commercial-News from 1994-2022. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph and Branch counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Jim Arnold poses for a photo with his granddaughters following a Niles girls basketball game. (Middle) Arnold signals for a timeout. (Below) Linda and Jim Arnold, seated (middle) take a photo with their daughters and their families. (Photos courtesy of the Niles athletic department and Arnold family.)