Breslin Bound: 2025-26 Girls Regional Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 9, 2026
After more than three months of working to get to this point, 128 girls basketball teams need to win only three more games to make it to MHSAA Finals weekend.
The next steps will come this week in Regionals, and we look closer at 12 of those below along with five District Finals among several that jumped off the page Friday.
Find everything you need to know this week about tickets, brackets and more as the tournament continues on the Girls Basketball page. To watch any of several games online, visit the NFHS Network. Host sites are in bold below.
“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. Muskegon 35, Rockford 27 The Big Reds (21-2) won their first Division 1 District title since 2023 and guaranteed Rockford (21-3) won’t play at Breslin Center this season for the first time since 2021.
2. Evart 45, McBain 37 The top two teams from the Highland Conference met one more time, and runner-up Evart (18-3) avenged losses of 24 and 11 points to the champion Ramblers (21-1) by handing them their lone defeat in this Division 3 District Final.
3. Jackson Lumen Christi 64, Grass Lake 53 The Titans (20-3) won this Division 3 matchup of league champions, downing Grass Lake (21-3) for the second-straight season in a District Final.
4. Petersburg Summerfield 37, Adrian Lenawee Christian 31 Two weeks after losing to Lenawee Christian (17-6) for the second time this season, Summerfield (18-6) avenged both defeats in a Division 4 District Final.
5. Livonia Stevenson 58, Farmington Hills Mercy 53 The Spartans (19-5) finished third behind perennial state powers Belleville and Wayne Memorial in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association East, but brought home a trophy by downing Mercy (19-5) in Division 1.
Regionals at a Glance
These could be among our most competitive brackets. Host sites are in bold:
DIVISION 1
Detroit Renaissance
Detroit Renaissance (19-2) vs. Livonia Stevenson (19-5)
Wayne Memorial (20-2) vs. Birmingham Groves (18-6)
Renaissance is coming off another Detroit Public School League championship, with both of its losses coming in December – the second to reigning Division 1 champion Belleville (23-1) and the first 55-33 to Wayne, its potential opponent Thursday. To set up that repeat of last year’s Regional Final – won by Wayne – the Phoenix must defeat a Groves team that has enjoyed one of the best turnaround seasons in the state after going 6-16 a year ago. The Zebras – who have lost only to Belleville this season – have defeated Stevenson by 15 and 22 but still must be wary of the familiar Spartans, who have added to their win total now five straight seasons.
Houghton Lake
Marquette (8-14) vs. Midland (19-5)
Saginaw Heritage (18-6) vs. Muskegon (21-2)
Muskegon has gone from 11-12 a year ago to losing this season to only Wayne Memorial (20-2) and Grand Haven (21-3) – and the District Final win over Rockford had statewide reverberations. Heritage and Midland finished first and second, respectively, in the Saginaw Valley League North and split during the regular season, with Midland winning the most recent meeting 46-41 on Jan. 30. Marquette is 6-5 over the second half of the season and coming off its first District title since 2020.
Northville
Saline (21-3) vs. South Lyon East (23-1)
Howell (23-1) vs. Belleville (23-1)
Howell’s 59-51 win over reigning Division 1 champion Belleville on Feb. 26 ended the Tigers’ 35-game winning streak and took this forecasted rematch to another level. But whichever team emerges from that side of the bracket will have to rev back up immediately as Saline and South Lyon East are both capable of moving on to next week as well. Saline’s losses all came to teams still alive – including 58-44 to South Lyon East on Dec. 12. East’s only loss was to Farmington Hills Mercy (19-5), and one more win will give the Cougars twice as many as a season ago.
DIVISION 2
Allendale
Grand Rapids West Catholic (18-5) vs. Spring Lake (15-7)
Sparta (6-18) vs. Grand Rapids Catholic Central (20-4)
An anticipated Regional Final between 2025 Division 2 runner-up West Catholic and Catholic Central makes this bracket jump off the page, as the Cougars won the Ottawa-Kent Conference White and West Catholic finished second in the Gold and won their Feb. 19 matchup 53-40. But the other two contenders this week definitely have earned some notice as well. Spring Lake finished third in the O-K Black but has won five of its last seven games (with a 47-38 loss to West Catholic mixed in) and dominated its District with 39 and 43-point victories. Sparta had one win since Jan. 2 before last week, but earned four and 27-point victories to advance.
Alma
Flint Powers Catholic (21-3) vs. Frankenmuth (16-8)
Alma (17-6) vs. Portland (20-4)
Powers is seeking its second Regional championship over the last three seasons and has lost only to Division 1 Detroit Renaissance, Midland and Utica Eisenhower while defeating several Division 1 opponents as well. The Chargers also downed Frankenmuth 69-45 on Dec. 15, but the Eagles have won 13 of their last 16 games after playing several more top teams from across the state. Alma finished third in the Tri-Valley Conference Red won by Frankenmuth, but defeated league runner-up Freeland on Friday to earn this Regional game on its home court. The Panthers have won 12 of their last 14. Portland won the Capital Area Activities Conference White with its only losses to Haslett, Frankenmuth and Division 1 Holt and East Lansing. The Frankenmuth defeat was by only two points in their season opener.
Tecumseh
Parma Western (17-7) vs. Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard (16-8)
Haslett (22-2) vs. Tecumseh (22-2)
Reigning Division 2 champion Tecumseh has hardly been slowed again this season, falling to West Catholic by two points on Jan. 3 and then to Ohio power program Cincinnati West Clermont on Jan. 19. But Haslett, playing in its third-straight Regional, should provide another challenge with its only losses this season to Division 1 DeWitt and Rockford. The Vikings’ run has included a 64-41 win over Parma Western in their regular-season finale. Western topped a strong Michigan Center team 56-42 to win its District last week and has faced several of the state’s best as well, and will take on a Father Gabriel Richard team that has navigated the same with three of its losses to Division 1 teams and two more to Division 3 contender Lumen Christi.
DIVISION 3
Bangor
Niles Brandywine (23-1) vs. Gobles (15-7)
Kalamazoo Christian (18-4) vs. Schoolcraft (16-7)
Brandywine has reached at least the Division 3 Semifinals the last two seasons and is a combined 50-2 over the last two with that lone loss this winter to Division 2 Otsego (19-2). The Bobcats’ schedule was filled with larger opponents and included a 73-14 win over Gobles from Jan. 6. The Tigers rebounded from three straight losses to end the regular season to win their District, and two of their defeats also game to Saugatuck (23-1) in Southwestern Athletic Conference Central play. K-Christian was first and Schoolcraft third in the SAC Valley, with Christian winning their games by 29 but then only two points Feb. 13. Schoolcraft impressively downed Centreville (18-5) and Union City (17-7) to win its District, while the Comets have won 11 of their last 12 games and surely have been circling this week after losing the Brandywine in Regional Finals the last two years.
Burton Bendle
Otisville LakeVille Memorial (19-5) vs. Cass City (17-5)
Sandusky (22-1) vs. Genesee (18-6)
The fact Otisville LakeVille finished only third in the Mid-Michigan Activities Conference speaks well to the strength of that league, and that no doubt prepared the Falcons well although they now must face a Cass City team that finished second in the Big Thumb Conference White but downed league champion Caro 61-37 in their District Final rematch. Sandusky defeated Cass City 49-32 in its regular-season finale just 11 days ago and won the BTC Black, with its only loss this winter to Division 2 Yale (21-3). Sandusky will see a somewhat familiar opponent in Genesee, which Sandusky defeated in last year’s Regional Final. But Genesee also is a league champion this winter, from the Genesee Area Conference Red, and is keyed by 2,000-point scorer Averie Zinn.
New Lothrop
Laingsburg (20-4) vs. Pewamo-Westphalia (22-2)
New Lothrop (22-2) vs. Stockbridge (18-6)
As noted above with Otisville LakeVille, the MMAC as a league was powerful especially at the top this season, and New Lothrop won it with a 16-0 record. The Hornets’ only losses were to Division 1 Midland and Division 2 Freeland. Stockbridge has made an impressive jump this season after going 11-13 a year ago, and the Panthers finished behind only Division 4 contender Concord (22-2) in the Big 8 Conference. On the other side of the bracket are representatives from another top league, the Central Michigan Athletic Conference, which has sent three teams into Regionals and was won by P-W with an 18-0 record including victories of 13 and 23 over Laingsburg. The Pirates certainly are being cautious seeing Laingsburg for the third time, as the Wolfpack finished third in the CMAC but defeated runner-up Bath (19-5) to win their District.
DIVISION 4
Akron-Fairgrove
Kingston (24-0) vs. Sterling Heights Parkway Christian (16-4)
Clarkston Everest Collegiate (17-5) vs. Deckerville (20-4)
A pair of 20-win teams from the BTC Blue could meet again in the Regional Final as league champ Kingston would be seeking to add to 19 and seven-point wins over runner-up Deckerville – which otherwise lost to only Division 2 Yale and Division 3 Cass City this winter. But neither should look ahead. Parkway Christian won the Michigan Independent Athletic Conference Red ahead of Southfield Christian, which is also still playing this week. Everest Collegiate won the Catholic High School League Intersectional #1 title and the St. Anne Tournament, and total has 15 victories over its last 16 games after opening this winter with four losses over the first month including three to Division 1 and 2 teams.
Fowler
Portland St. Patrick (19-5) vs. Climax-Scotts (17-6)
Muskegon Catholic Central (15-5) vs. Whitmore Lake (18-7)
Three of these teams finished fourth in their leagues during the regular season, and the fourth – Climax-Scotts – was a league runner-up. But they all emerged with trophies last week and one will claim another over the next four days. The Panthers have won 10 of their last 11 games after finishing second in the Southern Central Athletic Association West to Mendon, which is also playing this week. Muskegon Catholic Central emerged from the middle of the Alliance League to defeat both co-champions – Byron Center Zion Christian (17-4) and Wyoming Tri-unity Christian (15-6) – to win their District. Whitmore Lake was fourth in the MIAC Blue but repeated as a District champ, and St. Patrick was fourth in the CMAC but also is a repeat District winner and has lost to only Division 3 opponents from its league this winter.
Johannesburg-Lewiston
Buckley (20-4) vs. Gaylord St. Mary (23-1)
Mio (20-4) vs. Frankfort (15-7)
This Regional features three league champs and a team that finished one game out of first place, plus another of the all-time leading scorers in Michigan history. Buckley – which has made an impressive climb after finishing 9-15 just two seasons ago – shared the Northwest Conference title and will take on Ski Valley Conference champion Gaylord St. Mary, which lost to only Division 2 Petoskey (20-3) two months ago. St. Mary has reached at least the Regional Final the last four seasons and fell to Frankfort the last two. Frankfort finished third in the Northwest Conference but only a game off the lead with two and seven-point losses to Buckley. The Panthers will be next to attempt to slow down Mio and Mia McGregor, who is averaging more than 40 points per game. The Thunderbolts have won 11 of their last 12 games and are making their third-straight Regional appearance.
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PHOTOS (Top) Laingsburg’s Mallory Woodbury (10) pulls away the ball and Harper Strouse (5) also defends during the Wolfpack’s 40-23 Division 3 District Final win over Bath on Friday. (Middle) Marquette's Avery Osborne goes up for a shot against Traverse City Central's Sienna Slack during the Sentinels’ 51-43 District Final victory in Division 1. (Below) A pair of Almont defenders block the passing lanes against North Branch during the Broncos' 47-44 Division 2 District win.(Laingsburg/Bath photo by John Johnson. Marquette/Traverse City Central photo by Cara Kamps. North Branch/Almont photo by Terry Lyons.)
Comstock 'Stampedes' to Elusive Title
By
Pam Shebest
Special for MHSAA.com
February 21, 2017
COMSTOCK — It took almost a quarter century, but the Comstock girls finally put their mark on the basketball banner hanging in their gym.
They have to share the Berrien-Cass-St. Joseph Red title with Buchanan, but that is OK with them.
“It’s been (24 years) since Comstock girls won conference,” junior Ahkyla Blakely said. “I’m very excited. We’ll get our year up on the banner.”
With a junior and three sophomores among the starting five, one might have thought the team was in a rebuilding season.
But when it comes to experience, there is nothing young about this team.
The Colts have a 17-2 overall record, 9-1 in the conference.
The team may be young, but the girls grew up playing together in the youth program called “The Stampede” that started when the current sophomores were in fourth grade and with coaches that included Justin Ansel, the girls varsity coach for the last five years.
“Our junior class started when they were in fifth grade, so they grew up together with their class,” Ansel said. “Last year, the combination of the two classes, we had a whole year of playing together.”
This year, that experience is paying rewards.
Sophomore Daisy Ansel leads the Colts, averaging 15.2 points per game, followed by junior Blakely at 12.4 and sophomore Caylin Lopez at nine.
Ansel and Lopez also started last year as freshmen.
Abby House, who was pulled up from the junior varsity team midway through last season, is the other sophomore starter along with Blakely and senior Miranda Cannon.
Friends & Family
Having her dad as a coach can be both good and bad, Daisy Ansel said.
“It’s challenging at times, but it makes me better because he pushes me harder as an individual player,” she said.
“At home we talk about basketball all the time. It’s probably brought us together more as a family.”
Her brother, Seth, is a junior on the boys varsity basketball team.
Justin Ansel said the day his daughter does not feel comfortable with him as her coach is the day he will step down – as tough as that would be.
“We do have a relationship that at the end of every season I tell her if you don’t want me to coach any more, I’ll gladly step away and be a parent in the stands and support you in that respect,” he said.
“Each year, she’s always wanted me to be her coach. That feels good.”
He added that it is not just her he would miss coaching.
“You develop a relationship since fourth grade with these girls, and it’s not just your daughter,” he said. “I feel like I have a bunch of daughters out there.”
Senior Arreona Blakely said the turning point in the season was defeating Buchanan, 54-33, on Feb. 3.
The Colts lost to the Bucks 37-33 the month before.
“(Our win) was probably our best game, communication and defense-wise,” Blakely said.
She has no problem with her younger sister starting while she waits for the nod.
“I’m used to it,” the senior said. “It’s more I know my position, which is to be a leader and a communicator versus being the one out there scoring points. She’s more the athletic one versus me.
“I’m not really that athletic like her, but I’m good to support her. When she’s going through a rough time, I’m the only one who really knows how to pick her back up, spirit-wise, and get her going.”
Ahkyla Blakely said two things have helped the team improve from its 13 wins last year.
“It’s conditioning and practice,” she said. “Our coach makes us run these Sweet 16s every practice, and we’ve got to try to beat a time. He pushes us.
“We’ve been waiting for (last year’s) freshmen to come up, and now they’re sophomores and we’ve all been together for a long time. It feels like family.”
Daisy Ansel said the girls have a connection.
“We know who our shooters are, who we’re trying to get open,” she said. “We know all the plays. We have over 10 plays we can run against any team, and we all know them.
“When we’re out there together, we all just click like in middle school, and outside of basketball we get along.”
Ansel is a captain along with the Blakely sisters.
“Normally, sophomores aren’t captains, but going through travel ball has taught me so much, like the communication part of basketball,” Ansel said.
“I used to think you had to work the hardest and had to win everything, but now you’ve got to pump up everybody on your team to have the strongest practice. I work on giving more energy and communication in practice because it plays a bigger part than you think on the basketball court.”
House is a five-sport athlete, playing volleyball and golf in the fall, basketball and bowling in the winter and softball in the spring.
“It’s pretty tough between homework and all the practices and games, but I try to make it work,” she said. “Coaches work with me a lot.”
She said it is an advantage to have been coached by Justin Ansel on the Stampede team.
“He’s been our coach since we were little, so we know what he wants us to do,” she said. “He challenges us more because he knows what we can do.”
This season, “We’re generating a lot more offense. We’re all playing together as one team instead of as individuals, and our defense has tremendously improved since last year.”
Sophomore Madelyn Caswell is the tallest on the team at 5-foot-9, but “with my lankiness, my coach says I’m about 5-11,” she said, laughing.
Playing her first year on varsity, “The competitiveness is a lot more intense,” she said. “We have big goals and working to get there is a lot more competitive, and we’re a lot more driven than we were on jayvee.”
More to achieve
Comstock will host an MHSAA Class B District next week where it could face perennial power and reigning Class B champion Marshall in the second game.
“We play Parchment in the first round and if we win that, Marshall in the finals,” Justin Ansel said. “Marshall is very tough. We’re going to have to be fundamentally strong on both ends of the floor.
“Last year we got to Marshall in the first game. Four out of my five years (coaching Comstock), Marshall has ended my season.”
But the team entered this winter with high aspirations, and already has made good on making history.
“It’s something we talked about, but it wasn’t something we imagined doing,” Caswell said. “Throughout the season we realized we could make (winning conference) more of a reality.”
Marissa Vandyk is the other senior on the team. Juniors are Kierra Lovelace and Kaylee Gilley.
Pam Shebest served as a sportswriter at the Kalamazoo Gazette from 1985-2009 after 11 years part-time with the Gazette while teaching French and English at White Pigeon High School. She can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Calhoun, Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Comstock sophomore Caylin Lopez guards a Parchment ball handler this season. (Middle top) Comstock coach Justin Ansel and sophomore Daisy Ansel. (Middle below) Comstock junior Ahkyla Blakely and senior Arreona Blakely. (Below) Sophomore Madelyn Caswell (40) works to defend a shot. (Action photos courtesy of the Comstock girls basketball program; head shots by Pam Shebest.)