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.)
Lakers' Historical Runs Lives On
March 14, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
EAST LANSING – One way or another, Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes was going to be one of the most intriguing stories from this weekend’s MHSAA Girls Basketball Finals at the Breslin Center.
But with a quarter to play in Thursday’s last Class D Semifinal, it wasn’t going to be for the reason the Lakers would’ve liked.
Our Lady will play Saturday to become only the second team in MHSAA girls basketball history to win four straight Finals championships. But it’s an opportunity that came about only because the team survived arguably its greatest scare since starting this incredible run in 2010.
The Lakers didn’t score in the second quarter and trailed Athens by seven with a eight minutes to play before emerging with a 35-27 victory over the team they also beat in last season’s championship game.
“I was just kinda waiting for when it was going to happen,” Our Lady senior guard Ava Doetsch said. “I knew it was going to happen. After halftime came, (I thought) it has to be the third quarter. Then, it has to be the fourth quarter. And then it did.”
The No. 9 Lakers (21-4) will face top-ranked St. Ignace in Saturday’s first championship game, at 10 a.m. The Saints, like Our Lady, have made it to the Breslin Center each of the last three seasons. They won Class C in 2011 and fell in that class’ Semifinals a year ago.
Another championship would tie the Lakers with Flint Northern’s 1978-81 teams for the longest girls basketball streak in MHSAA history. Only four teams, boys or girls, have won four or more consecutive MHSAA titles – on the boys side, River Rouge won four from 1969-72 and five from 1961-65, and Crystal Falls Forest Park won four straight Upper Peninsula championships from 1938-41 during the era when separate tournaments were held for each peninsula.
But before Our Lady could consider any of that, it had to get past Athens again. And that proved much tougher than in last winter’s 53-37 Finals victory.
After senior guard Lexie Robak hit a 3-pointer with 3:37 to go in the first quarter to give the Lakers a 9-3 lead, they didn’t make another field goal until 3:10 into the third quarter – a stretch of nearly 15 minutes.
That shot cut Athens’ lead to 18-13. The Indians (22-4) went into the fourth quarter up 22-15.
“We knew we had to come out and play our game and not worry about the other team,” said Robak, who with Doetsch has started all four of the team’s Finals wins. “I don't know why we were nervous, but we were. When we got rid of those, we started playing our game.”
Both teams struggled to find the basket – Our Lady shot only 26 percent from the floor for the game, and Athens came in at 19 percent.
But the Lakers found their sharpness in the fourth, hitting 5 of 7 shots from the floor and 8 of 15 free throw attempts to finish on a 20-5 run that was nearly as shocking as the drought had been earlier.
Meanwhile, Athens had 11 of its 21 turnovers over the final 7:41 as the Lakers turned up the pressure.
“I don’t think we got in the positions that we should’ve gotten in to be successful in breaking that press,” Indians coach Calvin Quist said. “We’ve been pressed during this season, but not a whole lot because we usually handle it well. We didn’t handle it well, and that was the difference in the game.”
Lexie Robak finished with 13 points and Doetsch had eight and five steals. But the key may have been junior forward Anna Robb, who made 3 of 5 shots for seven points and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds as well.
Senior Chantel Davenport led Athens with 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds, and junior Audrey Oswalt grabbed 11 rebounds.
“It’s probably not the way we imagined it might go,” Our Lady coach Steve Robak said. “But when the fourth quarter rolled around, and this group’s backs were against the wall, there was never any doubt in our huddle. And certainly (not) with this group.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Waterford Our Lady's Ava Doetsch (20) works to drive around Athens' Allison Fuller during Thursday's Class D Semifinal. (Middle) Athens' Audrey Oswalt (22) make a strong move to the basket. (Photos by Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)