Breslin Bound: 2025-26 Girls Report Week 7
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 26, 2026
The frostiest winter in recent memory disrupted about half of last week’s girls basketball schedule across Michigan.
But there are still plenty of highlights to pass on – and we can look forward to a busy February for many teams as snowed-out games are worked into the open dates remaining. Stay tuned.
“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. Holt 40, DeWitt 37 The Rams (9-2) avenged an 11-point loss to the Panthers (10-2) from Dec. 16 and reset the Capital Area Activities Conference Blue race with DeWitt and Holt now with one loss in league play.
2. Gaylord St. Mary 58, Indian River Inland Lakes 35 The Snowbirds (10-1) stand alone atop the Ski Valley Conference standings after Inland Lakes (9-2) also entered this matchup tied for first.
3. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 54, Farmington Hills Mercy 22 OLSM (11-2) solidified its place atop the Catholic High School League Central after also defeating second-place Mercy (9-2) by 12 points on Jan. 2.
4. Goodrich 53, Saginaw Heritage 37 The Martians (13-0) won a matchup of league leaders and handed Heritage (10-3) its only double-digit defeat this winter.
5. Midland 65, Detroit Edison 46 The Chemics (9-3) loaded their nonleague schedule with several annual statewide contenders and earned a notable win in downing the Pioneers (4-4).
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Grand Haven (10-0) The Buccaneers are looking good to push for a first Ottawa-Kent Conference Red title since 2012-13 as they continue to build off last season’s 22-4 overall finish. They’ve started 3-0 in league play but with a tough week ahead hosting Muskegon (9-1) on Tuesday, and then Rockford (8-1) on Friday with first place on the line. Only O-K Black contender Spring Lake has gotten within single digits of catching Grand Haven, with the Bucs winning that Dec. 19 matchup 35-28.
South Lyon East (12-0) Last week’s win over Walled Lake Western gave South Lyon East as many victories as all of last season and kept the Cougars atop the Lakes Valley Conference standings after they finished third a year ago. Only second-place Milford and 10-win Plymouth have gotten within single digits, and East also has a notable 58-44 win over Southeastern Conference Red contender Saline. A closing run including games with Rochester Hills Stoney Creek, Farmington Hills Mercy and Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard will be great tournament prep.
DIVISION 2
Holland Christian (7-3) The Maroons are undefeated in O-K Black play, in part thanks to a 38-34 win over Spring Lake and 55-51 overtime victory over Hudsonville Unity Christian. They are playing for a second-straight league title but also have climbed the statewide Division 2 MPR list in part because of losses to strong opponents Grand Rapids South Christian, Wayland and Grand Rapids Catholic Central – which are a combined 30-3. Holland Christian has another notable nonleague matchup coming up Feb. 3 against undefeated Grand Rapids Covenant Christian.
Wayland (8-1) The Wildcats have strung together seven straight winning seasons and have an opportunity to shake up the O-K Gold this winter. Wayland fell two weeks in its first matchup against still-undefeated Grand Rapids South Christian, but can look forward to a rematch Feb. 10 and games as well against Grand Rapids West Catholic on Feb. 3 and 17. A 51-44 victory over Holland Christian on Dec. 19 avenged last year’s District loss, and a 15-point win over Wyoming to start January also was among the most notable.
DIVISION 3
Beaverton (9-0) After finishing second and four games back of Sanford Meridian in the Jack Pine Conference Division 2 last season, Beaverton quickly has a 2.5-game lead thanks in part to a 67-27 win over Meridian on Jan. 15. Meridian had swept Beaverton last season, and the Beavers also have a victory over St. Louis after splitting with the Sharks in 2024-25. Beaverton has several big nonleague games coming up, including against undefeated McBain, Evart, Standish-Sterling and Jackson Lumen Christi.
Grass Lake (10-1) The Warriors have won seven straight league championships and lead the Cascades Conference East thanks to handing Michigan Center its only league loss, 61-55 on Jan. 15. Grass Lake also has wins over league leaders Hanover-Horton and Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard, with the only loss to Division 1 contender Rockford. The Michigan Center rematch on Feb. 13 and home game against Parma Western on Feb. 24 will be intriguing as the postseason approaches.
DIVISION 4
Kingston (11-0) The Cardinals are perfect through the first half of this regular season and have celebrated a new all-time leading scorer in Molly Walker. A 53-34 win over second-place Deckerville last week sent Kingston into first place alone in the Big Thumb Conference Blue, and the Cardinals are also the only team to defeat BTC Black co-leader Brown City. The closest an opponent has come is 19 points, and only one has reached 40 points.
Mendon (9-2) The Hornets have won 18 or more games five times since their last league championship season in 2015-16 – including going 23-4 and making the Division 4 Quarterfinals two years ago. But this could be the season they complete the title climb again as they lead the Southern Central Athletic Association West by a game over Climax-Scotts, which they defeated 30-24 last week. Mendon has allowed only two opponents to reach 40 points, in losses to Division 3 Union City (43-27) and Division 1 Sturgis (46-40).
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – Gladstone (10-2) at Negaunee (12-0) – Both were league champions last year and could be again, but what makes this matchup especially intriguing is it’s the first since Gladstone defeated the Miners in last year’s District Final.
Tuesday – Brown City (9-1) at Sandusky (10-1) – These two are tied for first in the BTC Black and will meet again Feb. 19.
Wednesday – Morenci (8-1) at Adrian Lenawee Christian (9-1) – The Friday matchup between these two at Morenci was postponed, but they’re set to play this time at Lenawee Christian for first place in the Tri-County Conference.
Friday – Rockford (8-1) at Grand Haven (10-0) – The Rams have won three straight O-K Red titles, and this matchup could go a long way toward helping them secure a fourth in a row.
Friday – Shelby (9-0) at Ravenna (10-2) – They are the only teams still undefeated in West Michigan Conference Rivers play after finishing second and third, respectively, in the league last season.
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.
PHOTOS (Top) Wayne Memorial’s Micah Darling (23) drives into the lane during her team’s 55-40 win over Livonia Stevenson last week. (Middle) A Bath player puts up a shot as the Bees held on for a 35-33 win over Laingsburg on Wednesday. (Wayne/Stevenson photo by KMS Photography. Bath/Laingsburg photo by Team Arreguin Photos.)
Lenawee Christian Different, But Not Down
February 28, 2020
By Doug Donnelly
Special for Second Half
In the first practice without Bree Salenbien, the Lenawee Christian girls basketball team didn’t dwell on the fact the best player in the Division 4 tournament the last couple of seasons won’t be on the court for this season’s playoff run.
“Practice was amazing,” third-year Lenawee Christian head coach Jamie Salenbien said. “The girls talked about ways to step up, and they assured each other of their foundation.”
Lenawee Christian has won back-to-back Finals championships, in Class D in 2018 and Division 4 in 2019. During each of those state championship runs, 6-foot-4 Bree Salenbien showcased the incredible talent that has earned her more than 25 scholarship offers from Division I schools across the country – including Michigan and Michigan State.
In a stunning turn of events, however, Salenbien tore her ACL with about 15 seconds remaining in overtime of Lenawee Christian’s final regular-season game earlier this week. That drastically changed the entire MHSAA tournament picture as the 17-3 Cougars – who have played one of the toughest schedules in the state regardless of division – no longer are the overwhelming favorites.
Don’t tell them that, however.
“It definitely is going to be a long hard road,” said Cougars senior Dani Salenbien, Bree’s older sister. “It’s no secret Bree is a huge part of our team, but I have no doubt that our team will adjust and come out strong when we play next.”
The Cougars have gone 15-0 the last two seasons in postseason play, winning the first two girls basketball championships in school history. The Salenbiens have been at the forefront of those title runs. Jamie Salenbien is a Hudson graduate who coached three years at Onsted before stepping down to concentrate on coaching his daughters through their youth teams.
He became head varsity coach at Lenawee Christian when Dani was entering her sophomore year and Bree was about to make her varsity debut. The result was a 26-1 season and Class D Final win over Chassell. Bree was named the Class D Player of the Year and her dad was named Coach of the Year by The Associated Press.
Last season, Dani Salenbien took more of a lead role, especially during the tournament, helping turn the Cougars’ fortunes with an outstanding performance in the championship game win over St. Ignace. Both Salenbiens were all-state choices, and this year it looked like the Cougars were destined to become one of the few three-peat champions in MHSAA history. They have been ranked No. 1 all season. The only team with a higher Michigan Power Rating than LCS is Division 2 Detroit Edison, a team the Cougars lost to as part of a rugged schedule that saw LCS face three teams that have been ranked No. 1 in three separate classes this season.
The game against Edison was played in front of a standing-room only crowd at LCS. Dani Salenbien poured in eight 3-pointers and scored a career-high 31 points, which Edison eventually pulled away and won.
“It definitely was nerve-wracking,” Dani said. “The environment was kind of insane. I had so much fun. It was an opportunity for us to show our love of Christ and play to the best of our ability. Anytime you play a team like that, you have the chance to improve.”
Among the other teams on the LCS schedule this year have been Hartland, who was No. 1 in Division 1 at one point of the season; several state-ranked Division 4 schools such as Fowler and Allen Park Inter-City Baptist; Toledo Christian, ranked No. 2 in Ohio’s Division 4; and Cascades Conference powerhouses Michigan Center and Grass Lake, which was ranked No. 1 in Division 3 for much of the season.
“Playing 20 different teams pushes the girls to prepare and perform each game,” Coach Salenbien said. “By playing some of the best teams in the state, it hopefully prepares the girls for the toughest situations they might face.
“Facing the best requires you to dig deep and play your best.”
The game against Grass Lake on Tuesday was one of those games, two powerhouses battling on every possession. In the waning seconds of the first overtime, the Cougars grabbed a rebound and found Bree on an outlet pass. She took a dribble, then appeared to have tried to dribble the ball behind her back when she went to the floor. By Thursday, the Salenbien family was overwhelmed with text messages, phone calls and e-mails from friends, family and former Cougars players and coaches offering prayers and support for Bree.
On Thursday afternoon the Cougars were back on the practice floor, getting ready for Monday’s Division 4 District game against Ann Arbor Rudolf Steiner.
Coach Salenbien said the girls got in practice, strength training and spent some time reading through some of the messages the team has received over the last couple of days. It’s not business as usual, of course, but don’t expect a letdown once the postseason starts Monday.
“This group is so tough,” Coach Salenbien said. “I just love how fearless they approach challenges.
“One of our themes is ‘Chase the Lion’ which stresses the importance of dreaming big and taking positive risks without fear. The group lives this out.”
Dani, Libby Miller and Caitlin Anderson are four-year starters. Dani – who has signed to play at Hillsdale College next year – has scored more than 1,200 career points, while Miller has made 178 career 3-pointers and Caitlin is nearing 100 career games played. Cara Anderson and Lizzy Scharer both have big game experience as well, having played in an MHSAA Final.
The Cougars plan to approach this Division 4 tournament just as they would with Bree.
“I don’t know if anyone’s roles will change or not,” Dani said. “I’m excited. We’re going to have to play our best, and everyone is going to have to step up. The postseason makes us all that much more serious. We already are serious, but it just intensifies in the postseason.”
The Cougars have played against some of Michigan and Ohio’s best teams this year and are ready for that road to pay off. Lenawee Christian also has something few other teams have – virtually unmatched big game experience.
Like Dani Salenbien said, “It helps when you have been there.”
Doug Donnelly has served as a sports and news reporter and city editor over 25 years, writing for the Daily Chief-Union in Upper Sandusky, Ohio from 1992-1995, the Monroe Evening News from 1995-2012 and the Adrian Daily Telegram since 2013. He's also written a book on high school basketball in Monroe County and compiles record books for various schools in southeast Michigan. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Jackson, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Adrian Lenawee Christian coach Jamie Salenbien talks things over with his team during a game break this season. (Middle) Dani Salenbien pulls up for a jumper. (Photos courtesy of the Lenawee Christian athletic department.)