Breslin Bound: Girls Report Post-Break
January 6, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Welcome to 2020 as we charge full steam ahead into the post-holiday portion of a girls basketball season that has begun with the usual mix of predictability and surprises – and will end with a bit of a twist.
Remembering that this season will see the top two teams in each District seeded for the first time, we’d like to take this week to introduce the Michigan Power Ratings (MPR) on MHSAA.com. Teams are searchable and comparable both by division and District number, and every Monday during the regular season we’ll also pull a top 20 in each division and post them on our Second Half rankings page.
There’s a full explanation of how MPR is calculated, and for the rankings teams were considered this week that had played at least four games against opponents that also are eligible for the MHSAA Tournament, since MPR includes only those opponents in its calculation. So you won’t see undefeated Detroit Edison or Menominee in this week’s Second Half rankings – but those teams are sure to join the list over the next week or two as they play more MHSAA opponents.
Below is a look at some of what you may have missed in holiday hoops during the break. “Breslin Bound” is powered by MI Student Aid and based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com. Send corrections or missing scores to [email protected].
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Grass Lake 43, Pewamo-Westphalia 40 – The Warriors continued building what’s shaping up as a special season by edging the reigning Division 3 champion at the Grand Valley State Holiday Classic.
2. East Grand Rapids 42, Southfield Arts & Technology 41 – The Pioneers should be dangerous contenders in league play and more after finishing their 2019 part of the schedule with a win over last season’s Division 1 runner-up.
3. Detroit Edison 68, Columbus Africentric Early College 59 – The reigning Division 2 champion avenged its lone loss of 2018-19 to move to 6-0 this winter.
4. St. Ignace 65, Ann Arbor Huron 52 – Even with a loss two days later to Ann Arbor Pioneer, Division 4 St. Ignace had to be happy heading home having dealt Division 1 Huron its only defeat.
5. Ypsilanti Arbor Prep 53, Southfield Arts & Technology 50 (2 OT) –Arbor Prep finished a tough couple of days for A&T. But although the Gators also lost two days later by two to Division 1 Brighton, in both games they showed they’ll again be tough against the teams in their Division 3.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Midland (6-0) Dow has most recently ruled the Midland area in girls basketball. In fact, Midland High went only 5-16 last season. But the Chemics have bounced all the way back, with double-digit wins in all but one game – their 38-31 victory over Dow on Dec. 19. Also impressive was a 15-point win over another Division 1 team on the rise, Macomb L’Anse Creuse North, at the Motor City Roundball Classic.
Temperance Bedford (6-0) The Kicking Mules’ Southeastern Conference Red is loaded, with Saline also unbeaten and Ann Arbor Huron and Pioneer with just one loss apiece. But after opening with a seven-point win over Flat Rock, Bedford has won its next five by an average of 29.4 ppg – a big return after last season’s Quarterfinal run.
DIVISION 2
Grand Rapids Christian (7-0) After 13-9 and 11-11 finishes the last two seasons, respectively, this one could see the Eagles take a step back into the elite. They earned a Cornerstone Holiday Tournament title with wins over Forest Hills Central and Zeeland East and have only one other single-digit win among their first five – a 54-46 overtime avenging of last season’s loss to Holland Christian.
Menominee (7-0) The Maroons followed up two straight .500 finishes by going 15-9 with a District title last winter, and the surge has continued. A 52-47 win over otherwise-unbeaten Ishpeming Westwood on Dec. 18 was impressive, and Menominee spent part of its holiday break winning a tournament in Gillett, Wis., with a pair of double-digit victories.
DIVISION 3
Manton (6-0) Manton is one of two Highland Conference teams entering 2020 unbeaten – rival Lake City being the other – and the reigning league champion Rangers have won six straight by double digits after opening with a 52-49 win over Charlevoix. Along the way, they also handed the lone losses to Kingsley and McBain Northern Michigan Christian – and get another major test Wednesday against Maple City Glen Lake.
Niles Brandywine (6-0) Solid wins over Berrien Springs and Kalamazoo Christian highlight Brandywine’s perfect start as it looks to build on last season’s Quarterfinal run. The Bobcats headed into the break with a 71-23 win over last season’s Berrien-Cass-St. Joseph Conference Red champion Comstock, and they’ll see co-leader Buchanan for the first time Jan. 16.
DIVISION 4
Fruitport Calvary Christian (5-2) The Eagles’ season has been book-ended so far by a pair of losses to Division 3 teams, the most recent to one-loss Hart on Saturday. But a 50-46 win over Division 2 Central Montcalm the day before can’t be overlooked – the Hornets are 4-2 but hadn’t lost a regular-season game for two straight heading into this winter. Senior Kelsey Richards’ scoring gives Calvary a shot to make a run at any time.
Pickford (7-0) The Panthers closed the 2018-19 regular season with seven straight wins and 13 over their final 14 games to claim the Eastern Upper Peninsula Athletic Conference title by a victory ahead of Cedarville and Rudyard. They don’t see either of those teams until later this month, but they’ve set the standard so far with all double-digit wins and four by 30 points or more. A 62-46 win over Gaylord St. Mary on Dec. 4 remains the Snowbirds’ only defeat.
Can't-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Monday – Southfield Arts & Technology (4-3) at West Bloomfield (5-1) – This will surely affect the Oakland Activities Association Red race; both are perfect in league play, and both teams’ losses have come against some of the state’s best.
Tuesday – Detroit Edison (6-0) at East Lansing (5-0) – Contenders in Divisions 2 and 1, respectively, face off with one accepting its first defeat of this season.
Tuesday – Bloomfield Hills Marian (5-0) at Farmington Hills Mercy (6-0) – These Detroit Catholic League Central rivals could set the conference pace again after Marian finished first and Mercy second last season.
Wednesday – Manton (6-0) at Maple City Glen Lake (4-1) – These two sit No. 5 and No. 4, respectively, in Division 3 MPR as of Monday afternoon.
Thursday – Calumet (5-1) at Ishpeming Westwood (4-1) – These two are looking early like two of the Upper Peninsula’s best in any division, and that means they could see each other in the Division 3 postseason as well.
Second Half’s weekly “Breslin Bound” reports are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Office of Postsecondary Financial Planning located within the Michigan Department of Treasury. 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 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as 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.
PHOTO: Midland earned a 38-31 win over rival Midland Dow on Dec. 19 to help spark a perfect start this season. (Photo courtesy of the Midland girls basketball program.)
Senior Stars Bring Ishpeming Back to Breslin, Earn One More Game Together
By
Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com
March 19, 2026
EAST LANSING – Ishpeming coach Ryan Reichel wanted 32 more minutes with his two standout seniors.
Those seniors – Jenessa Eagle and Mya Hemmer – helped grant him his wish.
The Hematites overcame poor shooting and a double-digit deficit to outlast Morenci 37-34 in the first Division 4 Semifinal on Thursday at Breslin Center.
“We talked about playing 32 minutes since yesterday, especially with having seniors, and right now they have 32 minutes left in their career with one extra game,” Reichel said. “Us trying to complete that 32 minutes was huge, just with the mental toughness these girls brought.
“I’m pretty emotional about this because having these two girls and knowing it's the finale of their careers and seeing what they did tonight trying to carry us and will their team to the win was remarkable.”
Eagle and Hemmer combined for 35 points as Ishpeming (24-3) advanced to the Final for the second time over the last three years. The Hematites won the Division 4 title in 2024.
Eagle, who’s headed to Michigan Tech, scored a game-high 20 points, while Hemmer, who will play volleyball at Baylor, recorded 15 points and 15 rebounds.
Ishpeming was playing its second game in as many days due to the winter storm in the Upper Peninsula. The Hematites had defeated Indian River Inland Lakes in a one-day delayed Quarterfinal on Wednesday.
“When we got up at the hotel this morning and saw the green grass we rolled in it like we were in Florida,” Hemmer joked. “It’s been so long since we’ve seen green grass. This season has really shown how much of a family we are and how much we trust each other, especially Coach.”
If dealing with adversity related to weather and travel wasn’t enough, the Hematites had to persevere through a game where points were hard to come by.
Ishpeming trailed throughout the first half, including 16-6 in the second quarter, but rallied during the second half with a stifling defense that created multiple turnovers.
“We’ve faced adversity here two years ago, so we knew that getting the lead was doable,” Eagle said. “I think today we proved we can do that at a higher level. We are going to need that energy and focus on Saturday.”
Morenci – playing in its first Semifinal since 2011 – led 20-18 at the half and 27-25 after three quarters, but the final eight minutes saw the lead change multiple times.
Ahead by a single point late, sophomore Camby Gauthier scooped in a lay-up with 34 second left to give the Hematites a three-point edge.
Their defense did the rest and prevented the Bulldogs from tying it before the buzzer.
“That’s a great Morenci team, and they had us rattled in the first half,” Reichel said. “We settled down, and we persevered, and we lifted each other up.”
Ishpeming failed to make a 3-point shot for the first time this season, going 0-for-22. “I didn’t know that,” Eagle said. “I thought one of us hit a 3. I’m shocked by that.”
The Bulldogs also struggled from the field, shooting 27 percent (12-44) and missing all five of their 3-point attempts. They also committed a season-high 31 turnovers.
Morenci did outrebound Ishpeming 51-27, with 20 offensive rebounds.
“Not how we wanted it to go, but they battled all season and they battled tonight,” Morenci coach Ashley Joughin said. “Some of our shots didn’t fall when we needed them to, but hats off to that team because they got after it in the second half and we gave up a couple offensive boards that were costly. We fought all season to be here, and nothing can take that away from them.”
Junior Colbi Ekins scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead the way for the Bulldogs, while senior Emmersyn Bachelder tallied a double-double with 14 points, and 13 rebounds.
PHOTOS (Top) Ishpeming players celebrate their Semifinal win Thursday at Breslin Center. (Middle) Morenci’s Emersyn Bachelder (33) and Ishpeming’s Mya Hemmer (14) contend for a loose ball. (Photos by Lilanie Karunanayake/Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)