Breslin Bound: Girls Report Week 1
December 9, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Just like that, fall is done – and so is the first week of MHSAA girls basketball season.
“Breslin Bound” also is back, giving fans a quick lowdown each week on 10 teams that impressed me over the seven days prior.
What’s below isn’t a statewide ranking by any means – simply a top-10 list of notables that stuck out last week and a little info on each as we start the yearly quest to learn more about the teams we’ll be watching most when our tournament begins during the final week of February.
This week’s list (records/results based on those submitted on MHSAA.com):
1. DeWitt (2-0, Class A): The Panthers are expected to do big things this winter again, but may not have been expected to beat Grand Ledge 62-51; the Comets are considered a Class A championship contender.
2. Marquette (3-0, Class A): The Redettes are building off last season’s fine finish with another quick start that included wins over downstate Brighton and U.P. power St. Ignace at Petoskey’s Invitational.
3. Midland Bullock Creek (2-0, Class B): The Lancers have had an excellent run in girls basketball over the last decade, and it’s looking good to continue after a 10-point win over Saginaw Nouvel and a 12-pointer over Frankenmuth to open 2013-14.
4. Farmington Hills Mercy (2-0, Class A): The Marlins always are in the hunt, but another 2-0 start was noteworthy because it included avenging last season’s loss to Canton.
5. Eaton Rapids (2-0, Class B): The Greyhounds opened by beating potential Class A power Haslett by 13 and followed with a five-point win over solid Corunna.
6. Olivet (2-0, Class B): The Eagles long have been a girls basketball power, but rarely have opened with and beaten a Class A team like Lansing Waverly, which went on to finish the week with a win over frequent contender East Lansing.
7. Frankfort (2-0, Class D): A quick start for the Panthers included a 42-38 likely-to-be-considered upset of solid Class C Traverse City St. Francis.
8. Reese (2-0, Class C): The Rockets restarted after last season’s 23-1 finish with wins over traditionally strong Class B Frankenmuth and Millington.
9. Rock Mid Peninsula (2-0, Class D): The Wolverines won six games in 2012-13, but opened with a 38-point victory over Rapid River and an eight-pointer over Carney-Nadeau.
10. Warren Mott (3-0, Class A): The Marauders are nearly halfway to last season’s eight wins thanks to three quick victories during the first week.
PHOTO: A Saginaw Valley Lutheran player (left) looks to pass around a Freeland defender during the Falcons' win last week. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Freshman Quickly Finds Breslin Footing as Tecumseh Takes Next Step in Repeat Pursuit
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
March 20, 2026
EAST LANSING – Basketball might be a team sport, but this sure was a fun one-on-one duel between a Miss Basketball Award finalist this season and a freshman who could be a finalist for the award in 2029.
Throughout Friday’s first Division 2 Semifinal — and especially during the fourth quarter — Flint Powers Catholic senior Kendyl Smith and Tecumseh freshman Avery Zajac seemed to engage in a game of “anything you can do, I can do better.”
Ultimately, Smith won the scoring battle but Zajac’s team got the win, with Tecumseh holding off a late Powers rally to earn a 63-59 victory.
“They both had great games,” Tecumseh head coach Kristy Zajac said. “I mean, both are amazing players. There were a lot of great players on the floor today. And one player can’t make a team, right? Kendyl made a ton of shots, but doesn’t get those shots without those screens, and Avery doesn’t get those shots without someone else getting that pass.”
Tecumseh (26-2) will attempt to repeat as Division 2 champion Saturday evening, thanks in large part to Zajac continuing to play beyond her years.
She scored 25 points on 9 of 15 shooting and repeatedly made big baskets when Smith and Powers seemed poised to catch up.
Tecumseh carried a 51-40 lead into the fourth quarter, but Powers roared back, going on a 9-0 run to cut the margin to 51-49 with 5:19 remaining in the game after a 3-pointer by freshman Presley Schriner.
But Zajac came to the rescue, quelling the run with consecutive layups to put Tecumseh up 55-49 with 3:34 left.
Smith answered with a 3-pointer to make it 55-52 Tecumseh with 3:19 remaining, but Zajac responded with a 3-pointer of her own to push Tecumseh’s lead back to six at 58-52 with 3:07 left.
Smith hit another 3-pointer at 1:25 to bring Powers back within three at 60-57, but a Zajac free throw with 53.4 seconds to go put Tecumseh back up by two possessions at 61-57.
Single free throws by Reese Grounds with 42.3 seconds remaining and Delaney Brown with 18.8 seconds left gave Tecumseh a 63-57 lead before Smith rounded out the scoring on a layup with 10.6 seconds to play.
Tecumseh threw a successful inbounds pass down the court and then ran out the clock to preserve the win.
“I was a little nervous coming in because of the stage and the atmosphere,” Avery Zajac said. “But once I started hitting shots, my confidence got up.”
Playing in her last high school game before embarking on a college career at Liberty in Virginia, Smith led all scorers with 32 points on 11 of 27 shooting from the field.
“I don’t think we fell short,” Smith said. “I think we just didn’t have enough time because I think we fought until the end. It was nothing to be ashamed of. We did so well, we fought so hard, and we just played all together.”
Powers (24-4) was making its first Semifinal appearance since 2014.
“Overall, it’s a game of making shots, and they just made a few more than us down the stretch,” Powers head coach Ryan Trevithick said. “We were playing a little bit of catch-up. But I’m proud of our kids’ effort and proud of our kids’ fight.”
Both teams shot well all game. Tecumseh finished at 52.8 percent from the field (19 of 36), while Powers shot 48.8 percent (21 of 43).
PHOTOS Tecumseh’s Delaney Brown (1) looks to pass while Flint Powers’ Haleena Abueita defends. (Middle) Chloe Bullinger (10) works to get past Evah Smith. (Photos by Keionna Banks and John Castine/Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)