Breslin Bound: Girls Report Week 12
February 20, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Another Michigan girls basketball regular season will come to a close Saturday. But there’s still plenty to be determined as we prep for the start of the MHSAA Tournament.
A number of league titles still must be decided – some of those races are detailed below. The Detroit Public School League and Detroit Catholic League have a solid Operation Friendship doubleheader lined up as well, and a few more possible contenders next month will test themselves one more time before winning becomes a necessity to stay on the court.
Below is the final Breslin Bound girls report – powered by MI Student Aid – of the regular season. Next week we’ll switch things up to look at some of the most intriguing Districts from all four classes.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Saginaw Heritage 36, Detroit Country Day 35 – Heritage already was a favorite for the Class A title despite suffering its first loss to Midland Dow two weeks ago; handing Class B contender Country Day its first loss made the Hawks even stronger contenders.
2. Royal Oak Shrine 52, Waterford Our Lady 49 – Shrine had fallen to Our Lady by 20 last month, but most memorable was this Catholic League C-D Final win reportedly gave the Knights their first league title in 23 years.
3. Wayne Memorial 55, Northville 50 (OT) – The Zebras earned a birth in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association Kensington championship game by handing KLAA South champ Northville its first loss since opening night, Nov. 29.
4. Grass Lake 59, Manchester 55 – With this win, Grass Lake clinched the Cascades Conference title outright, reportedly its first league championship in more than a decade.
5. Marquette 43, Houghton 40 – Ten days after falling to Houghton in a matchup of arguably the best in the Upper Peninsula, the two-loss Redettes handed the Gremlins their first defeat in the rematch.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each class making sparks:
CLASS A
Detroit Martin Luther King (18-1) – The Crusaders’ latest run to the Detroit Public School League title saw only Detroit Renaissance (nine) keep a game within 20 points. King also handed Hartland its only loss and has wins over Muskegon Mona Shores and Clarkston, with its only defeat to Country Day at the end of December.
Farmington Hills Mercy (17-2) – The Marlins have run off 13 straight wins since suffering their two losses before Christmas. They avenged that second loss, by 15 to Dearborn Divine Child, with a 15-point win over the Falcons. Mercy beat rival Bloomfield Hills Marian in last week’s Catholic League A-B Final after falling to Marian by 19 in last season’s title decider.
CLASS B
Birch Run (15-3) – The Panthers have won eight straight in addition to handing rival Frankenmuth its first league loss in more than 100 Tri-Valley Conference East games two weeks ago. The two losses were by a point to the Eagles and three to Hemlock in a league crossover – and with three more wins they would equal last year’s 18-4 finish.
Croswell-Lexington (15-3) – The Pioneers clinched their fifth straight Blue Water Area Conference title, and with two more wins this week can finish a second straight perfect conference run. The losses came to Class A Port Huron Northern and Lapeer and on opening night to now 17-win Marine City.
CLASS C
Pewamo-Westphalia (16-2) – The Pirates trail leader Bath by a win in the Central Michigan Athletic Conference after falling twice to the Bees, but did finish last week with a win over one-time Class C No. 1 Laingsburg. P-W also owns an early win over Ithaca, in Class B now but a C semifinalist a year ago.
Saginaw Valley Lutheran (15-4) – The Chargers opened 3-3 with three straight losses to end December, and then fell to TVC West rival Ithaca in mid-January. But they are on a nine-win run and avenged that loss to the Yellowjackets with a 39-35 win Friday. Valley Lutheran finished only 9-12 a year ago.
CLASS D
Crystal Falls Forest Park (16-3) – The Trojans will play Bark River-Harris on Thursday for the Skyline Central Conference West title (outright or shared depending on how the Broncos do with Powers North Central on Monday). Forest Park is 14-1 since dropping two games over the first two weeks, and avenged both of those losses against the Jets and Kingsford.
Pittsford (18-0) – The reigning Class D champion has won 45 straight and rarely has been challenged this season, with its closest wins by 12 over Manchester and 18 over Grass Lake – both Class C teams. The Wildcats have held opponents to fewer than 20 points nine times following an experienced group of leaders hoping to graduate with a repeat.
Can't-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Thursday – Detroit Martin Luther King (18-1) at Farmington Hills Mercy (17-2) – The headlining Operation Friendship game is one of the biggest in Class A this regular season (see why above).
Thursday – Traverse City St. Francis (16-1) at Gaylord St. Mary (17-1) – This meeting of league leaders will be a nice test for both as they go separate ways (St. Francis to Class C, St. Mary to Class D) for the postseason.
Thursday – KLAA championship game – Wayne Memorial (14-3), Novi (14-4), Howell (16-2) and Hartland (17-1) play Monday to determine which will meet in the league tournament finale.
Thursday – Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (14-3) at Ida (16-2) – This is another great test as well, as the Class C Kestrels and Class B Bluestreaks look forward to Districts.
Friday – Saginaw Valley League final – Flint Carman-Ainsworth (17-2), champion of the SVL South, will face either Heritage (17-1) or Dow (16-2) from the North.
PHOTO: Greenville, here against Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills, leads the Ottawa-Kent Conference White heading into this final week. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Preview: An Opportunity to Finish as Champions
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
April 6, 2021
Last season’s sudden halt due to COVID-19 left many girls basketball teams across Michigan stranded heading into Regional Finals.
A number of those teams have earned second chances to finish title runs this weekend.
Below is a schedule of all Semifinals and Finals – Semifinals are Wednesday at Breslin Center in East Lansing and Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, and all four championship games will be Friday at Breslin.
DIVISION 1 - Breslin Center
Wayne Memorial (17-2) vs. Detroit Renaissance (12-4), 3 p.m.
Hudsonville (21-1) vs. Midland Dow (22-0), 5:30 p.m.
DIVISION 2 - Van Andel Arena
Detroit Country Day (15-2) vs. Newaygo (20-1), 3 p.m.
Portland (18-2) vs. Parma Western (18-4), 5:30 p.m.
DIVISION 3 - Breslin Center
Grass Lake (18-1) vs. BYE
Kent City (20-0) vs. Calumet (20-0), 12:30 p.m.
(Hemlock opted out of the remainder of the tournament.)
DIVISION 4 - Van Andel Arena
Carney-Nadeau (22-0) vs. Fowler (14-4), 10 a.m.
Bellaire (17-3) vs. Petersburg-Summerfield (15-5), 12:30 p.m.
Finals - Friday
Division 1 - 12:30 p.m.
Division 2 - 5:30 p.m.
Division 3 - 3 p.m.
Division 4 - 10 a.m.
Spectator limits remain in effect, but all Semifinals will be streamed live on MHSAA.tv and viewable with subscription, with free audio broadcasts via the MHSAA Radio Network. All four Finals will be broadcast by Bally Sports Detroit (formerly FOX Sports Detroit), the first three on the primary channel and the Division 2 Final on the PLUS channel. All four also will be available live on the FOX Sports Detroit Website and the FOX Sports Go! app.
Below is a glance at all 11 teams contending this weekend. Click for the full program. (Statistics below are through Regional Finals except Kent City's includes its Quarterfinal. Rankings are based on the Michigan Power Ratings generated to seed teams at the District level.)
Division 1
DETROIT RENAISSANCE
Record/rank: 12-4, No. 2
League finish: Did not play league games this season.
Coach: Shane Lawal, second season (34-6)
Championship history: Class B champion 2005, three runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 74-64 over No. 13 Macomb L’Anse Creuse North in Quarterfinal, 48-35 over No. 8 Farmington Hills Mercy in Regional Final, 59-43 over No. 16 Grosse Pointe South in Regional Semifinal, 73-65 over No. 27 Wayne Memorial, 57-46 over No. 4 Bloomfield Hills Marian.
Players to watch: Kailee Davis, 5-4 sr. G (16.9 ppg, 36 3-pointers, 3.5 apg, 3.2 spg); Nika Dorsey, 5-11 sr. G (7.1 ppg, 3.3 apg); Shannon Wheeler, 6-2 sr. F/C (11.9 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 1.4 bpg).
Outlook: Renaissance is returning to the Semifinals for the first time since back-to-back Class A runner-up finishes in 2010 and 2011. Davis made the all-state first team last season and Dorsey earned an honorable mention, and Davis will continue next season at Northern Kentucky University. Senior 5-10 guard/forward Mikyah Finley also stretches defenses, averaging 11 points per game with 35 3-pointers entering the week.
HUDSONVILLE
Record/rank: 21-1, No. 9
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Conference Red
Coach: Casey Glass, 12th season (174-106)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 56-42 over No. 1 East Lansing in Quarterfinal, 52-47 over No. 6 East Grand Rapids in Regional Final, 62-43 over No. 10 Byron Center, 56-52 and 65-50 over No. 37 East Kentwood.
Players to watch: Jaci Tubergen, 6-0 jr. G (12.1 ppg, 37 3-pointers, 3.9 apg); Alaina Diaz, 5-6 jr. G (10.5 ppg, 3.0 apg, 2.0 spg); Maddie Petroelje, 6-0 soph. F (10.7 ppg, 46 3-pointers).
Outlook: Hudsonville avenged its lone loss of the season against East Grand Rapids in the Regional Final, then handed East Lansing its only defeat to reach the Semifinals for the second time after previously making the trip in 2015-16. Tubergen earned an all-state honorable mention last season and leads a lineup that has put together a combined 43-2 record over the last two seasons and has only one senior starter.
MIDLAND DOW
Record/rank: 22-0, No. 7
League finish: First in Saginaw Valley League
Coach: Kyle Theisen, seventh season (143-21)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 42-32 over No. 5 Hartland in Quarterfinal, 41-31 (Regional Final) and 76-55 over No. 3 Flushing, 36-26 (District Final) and 45-33 over No. 36 Midland, 50-44 over Division 2 No. 5 Frankenmuth.
Players to watch: Jada Garner, 5-6 sr. G (15.7 ppg, 43 3-pointers, 2.4 spg); Alexa Kolnitys, 5-6 jr. G (14.9 ppg, 54 3-pointers, 5.1 rpg, 3.0 apg, 3.8 spg); Abby Rey, 5-10 jr. F (11.5 ppg, 5.1 rpg).
Outlook: Dow has been building toward this run with league championships every season under Theisen and four District titles over the last five years. Garner earned an all-state honorable mention last season and with Kolnitys leads a sharp-shooting team averaging nearly nine 3-pointers per game. Only three of Dow’s games were decided by single digits this winter.
WAYNE MEMORIAL
Record/rank: 17-2, No. 27
League finish: First in Kensington Lakes Activities Association East
Coach: Jarvis Mitchell, seventh season (114-45)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 59-35 over No. 32 Temperance Bedford in Quarterfinal, 68-60 over No. 24 Saline in Regional Final.
Players to watch: Alanna Micheaux, 6-2 sr. F (22.9 ppg, 11.9 rpg); LaChelle Austin, 5-8 sr. G (11.8 ppg, 4.7 apg, 4.5 spg); Davai Matthews, 6-2 jr. F (8.9 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 2.4 bpg).
Outlook: This will be Wayne’s third trip to the Semifinals in four seasons and comes after sixth-straight league and fifth-consecutive District titles. The Zebras present some serious post presence, in part led by returning all-stater Micheaux. She connects on an incredible 63 percent of her shots from the floor and has signed with Minnesota, while Austin is the main distributor and will continue next season at Eastern Michigan.
Division 2
DETROIT COUNTRY DAY
Record/rank: 15-2, No. 10
League finish: Does not play in a league.
Coach: Jerica Williams, first season (15-2)
Championship history: Thirteen MHSAA titles (most recent 2018), four runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 45-40 over No. 15 Imlay City in Quarterfinal, 51-49 over No. 42 Wixom St. Catherine in District Final, 57-43 over Division 4 No. 2 Plymouth Christian Academy.
Players to watch: Chelsea Abulu, 6-0 sr. F/C; Jaidyn Elam, 5-9 fr. G; Emma Arico, 5-5 fr. G. (Statistics not submitted.)
Outlook: Country Day is something of a known unknown; the Yellowjackets have one of the most successful programs in state history, but also return to the Semifinals with a coach new to Michigan, one senior and the rest of the roster made up of underclassmen. Williams coached championship teams in California and Texas after finishing a college career that began at UCLA and finished at San Diego State. Country Day had finished 2-18 last season before flipping things completely around this winter.
NEWAYGO
Record/rank: 20-1, No. 16
League finish: First in Central State Activities Association Gold
Coach: Nate Thomasma, sixth season (64-65)
Championship history: Class C champion 1984 and 1985.
Best wins: 55-48 over No. 9 Grand Rapids West Catholic in Regional Final, 47-37 over No. 6 Montague in Regional Semifinal, 49-32 and 69-37 over No. 46 Central Montcalm.
Players to watch: Jaxi Long, 5-6 jr. G (12.1 ppg, 4.0 apg); Jaylee Long, sr. G (12.6 ppg, 33 3-pointers, 3.6 apg); Emmerson Goodin, jr. F (12.1 ppg, 8.0 rpg).
Outlook: Newaygo was another team seemingly on the verge of something special last season when COVID hit, but the Lions have bounced back to make the Semifinals for the first time since their back-to-back championship seasons. The only loss came by five in February to No. 3 Portland. Jaxi Long earned an all-state honorable mention last season.
PARMA WESTERN
Record/rank: 18-4, No. 13
League finish: First in Interstate 8 Athletic Conference
Coach: Gina Fortress, fourth season (57-28)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 55-52 over No. 35 Lansing Catholic in Regional Final, 54-31 over No. 32 Jonesville in District Final, 62-39 over Division 1 No. 42 Jackson Northwest.
Players to watch: Hillary Griffin, 5-10 jr. F (13.3 ppg, 1.7 bpg); Alyna Lewis, 5-6 jr. G (11.9 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 3.2 spg); Reece Hitt, 5-3 jr. G (9.7 ppg).
Outlook: Western is making its first trip to the Semifinals and doing so with only one senior – so the future should be bright as well. The Panthers’ losses were all to teams with at least 12 wins this winter, so they’re tested – plus coming off back-to-back three-point wins. Griffin earned an all-state honorable mention last season for a team that was 21-2 when COVID struck.
PORTLAND
Record/rank: 18-2, No. 3
League finish: First in Capital Area Activities Conference White
Coach: Jason Haid, fifth season (67-42)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 47-41 over No. 21 Escanaba in Quarterfinal, 53-49 over No. 5 Frankenmuth in Regional Final, 38-33 over No. 16 Newaygo, 38-36 over Division 1 No. 25 Haslett.
Players to watch: Ashley Bower, 5-10 jr. G (19.5 ppg, 2.8 spg); Ava Guilford, 5-1 jr. G (9.0 ppg, 29 3-pointers); Breckyn Werner, 6-0 jr. C (5.2 ppg, 4.4 rpg).
Outlook: The Raiders are making their first Semifinal trip since 2010 and riding a 12-game winning streak. Portland has improved from a combined 14-30 over Haid’s first two seasons to 20-4 last winter and this season winning second-straight league and District titles. This is another team that should bring back most of the roster next season; only one of three seniors total starts. Bower earned all-state honorable mention as a sophomore.
Division 3
CALUMET
Record/rank: 20-0, No. 11
League finish: First in Western Peninsula Athletic Conference
Coach: Matt Laho, third season (51-14)
Championship history: Class C champion 2015.
Best wins: 73-69 over No. 10 Maple City Glen Lake in Quarterfinal, 65-55 (OT) over No. 14 St. Ignace in Regional Final, 57-41 over No. 15 Menominee in Regional Semifinal, 51-36 (District Final) and 62-54 over No. 23 Negaunee.
Players to watch: Eli Djerf, 5-5 sr. G (20.1 ppg, 45 3-pointers, 5.6 apg, 3.5 spg); Alexis Strom, 5-4 jr. G (9.9 ppg, 4.3 apg, 4.6 spg); Marybeth Halonen 5-8 jr. G (13.6 ppg, 3.1 apg).
Outlook: Calumet has navigated impressively a difficult tournament path to get back to the Semifinals for the first time since its championship season of 2015 – and a roster with only three seniors (and one starting) speaks to the team’s potential for next year as well. The Copper Kings have won 19 games two seasons in a row and clinched a league with four teams in double-digit wins despite the abbreviated schedule.
GRASS LAKE
Record/rank: 18-1, No. 2
League finish: First in Cascades Conference
Coach: Andrea Cabana, fifth season (93-18)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 49-35 (Quarterfinal) and 59-42 over No. 12 Brooklyn Columbia Central, 63-56 (Regional Final) and 80-69 over No. 1 Ypsilanti Arbor Prep, 89-64 over Division 2 No. 1 Harper Woods Chandler Park, 54-48 over Division 2 No. 13 Parma Western, 69-62 over Division 1 No. 2 Detroit Renaissance.
Players to watch: Lexus Bargesser, 5-10 jr. G (21.2 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 4.3 apg, 3.8 spg); Abrie Cabana, 5-10 sr. G (19.9 ppg, 31 3-pointers, 4.3 apg); Gabrielle Lutchka, 5-11 jr. G (12.2 ppg, 6.7 rpg).
Outlook: Grass Lake is making its first Semifinal trip after earning its first Quarterfinal win since 1979. Abrie Cabana made the all-state second team last season, while Bargesser and Lutchka earned honorable mentions, and Bargesser is one of the most highly-recruited juniors in the state. Grass Lake’s only loss was to unbeaten Division 2 power Detroit Edison, despite playing one of the strongest regular-season schedules in the state in any division.
HEMLOCK
Record/rank: 14-8, No. 62
League finish: Fourth in Tri-Valley Conference 10
Coach: Scott Neumeyer, eighth season (137-48)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 52-33 over No. 18 St. Charles in District Final, 55-43 over No. 4 Reese in District Semifinal.
Players to watch: Chloe Watson, 5-9 soph. G (15 ppg, 51 3-pointers, 5.1 rpg, 3.3 spg); Regan Finkbeiner, 5-6 soph. G (15.5 ppg, 3.4 spg).
Outlook: The Huskies have reached the Semifinals for the first time since 2011 with one senior, one junior and eight underclassmen, with three sophomores starting. Last season’s run was halted by COVID in the Regional Final. Hemlock opened this season with four losses and was .500 heading into the playoffs, but then handed St. Charles its only defeat in avenging a 15-point loss from mid-February. Finkbeiner earned all-state honorable mention last season. UPDATE: Hemlock has opted out of the rest of the tournament.
KENT CITY
Record/rank: 20-0, No. 6
League finish: First in Central State Activities Association Silver
Coach: Scott Carlson, 12th season (228-49)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 52-19 over No. 16 Schoolcraft in the Quarterfinal, 53-37 over No. 24 Muskegon Western Michigan Christian in the Regional Semifinal, 63-32 (District Final) and 43-32 over No. 26 Morley Stanwood, 50-27 over No. 24 Hart.
Players to watch: Kenzie Bowers, 5-10 sr. G (20.4 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 5.0 apg, 5.0 spg); Jenna Harrison, 5-8 sr. G. (11.2 ppg, 3.5 apg); Madelyn Geers, 5-10 fr. G (11.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg).
Outlook: Kent City will be playing in its first Semifinal after making the Quarterfinals for the second time in four seasons. The Eagles set an MHSAA record with 47 points in a quarter earlier this season and 75 in a half, and they’ve been one of the state’s most prolific 3-point shooting teams over the last decade. Harrison’s 86 3-pointers last season ranked 10th-most all-time. She earned an all-state honorable mention last year, and Bowers made the first team. Bowers will continue at Illinois State.
Division 4
BELLAIRE
Record/rank: 17-3, No. 3
League finish: First in Ski Valley Conference
Coach: Brad Fischer, 11th season (225-59)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 43-42 (OT) over No. 16 Saginaw Nouvel in Quarterfinal, 43-39 over No. 20 Frankfort in Regional Final, 44-30 (Regional Semifinal), 54-33 and 37-31 over No. 18 Gaylord St. Mary, 57-33 over Division 3 No. 21 Elk Rapids.
Players to watch: Katie Decker, 5-7 sr. F (9.8 ppg); Emersyn Koepke, 5-7 sr. G (8.8 ppg); Jacey Somers, 6-0 soph. C (14 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 2.5 bpg).
Outlook: Bellaire will be playing in its first Semifinal after reaching the Quarterfinals for the second time both over the last four seasons and in program history. The only losses were to Division 3 teams that finished a combined 21-4 this winter. Somers earned an all-state honorable mention as a freshman.
CARNEY-NADEAU
Record/rank: 21-0, No. 5
League finish: League standings were not kept this season.
Coach: Ken Linder, second season (41-4)
Championship history: Three MHSAA titles (most recent 2001).
Best wins: 59-41 over No. 17 Ewen-Trout Creek in Regional Final, 62-52 over No. 12 Rudyard in Quarterfinal, 65-50 and 49-41 over Division 3 No. 42 Bark River-Harris.
Players to watch: Tessa Wagner, 6-3 jr. C (23.3 ppg, 17.9 rpg, 5.3 bpg); Taylor Kedsch, 5-8 sr. G (10.7 ppg, 31 3-pointers, 3.6 apg); Haley Ernest, 5-5 sr. G (8.0 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 4.8 apg).
Outlook: Carney-Nadeau is a combined 49-5 over the last two seasons and making its first Semifinal appearance since 2005. Wagner made the all-state second team last season and surely is one of the most anticipated players to watch this weekend. Only Bark River-Harris, in the teams’ first matchup, has gotten within single digits of the Wolves.
FOWLER
Record/rank: 13-4, No. 4
League finish: First in Central Michigan Athletic Conference
Coach: Nathan Goerge, 11th season (131-111)
Championship history: Class D champion 1991, two runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 62-32 over No. 9 Athens in Regional Final, 64-24 over No. 40 Martin in Quarterfinal, 53-41 (District Final) and 47-40 over No. 42 Portland St. Patrick.
Players to watch: Mia Riley, 5-9 jr. G; Emma Riley, 5-7 soph. G. (Statistics not submitted.)
Outlook: Fowler is back at the Semifinals for the second time in three seasons and after reaching the Regional Final a year ago before the season was halted. Mia Riley made the all-state first team last season and Emma Riley earned an honorable mention. All four losses this winter came against teams that won at least 11 games during the regular season, including one defeat to Division 2 semifinalist Portland.
PETERSBURG SUMMERFIELD
Record/rank: 15-5, No. 43
League finish: Fourth in Tri-County Conference
Coach: Mickey Moody, fifth season (41-61)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 44-24 over No. 11 Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes in Quarterfinal, 41-38 over No. 8 Allen Park Inter-City Baptist in Regional Semifinal, 51-48 over No. 38 Sand Creek.
Players to watch: Abby Haller, 5-6 soph. G (12.7 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 5.1 apg, 4.0 spg, 3.0 bpg); Grace Kalb, 5-5 sr. G (7.1 ppg, 5.1 apg, 3.7 spg); Breanna Weston, 5-6 sr. G (11.3 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 5.3 apg, 6.0 spg).
Outlook: Summerfield jumped from 5-16 two seasons ago to 13-8 last winter and now has reached the Semifinals for the first time coming off its first Regional title. The Bulldogs have won 10 of their last 11 games. Kalb and Weston are the only seniors; the roster also includes five freshmen and two sophomores among 11 players total.
PHOTO: Portland's Breckyn Werner blocks off the lane during her team's win over Haslett during the regular season. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)