Breslin Bound: Girls Report Week 8

January 25, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

A total of 19 teams over four classes remain undefeated as we reach the midpoint of another girls basketball season.

But a number of others aren’t far behind – more than 140 teams have lost only two or fewer games.

Each week during the regular season, we’ll glance at four teams from each class that have caught our attention. (Results and records below are based on schedules posted at MHSAA.com.)

Class A

Caledonia (10-1) – The Fighting Scots have won seven straight, kept alive with a 43-41 win over Grand Rapids Christian on Friday – and are only a one-point loss to Byron Center from perfection.

Flushing (9-2) – Following up handing Detroit Renaissance its second loss, two weeks ago, Flushing nearly doubled up solid Flint Carman-Ainsworth and further extended its lead in the Flint Metro League with a win over Swartz Creek. 

Southfield (9-0) – The Blue Jays’ perfect run so far has included only one win by fewer than 10 points – 46-42 over Harper Woods Chandler Park on Dec. 8 – and they have won 19 straight regular-season games.

St. Joseph (10-1) – The Bears trail Stevensville Lakeshore in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West because of a 58-55 loss to the Lancers on Dec. 11 – but St. Joseph gets a rematch Feb. 5 and is two wins better than at the midpoint last season. 

Class B

Frankenmuth (10-1) – Only undefeated Bay City John Glenn has beaten the Eagles, 41-23 on Dec. 7, and Frankenmuth has downed the next four teams chasing in the Tri-Valley Conference East including handing second-place Birch Run its only loss.

Marshall (10-1) – The Redhawks are undefeated after falling to Williamston 40-33 on opening night, and two weeks ago Marshall handed Jackson Northwest its only loss to earn a one-win lead in the Interstate 8 Athletic Conference.

Pontiac Notre Dame Prep (9-1)  -- The Fighting Irish have won nine straight since opening night, when they fell to Macomb Dakota 49-31; Notre Dame Prep hasn’t had a game closer than 10 points since Dec. 18.

Stevensville Lakeshore (9-0) – The Lancers are halfway to a third straight league title in the SMAC West and have yet to be challenged outside of St. Joseph (see above) and Elkhart Memorial (Ind.), which Lakeshore beat by a point Jan. 2.

Class C

Flint Hamady (10-0) – The reigning Class C runner-up is cruising as usual, with only one win by single digits – a 42-35 overtime victory over Burton Bendle on Jan. 8; but second-place and one-loss New Lothrop is up next.

Gobles  (11-0) – The Tigers have won 51 straight regular-season games and moved to 80-5 overall during 1,000-point scorer Ellen Doyle’s career. Gobles has won six straight by 20 or more points. 

Kalamazoo Hackett (10-0) – The Fighting Irish’s perfect first half has been driven by defense; Hackett hasn’t given up more than 35 points in a game and has held eight opponents to 29 or fewer.

Laingsburg (10-1) – A semifinalist last season who lost to eventual champion Calumet the game before Hamady did the same, Laingsburg hasn’t slowed in handing Bath its only loss and Class B Durand one of its two defeats.

Class D

Bellevue (9-1) – The Broncos will wait one more week for a rematch with Climax-Scotts, the only team to beat them this season, but are in line to improve significantly on last season’s 13-9 finish.

Big Rapids Crossroads Academy (11-1) – The reigning league champion Cougars have opened up a two-win lead in the West Michigan D with their only loss to expected Class D contender Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart. 

Pittsford (11-0) – Last season’s Class D runner-up held both of last week’s opponents to single-digit scoring – making that four teams this winter held to fewer than 10 points as the Wildcats have continued a 57-game regular-season winning streak. 

Posen (10-0) – The Vikings have been challenged rarely, with only Hillman (twice) playing to within single digits – but Posen will get a sure challenge this week from Class C Tawas (8-2).

PHOTO: Class A contender Saginaw Heritage remained undefeated with a key win last week over rival Midland Dow. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)

Flashback 100: Edison's Jackson Earns Place Among State's All-Time Elite

January 3, 2025

Michigan has produced many exceptional girls high school basketball players. But few have approached the legacy of Rickea Jackson, a 2019 graduate of Detroit Edison Public School Academy.

Jackson led the Pioneers to three consecutive MHSAA Finals titles, and more recently was selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft by the Los Angeles Sparks.

During her time at Edison, Jackson was a dominant force. In the 2017 Class C Final, she scored a team-high 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the Pioneers over Pewamo-Westphalia. The following year, she totaled 16 points and 10 rebounds in a title-clinching win over Ypsilanti Arbor Prep. In 2019, she scored 28 points in a Division 2 Final win over Freeland. Over those three seasons, Edison posted an impressive 75-7 record.

Jackson’s high school success earned her the prestigious title of Michigan's Miss Basketball in 2019, and she was also selected to participate in the McDonald's All-American Game. She continued to excel at the collegiate level, playing three years at Mississippi State, where she averaged double figures in scoring each season. Jackson then transferred to Tennessee, where she scored nearly 20 points per game. She earned three all-Southeastern Conference selections.

In the 2024 WNBA Draft, Jackson was chosen fourth overall by the Los Angeles Sparks. She made an immediate impact during her rookie season, scoring 25 points in just her 11th game and earning a spot on the 2024 WNBA All-Rookie Team.

Recently, Jackson was selected to compete in the inaugural season of Unrivaled, a new 3-on-3 women's basketball league. Her skills on the global stage are also notable, as she won a gold medal at the 2019 FIBA 3x3 U18 World Cup.

Previous "Flashback 100" Features

Dec. 20: Future Olympian Piper Leads Grosse Pointe North to Historic Heights - Read
Dec. 13: 
The Other Mr. Forsythe in Michigan School Sports - Read
Dec. 6: 
Coleman's Legendary Heroics Carry Harrison Through Repeat - Read
Nov. 29: Harbaugh Brothers' Football Roots Planted in Part at Pioneer - Read
Nov. 22: 8-Player Football Finals Right at Home at Superior Dome - Read
Nov. 15:
Leland Career Helps Set Stage for Glass' International Stardom - Read
Nov. 8: Future Baseball Pro Led Escanaba's Legendary Football Title Run - Read
Nov. 1: Michigan High School Baseball Trio Provide World Series Voices - Read
Oct. 25: Before Leading Free World, Ford Starred for Champion GR South - Read
Oct. 18: Mercy Links Legend Becomes World Golf Hall of Famer - Read
Oct. 11: Fisher Races to Finals Stardom on Way to U.S. Olympic First - Read
Oct. 4: Lalas Leaves High School Legacies on Ice & Pitch - Read
Sept. 27: Tamer's History-Making Run Starts in Dexter, Continues to Paris - Read
Sept. 20: 
Todd Martin’s Road to Greatness Starts at East Lansing - Read
Sept. 13: 
James Earl Jones, Dickson High Hoops to Hollywood Legend - Read
Sept. 6: 
Pioneers' Unstoppable Streak Stretches 9 Seasons - Read
Aug. 30: Detroit dePorres Rushes to 1995 Class CC Football Championship - Read 

PHOTOS At top, Jackson is part of a 2019 team championship photo with Detroit Edison. Below, from left, Jackson looks for an opening against Pewamo-Westphalia in 2017, defends during the 2018 Final and runs upcourt during her team's 2019 championship win.