Class A: GPS Points to Finals
March 16, 2012
EAST LANSING – This month has been filled with firsts for Grosse Pointe South – first Regional Title, first Quarterfinal win, first Semifinal appearance.
On Saturday, the Blue Devils can cap their historical run with a first-ever MHSAA girls basketball championship.
They didn’t secure that opportunity until junior Claire DeBoer grabbed the game’s final rebound with three seconds to play in Friday's Semifinal. But she knocked down two free throws, and Grosse Pointe South outlasted Ann Arbor Huron to win 44-41.
“I was so excited when they fouled me, because I felt like I could knock the shots down,” DeBoer said. “And I was really excited when both of them went through and there were four seconds left.
“It just felt amazing.”
Grosse Pointe South (23-3), an honorable mention in the final Associated Press Class poll, will take on top-ranked Grand Haven (26-1) at noon Saturday. Both are playing for their first MHSAA championship.
But first, the Devils had to survive the most even game of this weekend so far. Both teams shot 35.7 percent from the floor. Both scored 20 points in the post. Huron had a few more assists, as South had a tough time holding onto the ball at times. South had a few more steals, as Huron had a tough time engaging its press because of its struggles offensively. Both teams had only one scorer in double figures.
And both had a chance until the end.
Grosse Pointe South led for the final 16 minutes, but by only a point after Huron freshman Ariel Bethea’s basket with 32 seconds to play. The teams traded possessions until Huron launched a 3-pointer with three seconds remaining. It looked good from the release, maybe to go in off the glass. But it missed, and DeBoer came down with the rebound and was fouled.
“Our game plan was to pressure them and wear them down. I think for the most part it worked,” Huron coach Steve Vinson said. “We just dug ourselves too deep of a hole, and could never get back up.”
Huron junior guard Bianca Williams led her team with 14 points and four steals. Senior center Logan Sims had nine points and six rebounds.
The Devils have no one to match the height of Grand Haven’t 6-foot-5 center Abby Cole – DeBoer is the team’s tallest player at 6-1. But she’s formidable in the post as well – she had game highs of 16 points and 14 rebounds Friday. And Grosse Pointe South is plenty confident it can utilize a few more strengths, including abilities to run the floor and apply defensive pressure.
“They’ve got a big team, they’re the number one team in the state, and they were expected to be here. We’re the so-called Cinderella,” Grosse Pointe South coach Kevin Richards said. “But I do like some of our matchups.
“We're excited, but we're definitely not settling for a runner-up.”
Click for the box score. Watch the game and both teams' postgame press conferences at MHSAA.tv.
PHOTO: Grosse Pointe South senior guard Caitlin Moore pulls up for a shot Friday. She finished with six points, four rebounds and four steals. (Photo courtesy of Terry McNamara Photography.)
Bowers Finds Shot Just in Time to Lead Kent City Back to D3 Finale
By
Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com
March 17, 2022
EAST LANSING – Kent City junior guard Lexie Bowers didn’t waste any time breaking out of a rare shooting slump.
After struggling offensively in her team’s Quarterfinal, Bowers redeemed herself with an impressive shooting performance two days later.
Bowers scored a game-high 22 points to help lead the Eagles to a 47-30 win over Madison Heights Bishop Foley in Thursday’s second Division 3 Semifinal at the Breslin Center.
The unbeaten Eagles (26-0) with return to the Finals for the second consecutive year and play Ypsilanti Arbor Prep at 4 p.m. Saturday.
The Gators (24-2) defeated previously-unbeaten Glen Lake in the other Semifinal, 57-44.
“I haven't had a good shooting night in a while, and I knew coming in that I was going to have to pick up my shooting because that’s what I am, a shooter,” said Bowers, who had a season-low six points in a one-point win over Schoolcraft in the Quarterfinal.
“I was more calm (today), which is weird because I'm in the Breslin, but I set my feet more and I just had a lot more confidence in myself. I just let it go.”
Bowers drained three of her five 3-pointers during the second quarter as Kent City shrugged off a slow start to lead 30-13 at the half.
“We started hitting shots in the second quarter, and our offense started moving,” Eagles coach Aleah Holcomb said. “Our shooting percentage was great in the first half, and I was very happy with how well we played tonight. We hit a lot of shots, and defensively we shut them down and played good team defense.”
Bishop Foley coach Ray Joseph was impressed by Bowers’ shooting prowess.
“She was on fire, and she was hitting all kinds of shots,” Joseph said. “We put someone on her to try and slow her down, and it worked for a little bit. She didn’t score that much more in the second half than the first. She’s a good player.”
One of Bowers’ most memorable moments in the game happened in the fourth quarter when she was knocked down attempting a 3-pointer.
“No, I didn't see it go in,” Bowers said. “I just got hit and then everybody was around me and I was like, ‘What, did I make it?’ Yeah, it was crazy, but it was a good shot.”
Bowers converted the free throw for a four-point play to give the Eagles a commanding 42-23 lead.
“We all played really hard, and it's taken a lot of hard work to get to this point and we are just really glad to be back,” Bowers said. “The two-point loss in the state finals last year has been motivation and made us work even harder.”
Kent City sophomore Madelyn Geers played well on both ends of the court. She made 7 of 13 shots and finished with 16 points, a game-high 14 rebounds and four blocked shots.
Bishop Foley, which was led by Ryan Moorer’s seven points and 10 rebounds, made its first trip to the Semifinals in school history.
The Ventures (20-4) weren’t able to recover from being outscored 20-7 in the second quarter.
“It was a tough game, and in the first half we really didn't play our game,” Joseph said. “In the second half we played them pretty evenly, but they had the height on us and got a lot of rebounds. We didn't quit, and we fought till the end.”
PHOTOS (Top) Kent City’s Emmalyn Geers (41) sets a screen on Bishop Foley’s Ryan Moorer (23) as the Eagles get into their offense Thursday at Breslin Center. (Middle) Bishop Foley’s Melanie Moore (34) works for position against Geers. (Click for more from Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)