Cousino Ends Historic Run Atop Class A
March 19, 2016
By Bill Khan
Special for Second Half
EAST LANSING — Kierra Fletcher hit the floor with her body, one of the hazards when driving to the basket, then slapped it with her hands when she realized her shot had fallen.
She got up and pumped her right fist in the air before going to the line and making the free throw.
These were just three of the 198 points she scored during Warren Cousino's eight-game run through the MHSAA Class A Girls Basketball Tournament, but they were arguably the most important.
A championship that seemed guaranteed when the Patriots held a 19-point third-quarter lead was slipping through the Patriots' grasp.
Detroit Martin Luther King had all of the momentum and a hot hand in senior guard Micaela Kelly, who virtually single-handedly willed the Crusaders back from the abyss.
A lead that had been chopped to five points was back to double figures at 57-47 when Fletcher made her 3-point play with 5:06 left in the Class A Final on Saturday at the Breslin Center. While King made one final push, coming back from double digits again was too much to ask of the Crusaders, who scored four points in the final seven seconds but ran out of time in a 67-65 loss to Cousino.
Fletcher, who had 27 points and averaged 28.4 over Cousino's last five games, picked up her fourth foul with 44.5 seconds left in the third quarter, then missed two free throws after her return. Her pent-up frustration was released when she made the huge momentum-stalling basket shortly after going 0 for 2 at the line.
"When I got my fourth foul, I was a little rattled," said Fletcher, a junior guard who is already being touted as a Miss Basketball favorite for next season. "Then I came back in the game and missed two free throws when it was crunch time. Once I got that and-one, it lifted my spirits up so we could go and win this game."
By holding off a furious rally by one of the state's most decorated programs, Cousino completed an unlikely championship run. The Patriots had been as far as the Regional Finals only once, losing 50-28 to Mount Clemens L'Anse Creuse North in 1979. They'd won only eight District titles before this season, going 1-8 in Regional games.
Their breakthrough moment came in the Regional championship game, where they beat two-time defending Class A champion Bloomfield Hills Marian, 43-39. Suddenly, Cousino girls basketball was on the radar.
"We figured, hey, if we can beat this team, we can beat any team," said forward Mackenzie Anderson, the team's only senior, after scoring 20 points Saturday. "Our defense was strong. We just didn't want to be done. We wanted one more day together."
Cousino (23-4) joined the 1999 Utica team as the only Class A champions from Macomb County in the 43-year history of the girls basketball tournament.
"Honestly, our team believed this was a realistic goal back in November," Fletcher said. "Our group message name was 'State champs, 2016.' I think at the time, even our parents didn't think we were going to be this far. We were the only ones who believed until we got to where we are today."
To earn their place in history, the Patriots had to knock off a King program that had more MHSAA Finals appearances (12) than Cousino had District titles (nine). King's last championship, its fifth, came in 2006.
It was Cousino that looked like the program accustomed to the big stage, as the Patriots scored the first five points of the game and built a 31-12 lead with 5:05 left in the second quarter. They outrebounded King 16-3 in the first quarter, grabbing 13 of the game's first 14 boards.
"We played our game in the second half," 33rd-year King coach William Winfield said. "In the first half, not so good. We had some shots that did not fall and drives to the basket that did not go; that was about the size of it. They played an excellent game and were able to get the ball down the floor."
Cousino led 35-19 at halftime, with Fletcher scoring a relatively modest (by her standards) 12 points. Freshman Kate McArthur had nine points on three 3-pointers, while Anderson had eight to help the Patriots dominate the first half. In each of Cousino's previous four games, Fletcher scored more than half of the team's points, including 37 in a 60-45 Semifinal victory over Hudsonville on Friday.
"What's great about this victory is for the first half (Fletcher) played a big role, but there were other people who stepped up today, as well," Cousino coach Mike Lee said. "In a championship game, we said we needed people to step up, and they did. The sacrifice, the heart, the will and the belief — this team believed more than any other team. Once we got to a certain point in the Regionals, we felt good about at least giving this a good shot."
When Cousino began the second half by extending its lead back to 19 points three times, it looked like the fourth quarter would simply become a coronation ceremony for the Patriots.
Kelly had other ideas.
The DePaul-bound guard scored 11 points during the third quarter, as King (24-2) cut the lead to 50-40 heading into the fourth. Despite playing with four fouls, she kept it up in the fourth quarter, scoring 12 more points to finish with a game-high 34. Kelly's total tied the sixth-highest for an MHSAA championship game.
"Since I was supposed to be the leader, I just decided this is my time to put my team on my back before I leave," Kelly said. "I wanted to leave knowing I left it all on the floor."
Kelly, who was 11 for 11 from the line, hit two free throws with 5:53 left to put King back in the game at 52-47.
Fletcher held off the charge by making two free throws with 5:15 left, then making the three-point play with 5:06 to go. King got back to within five points with 1:11 left, but Aubrey Fetzer got a layup off a pass from Anderson on the press break with 1:02 to go.
A basket by King's Tia Tedford, who had 14 points, made it 66-61 with 46 seconds left. Anderson went 1 for 2 from the line with 22.6 seconds to go. King got two free throws from Erica Whitley-Jackson with 7 seconds on the clock to get within four. A shot at the buzzer made it a two-point final.
King was able to reverse the early rebounding discrepancy, trailing only 41-32 in that department by the end, but couldn't overcome its 5 for 31 shooting from 3-point range. Cousino attempted only nine shots from beyond the arc, with McArthur going 4 for 8 to finish with 13 points.
"Today we rushed our threes," Kelly said. "We didn't take our time."
The Girls Basketball Finals are presented by Sparrow Health System.
PHOTOS: (Top) The Warren Cousino bench erupts as the final seconds tick off the clock during the Class A Final on Saturday. (Middle) Mackenzie Cook works to get through the Martin Luther King defense on a drive to the hoop.
Breslin Bound: 2024-25 Girls Report Week 8
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 27, 2025
Michigan is thawing out after last week’s deep freeze – and just in time.
This week’s schedule is full of top-notch girls basketball matchups – we mention five below, a few more elsewhere in this week’s “Report,” and we’ll be keeping an eye on Armada/Yale, Mio/Oscoda and several more as we continue surging into the regular season’s second half.
“Breslin Bound” is powered by MI Student Aid and based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Gaylord St. Mary 51, Indian River Inland Lakes 47 (OT) The Ski Valley Conference includes five teams at .500 or better and St. Mary (10-1) sits at the top thanks to this overtime win over the formerly co-leading Bulldogs (9-3).
2. DeWitt 51, Holt 38 The Panthers (12-1) avenged their lone loss, 47-39 on Dec. 6, and took a half-game lead in the Capital Area Activities Conference Blue on the second-place Rams (8-4).
3. Stevensville Lakeshore 56, St. Joseph 44 This was another matchup for first place, and Lakeshore (8-1) leads the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West after handing St. Joseph (7-1) its lone loss.
4. Frankenmuth 39, Saginaw Heritage 31 These two met at the Martin Luther King Classic at Saginaw Valley State, the Division 2 Eagles (11-2) earning one of their best wins in downing the Division 1 Hawks (11-2).
5. Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart 49, St. Charles 40 Sacred Heart (11-0) sits atop the Mid-State Activities Conference and St. Charles (7-3) moved to second with this standings shifter.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Detroit Renaissance (14-1) The Phoenix have seen their last two seasons end with losses to the eventual Division 1 champions, and this could be their turn with an another impressive run so far including wins over Hartland (11-2), Detroit Cass Tech (10-4) twice and St. Clair Shores South Lake (11-4) among others. The lone loss was to Grass Lake (10-3) on Jan. 11, 53-49 in overtime, and Renaissance is carrying a 22-game winning streak in the Detroit Public School League Blue into this week after already clinching a third-straight league title.
Utica Ford (12-0) After last season’s campaign ended with an unanticipated loss to rival Utica High, Ford has stormed back beginning with a 46-point opening-night win over the Chieftains and continuing with a run that’s seen only one game decided by fewer than 13 points. Ford entered this winter coming off two straight Macomb Area Conference White championships and will face Utica Eisenhower (12-1) on Tuesday for first place in the MAC Red.
DIVISION 2
Freeland (9-2) A solid 62-45 win over Sault Ste. Marie (9-2) on Jan. 18 at the Jeff McDonald Memorial Showcase in Cadillac is their most recent game, but the Falcons will return from a 10-day break Tuesday hoping to pick back up on a five-game winning streak as they no doubt are eyeing a Feb. 7 home date with Frankenmuth (11-2) that could determine if they end up sharing the Tri-Valley Conference Red title. Freeland downed the Eagles in last season’s Regional Semifinal after two regular-season losses, and Frankenmuth won the first meeting this winter by 27. Freeland’s only other loss this winter came to Division 1 Saginaw Heritage (11-2).
Holland Christian (11-1) After two seasons of pushing Grand Rapids West Catholic in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Blue, Holland Christian is in the O-K Black this season and leading the league by two games after a first run through the schedule. A 53-41 win over second-place Zeeland East (10-4) has been arguably the most notable since the start of the new year, and the Maroons also did solid work with earlier one-basket wins over East Grand Rapids and Zeeland West. The lone loss came 58-44 to Grand Rapids South Christian – a potential District foe after also defeating Holland Christian in double overtime to win their bracket last year.
DIVISION 3
Pewamo-Westphalia (12-0) The Pirates are chasing what would be a first Central Michigan Athletic Conference championship since 2019-20 and lead Fowler (10-1) by a game through the first half of the league schedule thanks to a 46-43 win over the Eagles on Dec. 17. P-W’s three nonleague wins also have been close and notable; the Pirates opened with a 66-63 double-overtime victory over Division 1 East Lansing, edged Division 1 Lowell 47-46 at the end of December at Cornerstone University and followed that with a 53-50 win over Division 2 Flint Powers Catholic. The Fowler rematch is Feb. 5, and a Feb. 19 game at New Lothrop (11-1) also awaits.
Saugatuck (8-1) The Trail Blazers have built a solid lead in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Central as they seek a repeat championship, and all eight of their wins have come by at least 15 points as they seek to build on last year’s 22-2 run. The lone loss came to SAC Valley contender Lawton, 50-43 on Jan. 7, and the next time those two could meet would be a Division 3 Quarterfinal. In the meantime, a pair of matchups with South Haven (9-1) will be telling, as will later games with Kalamazoo Christian and league rival Gobles, Saugatuck having defeated the latter 50-26 on Jan. 17.
DIVISION 4
Leland (9-1) Keyed in part by a defensive effort giving up just 25.5 points per game, Leland has jumped from 11-13 last season to first place in the Northwest Conference. The only time the Comets have allowed more than 31 points was a double-overtime win over Maple City Glen Lake, 45-40, after Leland had lost by 21, 16 and nine to the Lakers last winter. A 46-36 toppling of Onekama was especially notable, and the Comets will be hoping for a similar result when they face second-place Frankfort for the first time Wednesday. Leland’s lone loss was 31-26 to Lake Leelanau St. Mary on Jan. 14, and they meet again Feb. 17.
Pittsford (13-0) The Wildcats won 18 games every one of the last three seasons, and they are off to another magnificent start this time with the return of coach Chris Hodos – who previously led the program to back-to-back Class D titles in 2016 and 2017 and stepped away after the 2018-19 season. The Wildcats are allowing just 22 points per game and lead the Southern Central Athletic Association East heading into Thursday’s matchup with second-place Hillsdale Academy; Pittsford won the first meeting by 20.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – Negaunee (14-0) at Gladstone (11-0) – They are leading their respective leagues and may be the best of another very strong group in the Upper Peninsula this season.
Tuesday – Midland (10-1) at Saginaw Heritage (11-2) – These are two of the three teams in the Saginaw Valley League without a conference loss, and Midland also plays the third, Mount Pleasant, on Friday.
Tuesday – Blissfield (11-1) at Adrian Madison (11-1) – These two are tied atop the Lenawee County Athletic Association and won’t meet again until the league finale Feb. 21.
Friday – Tecumseh (10-1) at Chelsea (10-1) – Tecumseh leads Chelsea by a game in the Southeastern Conference White after winning their first meeting 53-41 on Jan. 9.
Friday – Rockford (14-1) at Grand Haven (11-1) – It’s the same story in the O-K Red as league leader Rockford won the first meeting with the second-place Buccaneers 60-48 on Jan. 3.
MHSAA.com's weekly “Breslin Bound” previews and reviews are powered by MI Student Aid, a division within the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). 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 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.
PHOTOS (Top) Pewamo-Westphalia’s Elly Bengel launches a halfcourt shot that gave the Pirates an eight-point lead during their 58-34 win over Laingsburg on Jan. 16. (Middle) An Otsego player gets up a shot in the lane during her team’s win over Three Rivers on Dec. 19. (P-W/Laingsburg photo by Jim Pivarnik. Otsego/Three Rivers photo by Gary Shook.)