Edison Avenges Loss, Locks Up Repeat
March 17, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
GRAND RAPIDS – Detroit Edison’s girls basketball team had one loose end left to tie this weekend.
By midway through the third quarter Saturday, everything the Pioneers had hoped to accomplish was secured – including their second straight Class C championship.
Edison avenged its lone loss of the season with a 51-34 victory over Ypsilanti Arbor Prep at Van Noord Arena. The Gators had won their regular-season meeting 54-49 on Jan. 11.
And early in the rematch, they looked to be Edison’s nemesis again. Arbor Prep jumped out to an eight-point lead barely five minutes into the game. But the Pioneers responded with a 16-7 run to take the lead for good midway through the second quarter.
“The first quarter rattled us a little bit. But we overcame many other games when we were down,” Edison junior Rickea Jackson said. “When we hold each other accountable for things, we can get on each other, and we trust one another. So it was easier for us to get back in the game.”
And that served as proof of the biggest difference in this year’s team from the one that claimed the school’s first MHSAA title in any sport a year ago.
This season’s Pioneers have been considered by many the best team in the state, regardless of Class, thanks to a run through a number of contenders in Class A and B including an overtime 57-55 win over Saginaw Heritage on Feb. 20. Heritage won the Class A title earlier Saturday.
But while Edison (24-1) has won 33 of its last 34 games going back to last season, that one defeat still gnawed away.
“We knew in the back of our heads that Arbor Prep was the only team we’d lost to this year,” Pioneers coach Monique Brown said. “I think that was sitting with us when we first started, so (there was) a lot of anxiety when we started.
“Last year, we got off to that start against a Country Day or Arbor Prep, we weren’t able to overcome that. (Their) lead of seven points, eight points would turn into 15 by the end of the game. So I think our maturity and our tough schedule we had this year had prepared us for this moment today.”
Brown had noticed from film of the first matchup that her team, while applying some effective pressure, didn’t finish it off with points off turnovers.
The Pioneers had 28 points off Arbor Prep’s 20 turnovers Saturday. They also outrebounded the Gators 46-39 and held them to 13 percent shooting from the floor over the final three quarters. Jackson had six points and sophomore guard Shaulana Wagner had four off the bench during the run to the lead. Edison sophomore Gabrielle Elliott, meanwhile, scored 16 of her game-high 20 points during the second half.
“We didn’t have the effort to finish the plays in the first half to keep us in the lead,” Arbor Prep coach Scott Stine said. “The second half got very physical. … We really didn’t have our rhythm the whole game, and it showed. They’re regarded as the best team in the state, and you’ve gotta play a great game to beat them. We weren’t perfect today.”
Elliott made 8 of 12 shots from the floor. Jackson followed her scoring with 16 points to go with 10 rebounds, four blocks and four steals. Wagner, a starter last season and significant sub in both games this weekend, added six points, eight rebounds and five steals. Freshman guard Damiya Hagemann had nine points and five assists.
Arbor Prep senior Lasha Petree, a Miss Basketball finalist this season, finished with 19 points, six rebounds and five blocks. None of her teammates scored more than four, however, as the 34 points total were their season low.
This was Arbor Prep’s third straight championship game appearance. The Gators (21-6) won Class C in 2016, then finished runner-up in Class B a year ago.
PHOTOS: (Top) Detroit Edison’s Gabrielle Elliott works to get past Mahri Petree during Saturday’s Class C Final. (Middle) Arbor Prep’s Lasha Petree gets her hand on an Elliott shot.
Breslin Bound: 2024-25 Girls Report Week 1
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
December 9, 2024
It’s too early to tell us much. But the first week of this 2024-25 girls basketball season sure seemed to signal some potential movement at the top as we start a long road that will end in East Lansing in March.
Two of last season’s Finals champions fell in their first games of this winter – and that could mean big things for Saginaw Heritage and Gladstone, the winners of those games. A few others also jumped out immediately after just the first week of play, and as we’ll do all season, we’ve highlighted several below that made an impression.
“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. Saginaw Heritage 79, West Bloomfield 53 The Hawks (2-0) finished the first week at Ypsilanti Arbor Prep’s Ice Breaker Classic with a big win over the reigning Division 1 champion Lakers (0-1).
2. Gladstone 51, Ishpeming 47 – The Hematites (1-1) lost just once on the way to winning Division 3 last season, but Gladstone (2-0) handed them this defeat in their season opener.
3. Portland 57, Frankenmuth 56 The Raiders (2-0) opened this season with a slim but most impressive win over another regular Division 2 contender in the Eagles (1-1).
4. Onekama 61, Elk Rapids 54 (OT) The Portagers (3-0) defeated the host Elks (1-1) – returning Division 3 quarterfinalists – to open the Elk Rapids Invitational, then downed Maple City Glen Lake 57-42 for the championship.
5. Rockford 62, Wayne Memorial 45 The reigning Division 1 runner-up Rams (2-0) earned a second big win of the week over another team in Wayne (0-1) that’s always in the title conversation.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Clinton Township Chippewa Valley (2-0) The Big Reds nearly doubled their wins from 2022-23 to last season, from eight to 15. They are off to the right start again with a 62-46 win over Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse and 57-38 victory over Port Huron last week. Port Huron was a 16-game winner last season.
Dearborn Fordson (2-0) The Tractors have made an impressive climb over the last four seasons, from six wins in 2020-21 to 12 the following season, 16 and then 17 last winter. They opened with a one-point win over Allen Park but followed up by doubling up Dearborn Edsel Ford to finish the first week.
DIVISION 2
Gladstone (2-0) As noted above, the 51-47 win over reigning Class C champion Ishpeming was quite a start, and it was followed up by a 51-38 victory over Ishpeming Westwood – and those are even more telling with some context. Gladstone was a solid 14-9 last winter, up from eight wins the season before, and won the Great Northern Conference title – but also lost to Ishpeming twice and split with Westwood with all three losses by double digits.
Monroe Jefferson (2-0) The Bears opened with a 42-37 win over Southgate Anderson followed by a 46-43 victory over Erie Mason. It was a nice jump into the winter coming off last year’s 5-19 finish, which included a 14-point loss to Mason. Jefferson has won five games the last three seasons and could be on the way to taking another step.
DIVISION 3
Detroit Pershing (2-0) The Doughboys have posted two straight winning seasons – including an 11-5 finish a year ago – and they also are off to the right start. Pershing won big over Detroit Henry Ford in its season opener and followed that up with a 49-40 victory over Detroit Osborn. Pershing finished third in the Detroit Public School League Gold last winter.
Memphis (2-0) After much tougher days a decade ago, Memphis has hovered around 7-8 wins the last four, finishing 8-15 last season despite an 0-3 start. Last week should mean good things for this team’s fortunes, as the Yellowjackets defeated Chesterfield Austin Catholic 31-15 and Vassar 36-25, the latter avenging a 2023-24 defeat.
DIVISION 4
Petersburg Summerfield (3-0) The Bulldogs not only sprinted to start the season last week, but followed up a 53-41 win over Hudson with a 26-point victory over Division 2 Dundee and a nine-point win over Division 1 Ann Arbor Skyline. Add that to last season’s second-straight District title, a great finishing surge that came after a 2-4 season start and 1-3 end to the regular season.
Webberville (2-0) An 0-2 start last season turned into an eventual 7-14 finish, but the Spartans already have a nice jump with their season-opening 32-19 win over Morrice avenging a pair of those 2023-24 defeats. Webberville closed the week with a 54-45 win over Brighton Livingston Christian.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Thursday – West Bloomfield (0-1) at Belleville (1-0) – This week should tell us a ton about Belleville, as the Tigers first take on the reigning Division 1 champion and host Muskegon on Saturday at the Best of Michigan showcase.
Thursday – Fowler (1-0) at Portland St. Patrick (0-1) – This is always worthy of statewide attention; last season St. Patrick won the Central Michigan Athletic Conference and finished 21-3 overall, while Fowler was second, 24-4 and reached the Division 4 Semifinals.
Friday – Sault Ste. Marie (2-1) at St. Ignace (2-0) – This is the first of two meetings between these former Straits Area Conference rivals, and the Sault carries a four-game winning streak in the series.
Saturday – Rockford vs. Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard at Belleville – The Best of Michigan event will tip off this matchup at 5:30 p.m. between last season’s Division 1 runner-up Rockford and Division 2 runner-up FGR.
Saturday – Detroit Edison (1-0) vs. Tecumseh (1-0) at Belleville – This Best of Michigan matchup will send reigning Division 2 champion Edison against a quarterfinalist from last season.
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PHOTO A Bath player looks to pass the ball into the post during the Bees’ 51-12 win over Fulton last week to open this season. (Photo by John Johnson.)