Highlight Reel: Class A-B Semifinals
March 19, 2016
The second day of the MHSAA Girls Basketball Semifinals, presented by Sparrow Health System, produced one of the most dramatic finishes in a long time, as the field is now set for Saturday’s championship games.
Click the final score to watch the entire game and order DVDs.
Class A Semifinal – Detroit Martin Luther King 56, St. Johns 48
It’s Raining Threes! - Detroit Martin Luther King started the Class A Semifinal against St. Johns hitting three 3-pointers, two by Micaela Kelly, who finished with a game-high 18 points.
Maddie On The Run - Maddie Maloney led St. Johns with 12 points, getting two here in transition.
Class A Semifinal – Warren Cousino 60, Hudsonville 45
Fantastic Fletcher - Kierra Fletcher of Warren Cousino totaled 37 points – 12 in the first quarter.
Hard-Working Eagle - Chloe Guingrich scored a double-double for Hudsonville with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Class B Semifinal – Grand Rapids South Christian 57, Detroit Country Day 46
DeBoer Putback - Jennifer DeBoer of Grand Rapids South Christian led all scorers in the Class B Semifinal game against Detroit Country Day with 18 points, including two on this putback.
Pitts Takes It Down The Lane - Destiny Pitts paced Detroit Country Day with 14 points.
Class B Semifinal – Marshall 43, Bay City John Glenn 42
Boensch For Two - Cassidy Boensch had 16 points and 12 rebounds for Bay City John Glenn in its Class B Semifinal against Marshall. Boensch later made two free throws to give her team the lead with 14 seconds to go, but Marshall scored late to prevail, 43-42.
Here’s Your Winner - With 1.4 seconds left on the clock, Marshall's Nicole Tucker hit two free throws to give her team the 43-42 win.
PHOTO: Warren Cousino's Kierra Fletcher attempts a free throw during Friday's Class A Semifinal win over Hudsonville.
Many Gators Chip In As Arbor Prep Earns Championship Game Return
By
Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com
March 17, 2022
EAST LANSING – Mya Petticord finished as the leading scorer for top-ranked Ypsilanti Arbor Prep in Thursday's Division 3 Semifinal at the Breslin Center.
But key contributions from her teammates also helped pave the way in a 57-44 victory over Maple City Glen Lake.
Arbor Prep (24-2) handed the Lakers (25-1) their lone loss of the season, and will play Kent City in Saturday’s Division 2 Final at 4 p.m.
“One of the TV reporters asked me before the game what one player did I need to score for us to win the game, and I didn’t have an answer,” Gators coach Scott Stine said. “Mya can score 12 and we can still win this game, because every night somebody steps up. We’re really tough to guard because any of the girls in the rotation can score.”
Petticord, a Miss Basketball Award finalist who will play next season at Texas A&M, scored a game-high 20 points, only three below her average, despite shooting an uncharacteristic 5-of-18 from the field – entering this week she was connecting on 52 percent of her shots.
Senior Karianne Woods, a Bethune-Cookman commit, added 10 points and six assists.
“I didn’t feel like I had to score for us to win, not at all,” Petticord said. “I feel like all my teammates have scoring abilities.”
Stephanie and Stacy Utomi combined for 14 points and 17 rebounds, while sophomore Taylor Wallace pitched in with eight points and two steals.
“Stacy from the tip rebounded for us and brought energy,” said Stine, whose team was making its first appearance in the Semifinals since 2019. “Her and her sister are tough, and they live in the gym.”
The Gators’ defense forced 11 first-half turnovers as they led 26-21 at the half before pulling away in the third quarter with an inspired 12-0 run sparked by defense and 3-point shooting.
Wallace drained a pair of 3-pointers from the corner to make it 34-24. Ensuing layups by Jazmin Chupp and Woods pushed the lead to 38-24.
“We were a little bit nervous and rattled to begin the game,” Stine said. “We were fumbling the ball and missing defensive assignments, and our shooting was uncharacteristically terrible in the first half. But we weathered through it and played a little more like Arbor Prep is supposed to play.”
Glen Lake cut the deficit to 51-41 with less than three minutes remaining, but Petticord went 6-for-6 from the free throw line down the stretch to seal it.
This was Glen Lake’s third trip to the Semifinals over the last six years, but first since 2018.
Senior all-state guard Grace Bradford led the Lakers with 17 points and 13 rebounds. Junior Ruby Hogan added 10 points.
“We knew it was going to be physical coming out, and the biggest thing was if we could get past that trap then we would be fine, but we had a hiccup there not being able to get through and take care of the ball,” Glen Lake coach Jason Bradford said. “We struggled setting up our offense due to their pressure.”
The loss was only the second for Glen Lake over the last two seasons.
“Every one of these girls have been together since the third grade, and that’s a special thing,” Bradford said. “They step on the floor and they know what the meaning of winning is, and this team leaned on each other.”
PHOTOS (Top) Arbor Prep's Mya Petticord (1) makes a move toward the basket with Glen Lake's Jessica Robbins defending. (Middle) The Lakers' Maddie Bradford (10) gets up a shot over Petticord's outstretched arm. (Click for more from Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)