Southfield Leads Fast, Holds On to Lead Last
March 22, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
GRAND RAPIDS – Give Muskegon a ton of credit. After 11 minutes Thursday, it’s Division 1 Semifinal at Van Noord Arena was all but over.
And Southfield Arts & Technology knew the feeling.
Two years ago, the Warriors found themselves down 20 points in the third quarter of their Semifinal against East Kentwood. They pulled all the way back to within two of the lead before ultimately losing to the Falcons by four.
This time, Southfield A&T got up 18 points three minutes into the second quarter at Van Noord Arena. But while Muskegon charged back to within two of the lead with 53 seconds to play, the Warriors prevailed 54-50 to earn their first championship game berth.
“Being (at the Semifinals) before, it helped me keep my composure and mentally stay in it. Because two years ago, we were down by a lot at the half, and we had to come back with the same fight that Muskegon tried to put against us,” A&T junior guard Cheyenne McEvans said. “I understand what Muskegon was trying to do, and how East Kentwood held us off is how we had to hold them off from coming back.
“We hung on at the end because we just wanted it, and we all just had to talk to each other and keep each other in the game. I try to take really good pride in keeping my teammates involved mentally, and keep their heads up. So I just told them, the run that they’re going on, we’ve just got to hold it – hold it together to the end of the game.”
The Warriors (24-1) will face Saginaw Heritage in Saturday’s 12:15 p.m. championship game, seeking the first title for the 3-year-old school and also the first for one of the schools that merged to create A&T since Southfield Lathrup’s 2005 Class A win.
Neither team Thursday scored for nearly the first three minutes. But once the Warriors got started, they put up nine straight points over 80 seconds. During the second quarter, they connected on 64 percent of their shots from the floor to carry a 29-13 lead into halftime.
But the Big Reds – making their first Semifinal appearance – began to show signs of revival. They had missed their first 13 shots and 18 of 19 on the way to the 21-3 deficit. But beginning with senior Alyza Winston’s basket with 4:30 to play in the first half, Muskegon made 44 percent of its shots from the floor the rest of the way.
“We’re really a second-half team, if you look at the Regional games, the District games, we came out second half with a whole different energy,” Winston said. “That’s really just us.
“I feel like this game we just needed it more in the first half than we had it, but that’s normal for us.”
A&T still led 44-31 with a quarter to play. Muskegon junior guard De’shonna Day’s basket with seven minutes to play made the deficit single digits again at 44-35. That started a 17-8 run, and a Day 3-pointer pulled the Big Reds to within 52-50 with 53 seconds to play.
Muskegon (21-5) got the ball back on a jumpball. But A&T did hold on – two more times. First junior center Jasmine Worthy blocked off the lane to force a travel as the Big Reds looked to tie. After senior Soleil Barnes made two free throws with six seconds left to push the lead back to four, the Warriors got a steal to end the game.
“Having been to the final four, and won a championship before, I know defense is really going to make a difference,” said A&T coach Michele Marshall, who led the Lathrup title run. “You can score a ton of points, but ultimately you’re going to have to get some stops.
“When we play defense the way we did in that last possession, it becomes very difficult to get easy shots, and all we’re trying to do is make the most difficult shot with our defense.”
Senior forward Alexis Johnson led A&T with 18 points and 12 rebounds, while McEvans and Barnes both finished with 12 points. Sophomore guard Kayiona Willis had five assists.
Winston, a Miss Basketball Award finalist this season, finished with 25 points, and Day had 13 and seven rebounds. Senior center Nia Miskel grabbed 10 rebounds.
Now A&T gets the rare opportunity to avenge its lone defeat. The Warriors fell to Heritage 45-43 on Dec. 8 at the Ypsilanti Arbor Prep Icebreaker Invitational.
“I feel like this is the game we can use to cross out our record, if we can get this win,” Johnson said. “We want to come out with a clean record and we feel we’re number one in the state, and this game will prove it.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Southfield Arts & Technology’s Alexis Johnson pushes the ball upcourt during Friday’s Division 1 Semifinal win over Muskegon. (Middle) The Big Reds’ De’shonna Day moves the ball around the perimeter.
Breslin Bound: 2023-24 Girls Report Week 8
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 29, 2024
February is league championship time on basketball courts all over Michigan, and our first girls basketball title winners could be crowned this week.
As we leave January behind, those potential deciders are among several big-time matchups coming up, and we continue to focus on local title implications below (and keep an eye on Stoney Creek/West Bloomfield, Baraga/Lake Linden-Hubbell and Ishpeming/Munising this week as well).
“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. Rockford 55 Lansing Catholic 48 The reigning Division 1 champion Rams (13-1) finished a three-win week by downing the reigning Division 2 champion Cougars (8-3) at the Calvin University Showcase.
2. Frankenmuth 54, Freeland 49 The Eagles (9-2) firmed up their lead in the Tri-Valley Conference Red by finishing a regular-season sweep of the Falcons (11-2), and remain the only team to defeat Freeland this winter.
3. Fremont 41, Ludington 35 Fremont’s first win over Ludington (7-6) since 2007 put the Packers (10-2) in first place alone in the West Michigan Conference Lakes, a game ahead of the 2022-23 league champ.
4. East Grand Rapids 60, Lowell 49 The Pioneers (8-5) have won five straight and with this victory have a half-game edge atop the Ottawa-Kent Conference White standings, with either Lowell (9-3) or Byron Center set to join them as co-leader with the result of their matchup tonight.
5. Utica Ford 56, Romeo 54 (OT) Ford bounced back from a 41-38 upset by rival Utica to maintain its lead in the Macomb Area Conference White as Romeo (9-4) also entered the evening with just one league defeat.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
East Kentwood (12-1) The Falcons are continuing an impressive climb from 12-10 two seasons ago to 16-8 last winter and now a near-perfect start to this winter – their only loss was 51-49 on Dec. 21 to Lowell at the Cornerstone Holiday Classic. Eight of East Kentwood’s victories have come against teams with winning records, and the Falcons broke Rockford’s 33-game winning streak two weeks ago and sent Grand Haven to 11-2 with a 58-45 win Friday. The Rockford rematch is Feb. 16.
Temperance Bedford (9-1) The annual contenders are leading the Southeastern Conference Red again, and Bedford sits alone at the top after sharing last season’s championship with Saline. After earning that share by defeating Saline in their second meeting in 2022-23, Bedford won the first meeting this time, 39-30 last week, and followed with a 56-40 victory over Dexter to send the Dreadnaughts into second place. Bedford’s only loss was in its season opener to Sylvania Northview (Ohio), and wins over Tecumseh and Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central have also been among the most attention-grabbing of the team’s first half.
DIVISION 2
Detroit Edison (10-0) The Pioneers are among the state’s elite again and impressing across the Midwest with wins over opponents from Illinois, Ohio and Wisconsin and two more games coming up in Illinois this weekend. Closer to home, Edison most recently defeated Detroit Cass Tech 54-29 and Grand Rapids Catholic Central 64-57 as it seeks to return to Breslin after ending last season in a Regional Final. Chicago Kenwood (60-49 win) and Columbus Africentric (53-47) are among the top-ranked teams in their divisions in their respective states and surely were valuable prep as Edison readies to take on undefeated West Bloomfield and Detroit Renaissance on Feb. 6 and 8, respectively.
Frankenmuth (9-2) The Eagles are hoping to return to Breslin as well after finishing Division 2 runners-up a season ago, and their only losses this winter were to teams that also made the trip to East Lansing – Rockford and 2023 Division 2 semifinalist Goodrich, in back-to-back December games. As noted above, Friday’s win over Freeland highlights a 6-0 start to this calendar year, and the schedule is loaded over the next five weeks with road matchups at reigning Division 3 champion Hemlock and Lansing Catholic followed by Edison coming to Frankenmuth for a regular-season finale Feb. 29.
DIVISION 3
Blissfield (8-2) Last season’s Division 3 runner-up also is finishing off a solid first half, with last week’s 42-35 win over 10-win Adrian Madison keeping the Royals alone atop the Lenawee County Athletic Association standings. The losses were to Division 2 Tecumseh and undefeated Niles Brandywine, the latter just 45-43, and Blissfield is lined up nicely to surge into the postseason again with the Madison rematch and a tough faceoff with Division 2 Carleton Airport lined up for the end of February.
Springport (9-2) The Big 8 Conference co-leader (with Bronson and Concord) handed Colon its only loss this season Saturday, 50-40 at Spring Arbor and after downing Bronson 54-43 two days earlier. Springport finished 20-4 overall but second to Bronson in the Big 8 last season, and the Feb. 20 rematch is a game to circle, as is the Feb. 27 matchup with Concord, which defeated Springport 47-43 two weeks ago. Bath, Reading and Hanover-Horton should give the Spartans a challenging week but with opportunities to move up the Division 3 MPR list.
DIVISION 4
Lake Leelanau St. Mary (10-1) The Eagles might be taking the next step after winning 14 and 15 games the last two seasons, with their only loss this winter 45-42 to Division 3 Benzie Central. Last week’s 52-42 win over reigning Division 4 champion Maple City Glen Lake avenged a pair of losses from last year’s 14-9 run, and St. Mary also has avenged 2022-23 defeats to Gaylord St. Mary, Saginaw Valley Lutheran and Traverse City St. Francis. Upcoming games at Bedford (see above) and Sault Ste. Marie are especially intriguing.
Morenci (10-1) After starting 14-0 last season, this isn’t an unfamiliar situation for the Bulldogs. But they did last week defeat Adrian Lenawee Christian 44-28 after Lenawee ended Morenci’s 2022-23 in a District Final, and before that also avenged last season’s late loss to Petersburg Summerfield by winning 58-53 this time. Morenci tops the Tri-County Conference standings ahead of both, with rematches coming up Feb. 15 (Summerfield) and Feb. 20 (Lenawee). The only loss was 30-27 to Division 2 Adrian Madison.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Monday – Belleville (10-1) at Wayne Memorial (8-2) – Previously scheduled for Jan. 16, this matches the co-leaders in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association East to finish off the first half of the league schedule.
Monday – Grosse Pointe North (11-1) at Macomb Dakota (12-2) – These two enter their rematch tied atop the MAC Red standings with two more league games to play and GPN having won the first meeting 50-41.
Tuesday – Elk Rapids (12-1) at Harbor Springs (10-2) – Elk Rapids’ 61-51 win in their first meeting Jan. 9 is all that separates these two at the top of the Lake Michigan Conference standings.
Wednesday – Detroit Henry Ford (9-0) at Detroit Communication Media Arts (9-1) – This is likely to clinch the winner at least a share of the Detroit Public School League Gold title, and Ford could win it outright if the Trojans also defeat Detroit Cody tonight.
Friday – Paw Paw (10-1) at Vicksburg (10-1) – This could eventually decide the Wolverine Conference title, as both have one league loss. Paw Paw won their first meeting this winter 60-50.
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) Bath’s Aubrie Schaibly (30) works to wall off Fowler’s Katie Spicer during the Eagles’ 46-41 overtime win Friday. (Middle) Ada Forest Hills Eastern’s Hannah Bhatnagar (5) puts up a shot against Forest Hills Northern earlier this season. (Top photo by Click by Christine McCallister; middle photo by Michigan Sports Photo.)