Bowers' Balance Paying Big for Kent City
December 20, 2018
By Dean Holzwarth
Special for Second Half
KENT CITY – Kenzie Bowers’ mother made sure her daughter wasn’t going to grow up to become just a scorer.
An extra incentive did just the trick.
“When I was younger my mom would record my games, and she would give me a dollar for every five or 10 points, but then she would also give me a dollar for every assist, too, because she didn’t want me to go out there and think that I was just going to score,” the Kent City standout sophomore said. “That was my way of thinking I was going to score, but I’m not going to be selfish with the ball because I wanted money both ways.”
Bowers, a 5-foot-10 guard, is still doing her share of scoring and distributing, and she’s picking up where she left off after a sensational freshman season.
In her debut campaign on the varsity, Bowers averaged 19.4 points and 8.4 rebounds per game while also leading her team in assists and steals en route to being named to the Class C all-state first team.
Bowers also helped spark Kent City’s historic postseason run to the Class C Quarterfinals.
“I’ve talked to Coach since seventh grade, and he told me if I kept working hard then he would have a spot for me on the varsity,” Bowers said. “He wanted me to be a leader, and I knew I was going to have to be a leader. I was ready for it, and I expected it.”
Kent City girls basketball coach Scott Carlson has known Bowers since first grade and helped coach her at every level leading up to high school.
He knew early on that she had a bright future ahead.
“By third grade you knew she was going to be a ball player because she was playing with our fifth and sixth-grade travel players at that point,” Carlson said. “She could handle the ball, and she loved the game. She was a baller from the word go.”
Bowers’ passion for the game developed from watching her two older brothers, and she started playing with older girls when she was in third grade.
“I was the only third-grader, and I think it was definitely good to have that experience going into my fourth and fifth grade years when I was playing against girls my own age,” Bowers said. “You could tell I had played recently, and I was the second or third tallest girl on my team, but I was very skinny.”
Bowers’ overall skill set quickly progressed. She attended multiple basketball camps and started playing AAU.
As middle school began, college coaches became aware of Bowers’ rare abilities.
“Seventh grade was the first time someone told me that college coaches were watching me and they thought I was pretty good,” Bowers said. “I was like, ‘College coaches are watching me?’ It was definitely surreal.”
A highlight of Bowers’ first high school season was a 37-point performance in a Regional Semifinal win over Beaverton.
Kent City went on to win its first Regional title in 29 years before losing to Pewamo-Westphalia in the Quarterfinals.
“She certainly surpassed what I expected of her as a freshman, but it didn’t surprise me in how hard she works,” Carlson said. “She’s very athletic, and she’s a quick study. If you show her something once she gets it quick, as quickly as anyone I’ve ever seen, and she’ll work on it until she perfects it.”
Bowers already has received several scholarship offers from Division I college programs, including Central Michigan, Western Michigan, Illinois State, Davidson and Oakland.
“It’s been really cool knowing I can go play college basketball at the next level,” Bowers said. “It makes me feel blessed and happy because I know I don’t have to spend all that money and I get to do something I love.”
Kent City is 4-1 this winter with its lone loss coming to Detroit Martin Luther King, 40-39.
Bowers is one of eight returning players from last season’s 22-4 squad.
“We didn’t lose anybody, so we know we are going to be a good team,” Bowers said. “We’re working to get better and make it further this season.”
Dean Holzwarth covered primarily high school sports for the Grand Rapids Press and MLive for 16 years and more recently served as sports editor of the Ionia Sentinel and as a sports photojournalist for WZZM. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Allegan, Kent and Ottawa counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Kent City’s Kenzie Bowers drives to the basket against White Cloud during a Dec. 7 win. (Middle) Bowers works to get past a Detroit Martin Luther King defender during their Dec. 8 game at Okemos. (Photos courtesy of the Bowers family.)
When Shots Don't Fall, Arbor Prep Turns to Defense to Lock Up Latest Title
By
Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com
March 23, 2024
EAST LANSING – Ypsilanti Arbor Prep experienced one of its worst shooting performances of the season in Saturday’s Division 3 Final.
But instead of dwelling on missed opportunities, they relied on the one thing they know they do well – play defense.
Arbor Prep held Niles Brandywine to its lowest scoring output of the season in earning a gritty 33-30 win at Michigan State University’s Breslin Center.
“We have very good athletes and every single one of these girls is tough,” Gators coach Scott Stine said. “And they are committed to playing defense. They are committed to doing what we do as a system, and we don't win this game without defense.
“These kids are special, and even on our worst offensive day, they stuck to the Arbor Prep way. They played defense and rebounded the ball, and they are state champions.”
Arbor Prep (25-4) won its second Division 3 Final in the last three seasons despite shooting a dismal 25 percent (12-48) from the field, including 11 percent (2 of 19) from 3-point range.
Senior Taylor Wallace struggled to find her shooting touch, but had four steals to go with eight points.
“I had good looks and they just didn't go in, so I knew I had to find other ways to help people out,” Wallace said. “I started anticipating and got some pretty good steals on defense. People say defense wins championships, and as you can see defense won us a championship.”
The Utomi twins, seniors Stephanie and Stacy, combined for 16 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Gators. Stephanie Utomi had nine points, five rebounds and a game-high six steals, while her sister grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds and chipped in seven points.
“We knew this was our last game in our high school career, and the whole message from Coach was ‘be tired tomorrow,’” Stacy Utomi said. “Be tired later, because this is it. I just wanted to make sure I gave my team extra possessions.”
Added Stephanie Utomi: “We took a deep breath before the second half and just took what was there. It was about trusting our teammates, and we had a few key plays here and there. It took all of us to win.”
Stine was pleased with this team’s ability to value each possession. The Gators registered only seven turnovers.
“They took care of it against a very good defensive team, and if we don’t do that then we don’t win the game,” Stine said. “We forced 18 (turnovers), and that’s the stat I was looking at. We won that battle.”
Arbor Prep’s shooting woes had a lot to do with Brandywine, according to Stine.
“We didn’t shoot the ball well, but I’m going to give them credit for that,” he said. “They have good athletes, and they play sound man-to-man defense. I truly believe it was the two best teams in Division 3 that got to play today.”
Brandywine held a slim 7-6 lead after the first quarter despite four turnovers and giving up five offensive rebounds.
Back-to-back steals and ensuing layups by Wallace gave the Gators a 10-7 advantage early in the second quarter.
Wallace knocked down a corner 3 during the final seconds of the first half to help Arbor Prep to a 15-9 edge at the break. It was the Gators’ first 3-pointer of the half after 12 straight misses.
Arbor Prep extended its lead to 18-9 early in the third quarter, but Brandywine closed the gap to 21-19 later in the quarter after five straight points from junior Adeline Gill.
The Bobcats wouldn’t get any closer, though, and a 9-1 run by Arbor Prep and stout defense during the final quarter gave them a cushion late.
The Gators led 31-21 with 58 seconds left before Brandywine made three consecutive 3-pointers over the final 32 seconds.
Poor free throw shooting (2-10) and turnovers led to the Bobcats’ demise. They also allowed 13 offensive rebounds.
Their previous low for points was 38 against Vicksburg in their only other loss of the season.
“It was a defensive slugfest,” Brandywine coach Josh Hood said. “We had our opportunities, and you got to be able to make free throws, and I have to do a better job of putting our players in situations to be able to score.
“I’m really proud of our girls and their effort against a really good Arbor Prep team that has been here five times since their coach arrived there.”
Junior Adelyn Drotoz knocked down three 3-pointers for Brandywine and finished with nine points, while senior Kadence Brumitt added seven points and nine rebounds.
PHOTOS (Top) Arbor Prep’s Taylor Wallace (5) brings the ball upcourt Saturday with Brandywine’s Ellie Knapp (1) applying pressure. (Middle) Gators coach Scott Stine presents the championship trophy to his team. (Below) Stacy Utomi (24) tries to get up a shot over the Bobcats’ Adeline Gill. (Photos by Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)