Breslin Bound: Girls District Preview
February 27, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
We’ve spent the regular season trying to get a grasp of which teams might be the ones to beat once the MHSAA Tournament began.
Starting tonight, every girls basketball team in Michigan gets to start over – and those favorites can show if what they’ve accomplished the last three months will carry over to the most important three weeks of this winter.
Over the next two weeks, we’ll alter the format of our Breslin Bound reports – powered by MI Student Aid – still looking at some of the key results from last week but also at three of the most eye-catching brackets in each class for the upcoming week of playoffs. This week, that means we’ll take closer looks at 12 Districts total in addition to some scores from last week that could be telling as we roll into March.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Detroit Martin Luther King 48 Farmington Hills Mercy 45 (OT) – Mercy gave the Crusaders their toughest challenge in two months, but King won the Operation Friendship headliner to finish 19-1.
2. Bark River-Harris 73, Crystal Falls Forest Park 60 – Not only did the Broncos upset a Class D championship favorite, but they also ended up finishing ahead of the Trojans for the Skyline Central Conference West title.
3. Traverse City St. Francis 49, Gaylord St. Mary 39 – The Lake Michigan Conference co-champ downed the Ski Valley Conference winner in a matchup of teams that are a combined 37-3.
4. Hartland 61, Wayne Memorial 48 – The Eagles went from second in the West division last season to overall Kensington Lakes Activities Association champions with this win Friday.
5. Saginaw Heritage 52, Flint Carman-Ainsworth 22 – The Hawks finished 19-1 with this Saginaw Valley League crossover win over South champion Carman-Ainsworth, which suffered two of its three losses this season to Heritage.
Districts at a Glance
These could be among our most competitive brackets. Host sites are in bold:
CLASS A
Muskegon-Reeths-Puffer
Grand Haven (14-6), Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills (5-15), Grand Rapids Union (2-17), Muskegon (11-9), Muskegon Mona Shores (17-3), Muskegon Reeths-Puffer (15-5).
The three Muskegon teams took turns pushing each other this winter in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Black as Mona Shores won the league title, Reeths-Puffer was second and Muskegon High finished third. The Sailors – led by Miss Basketball finalist Jordan Walker – won a District title last year and made the Regional Final, and this season avenged their lone league loss to Reeths-Puffer on Jan. 20 with a two-point victory in the rematch Feb. 17. Grand Haven was the runner-up to East Kentwood in the O-K Red and hardly would be a surprise champion with wins this season over Reeths-Puffer and Muskegon (and an 11-point loss to Mona Shores.)
Saginaw Heritage
Bay City Central (4-16), Bay City Western (13-7), Midland (14-6), Midland Dow (18-2), Mount Pleasant (7-13), Saginaw Heritage (19-1).
Heritage and Dow shared the Saginaw Valley League North title, so it wouldn’t surprise anyone if the winner of a Wednesday Semifinal between the two determines the eventual champion of this District. Heritage won the first meeting by three in overtime, but Dow won the rematch by two Feb. 10. Midland, on the other side of the bracket, could be ready to pounce in the championship game if that Wednesday winner has a letdown.
Troy
Auburn Hills Avondale (14-6), Birmingham Groves (18-2), Birmingham Seaholm (9-11), Bloomfield Hills (19-1), Bloomfield Hills Marian (15-5), Troy (6-14).
Bloomfield Hills has won 18 straight since losing early to Caledonia, running the table in the Oakland Activities Association White and earning a notable one-point nonleague win over Clarkston along the way. That’s a jump from 14-7 a year ago, when the Black Hawks fell in their District opener to Marian. The Mustangs went on to reach the Regional Final in 2016, and remain among the elite in Class A – especially considering three of this season’s losses came to Detroit Catholic League champion Farmington Hills Mercy. Bloomfield Hills and Marian would meet in the District Final this week – but Avondale will try to break into the mix as well.
CLASS B
Allendale
Allendale (1-19), Coopersville (8-12), Hamilton (19-1), Holland Christian (16-4), Hudsonville Unity Christian (12-8), Zeeland West (9-11).
The top four finishers from the O-K Green will square off again, with Hamilton coming off a perfect league run but with a one-point win over Unity in January and a two-pointer over Holland Christian last month. Hamilton and Unity meet in the 5:30 opener tonight. Coopersville, fourth in the O-K Blue, comes in with five wins over its last eight games.
Birch Run
Birch Run (17-3), Bridgeport (7-13), Carrollton (5-15), Frankenmuth (15-5), Saginaw Swan Valley (15-5).
The most intriguing matchup would come in the District Semifinal, where the host Panthers could see rival Frankenmuth for the first time since breaking the Eagles’ 105-game winning streak in the Tri-Valley Conference East on Feb. 7. But Birch Run must first fend off Swan Valley, which tied for second in the TVC Central behind undefeated Freeland but got within a point of beating the Falcons in their most recent meeting Jan. 31.
Midland Bullock Creek
Bay City John Glenn (16-4), Essexville Garber (13-7), Freeland (20-0), Midland Bullock Creek (11-9), Sanford Meridian Early College (1-19).
Freeland has won five straight District titles but will face its biggest test right away tonight in John Glenn, which eliminated the Falcons in the Regional Final last season on the way to making the Class B Semifinals. Garber in the District Semifinal and likely Bullock Creek in the championship game will give whichever team emerges tonight a few more notable obstacles this week.
CLASS C
Carson City-Crystal
Bath (17-3), Byron (16-4), Carson City-Crystal (17-2), Dansville (1-19), Laingsburg (17-3), Pewamo-Westphalia (18-2).
It would be easy, yet unwise, to look at this District strictly from the point of view that it includes the top three teams from the Central Michigan Athletic Conference, led by champion Bath. The Bees’ losses certainly were impressive – to Class A Howell, Class B favorite Ypsilanti Arbor Prep and to Laingsburg by a bucket. But host Carson City-Crystal has an argument as the favorite; it finished runner-up in the Mid-State Activities Conference to Class D power Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart and split with the Irish. Byron, meanwhile, shared the championship in the Genesee Area Conference Blue and takes on the Eagles tonight.
Negaunee
Gwinn (4-15), Ishpeming (15-5), Munising (20-0), Negaunee (16-4).
There are only four teams at this District, but it’s quite a group. Munising has won all of its games by at least 13 points and all but one by at least 20. The Mustangs are led by a strong senior class that won last season’s District but was stopped by Crystal Falls Forest Park in the Regional; Forest Park is in Class D this season, and regardless Munising beat the Trojans in that 13-point victory. Negaunee and Ishpeming finished second and third, respectively, in the Mid-Peninsula Athletic Conference and are formidable as well; Negaunee won its District in 2016.
Sandusky
Genesee (9-9), Kingston (18-2), Marlette (10-9), Millington (11-9), Reese (18-2), Vassar (2-18), Sandusky (20-0).
We’ve mentioned more than once this season the strength of Class C in the Thumb, and some of those contenders will face off immediately this week. Undefeated Sandusky is on one side of this bracket and could see the winner of a Reese/Kingston Semifinal – although Millington surely will give Kingston a challenge tonight. Sandusky has wins over Marlette (twice), Reese and Kingston this season and hasn’t allowed an opponent to come closer than 10 points.
CLASS D
Auburn Hills Oakland Christian
Auburn Hills Oakland Christian (7-12), Clarkston Everest Collegiate (9-10), Novi Franklin Road Christian (16-4), Waterford Our Lady (15-5).
Our Lady is coming off losses to Class C Royal Oak Shrine and Class B Livonia Ladywood, but made the Class D Semifinals last season and prepped earlier this winter with defeats to Class B Detroit Country Day and Harper Woods Chandler Park and Class A Clarkston. Still, the Lakers could get an early test in Wednesday’s Semifinal against Franklin Road Christian, which has doubled its win total from last season when it won a District title.
Lake Linden-Hubbell
Baraga (17-2), Chassell (15-5), Dollar Bay (8-12), Lake Linden-Hubbell (4-16), Ontonagon (9-11), Painesdale-Jeffers (14-6).
All but Ontonagon are from the Copper Mountain Conference’s Copper Country division, so it’s expected the field will be chasing league champion Baraga again. The Vikings did split with runner-up Painesdale-Jeffers during the regular season and got by Chassell by only two points in their second game, so this week could be tightly-contested. Chassell won the District a year ago.
Pickford
Cedarville (12-8), DeTour (12-7), Mackinac Island (4-11), Pickford (16-4).
Four of six teams in the Eastern Upper Peninsula Athletic Conference won at least 12 games during the regular season, and three of them are in this District. Pickford downed DeTour by 15 and nine in their meetings and split with Cedarville, winning the rematch Feb. 2. The Panthers are playing for a third straight District title.
PHOTO: Muskegon Mona Shores and Muskegon High, facing off earlier this season, are together in one of the strongest Class A Districts this week. (Photo by Tim Reilly.)
Breslin Bound: 2023-24 Girls Report Week 6
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 15, 2024
We’re nearly halfway through this girls basketball season, and with every week that passes the Michigan Power Ratings become a more accurate picture of what the state’s teams have accomplished this season – and a forecaster of which two will be seeded first and second and on opposite sides of District brackets in March.
MPR is based on results against other MHSAA Tournament opponents during the regular season. Several lists, showing all teams together, separately by division or broken down even further by District, can be found on the MPR page. A “snapshot in time” look of the top 20 in each division will be provided every Monday on the Girls Basketball Rankings page, and MPR also helps determine which games and teams are highlighted in every week’s “Breslin Bound” report.
“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. Ishpeming 57, Negaunee 53 The Hematites (6-0) handed the Miners (9-1) their only loss, and also the first in this series since Feb. 26, 2015, as Negaunee had won the last 17 meetings between the rivals.
2. Rockford 55, Grand Haven 38 The Rams (9-0) also won a matchup of undefeated teams, staying atop the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red with East Kentwood and with the Buccaneers (8-1) one of three teams one game back.
3. Lansing Catholic 62, Portland 34 The reigning Class B champion Cougars (4-3) pushed back past .500 by handing the Raiders (8-1) their lone loss this winter.
4. St. Charles 45, Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart 27 St. Charles (7-1) extended its winning streak to seven and moved into first alone in the Mid-State Activities Conference by handing the Irish (8-1) their lone defeat.
5. Bath 35, Dansville 17 The Bees (7-0) continued their perfect start coming off last season’s 7-15 finish, handing this loss to the reigning Central Michigan Athletic Conference champion after losing to the Aggies (5-2) by 10 a year ago.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Jackson Northwest (6-1) The Mounties have been formidable for several years, but last season’s shared Interstate 8 Athletic Conference title was their first since winning it outright in 2017-18. They’re working toward a much quicker repeat, and perhaps more. Northwest defeated the other reigning co-champ Coldwater 43-35 last week and also have a 52-47 win over Haslett, avenging two of their losses from last season’s 21-3 run. Coming up Tuesday is the first of two games with Marshall, the only other team undefeated in I8AC play this winter.
West Bloomfield (7-0) Last season’s Division 1 runner-up opened this season by again defeating Salem, its Semifinal opponent a year ago, and hasn’t been slowed while winning all its games by at least 18 points. Four starters are back, including Georgia-bound twins Indya and Summer Davis and Loyola-Chicago signee Kendall Hendrix. Last week’s wins over Detroit Country Day and Southfield Arts & Technology made for an impressive week, and undefeated Lake Orion is next up Tuesday to start Oakland Activities Association Red play.
DIVISION 2
Chelsea (7-2) Few have played a stronger schedule, as Chelsea’s opponents have a .710 winning percentage, and yet the Bulldogs have losses only to Rockford and Dexter as they look to build on last year’s 25-2 campaign. They’re the only team to defeat Jackson Northwest, 57-47, and an early 26-point win over Clarkston also pops off the page. Freeland (7-1) is up Tuesday before the start of Southeastern Conference White play, and a Dexter rematch is scheduled for Feb. 23.
Grand Rapids West Catholic (7-1) The Falcons are another contender to have lost to Rockford, but that’s it as they’ve moved to a combined 67-5 over the last four seasons and after making the Division 2 Semifinals a year ago before falling to eventual champion Lansing Catholic. West Catholic’s opponents have won nearly 70 percent of their games as well, with a key O-K Blue matchup coming up Friday in one-loss Spring Lake.
DIVISION 3
Michigan Center (10-0) The Cardinals already have surpassed last season’s 8-13 finish, and Thursday’s 59-54 overtime win over Grass Lake and December win over East Jackson gave Michigan Center victories over two of last season’s three co-champions in the Cascades Conference. Napoleon was the third champ last winter, and all three join Michigan Center in the new Cascades’ East division.
Niles Brandywine (7-0) The Bobcats are undefeated through the first half of the Lakeland Conference schedule after finishing second to rival Buchanan and 21-3 overall last winter. All three of those losses last season were to the Bucks, and Brandywine won their first meeting this time 38-27 with the rematch set for Feb. 1. Even more notably, the Bobcats handed reigning Division 3 runner-up Blissfield its only loss, 45-43 on Dec. 27 at the Michigan Hardwood Classic.
DIVISION 4
Bloomfield Hills Roeper (7-0) The Roughriders have bounded back into the Division 4 conversation over the last two seasons, finishing 16-6 a year ago and launching this start. Roeper handed Sterling Heights Parkway Christian its only defeat in the Roughriders’ Michigan Independent Athletic Conference Red opener Jan. 5 and as they seek to move up from tied for second place last year – with reigning champion Whitmore Lake in the MIAC Blue this season.
Kingston (8-1) The Cardinals are a combined 64-10 over the last four seasons and reached the Division 4 Quarterfinals a year ago. After taking a 45-35 loss against undefeated Division 2 contender Goodrich on Dec. 13, Kingston bounced back to hand Harbor Beach its only loss, 69-33. The Cardinals have held four opponents to fewer than 20 points and two more to fewer than 30, a main reason all eight wins are by at least 27 points.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Wednesday – Macomb Dakota (9-1) at Grosse Pointe North (7-1) – Dakota has an early one-game lead in the Macomb Area Conference Red on reigning champion GPN after North’s loss to Port Huron last week; Dakota sees Port Huron on Friday.
Thursday – Mendon (8-1) at Colon (7-0) – These two sit atop the Southern Central Athletic Association West standings after Colon won the West and Mendon was runner-up in the Southwest 10 Conference South last season.
Thursday – Stevensville Lakeshore (8-0) at Portage Central (7-0) – This is the first of their two meetings after Lakeshore was first and Central tied for second in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West last season.
Thursday – Mio (8-0) at Alcona (6-0) – The Thunderbolts look likely to make a run at the North Star League Big Dipper title, and a win over one of last year’s three co-champions certainly would provide a spark.
Friday – Rockford (9-0) at East Kentwood (8-1) – First place in the O-K Red is on the line, as is the Rams’ 32-game winning streak going back to December 2022.
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) A 45-37 win over Williamston on Dec. 21 was part of DeWitt’s 8-1 start. (Middle) Coleman and Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart players work for possession during last month’s 32-22 Irish win. (Top photo by Terry Lyons, middle photo by High School Sports Scene.)