Breslin Bound: Girls Report Post-Break
January 8, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
If the first month of this MHSAA girls basketball season is an indication, this winter's march to the Class A championship game could be one of the most entertaining we've seen over the last decade.
That's the clearest observation from games played during the holiday break, which included a number of Class A contenders shining against top competition.
Below are 10 teams gathered from all four classes that stuck out over the last two weeks. (Records are based on results reported to the MHSAA Score Center.)
1. Detroit Martin Luther King (6-1, Class A) – The Crusaders appear to be the team to beat again in Class A, thanks in part to a nine-point win over contender Grand Ledge at the Motor City Roundball Classic; the only loss was to Kettering Fairmont from Ohio.
2. Flint Powers Catholic (8-1, Class B) – A 33-point win over strong Flat Rock at the Roundball Classic was further proof the Chargers will be in the mix in March; the only loss was to talented Farmington Hills Mercy.
3. Waterford Kettering (5-0, Class A) – The Captains had a strong December overall, finishing with a 10-point win over Freeland and a 28-pointer over Detroit Renaissance both at the Roundball Classic.
4. Muskegon Mona Shores (5-1, Class A) – After winning nine games last season, Mona Shores is more than halfway there thanks in part to a 45-41 win over reigning Class A champion Grand Haven.
5. Grand Haven (6-1, Class A) – Stars graduate and the Buccaneers keep plugging along (aside from the loss to Mona Shores), with six wins to open the season including a three-pointer over Kent City and a one-pointer over Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central to win the Davenport Invitational.
6. Eben Junction Superior Central (7-1, Class D) – The Cougars didn’t lose last season until the Regional Semifinal, and have lost this season to only Class C Ishpeming after already beating the Hematites on opening night.
7. Williamston (4-1, Class B) – Since opening with a three-point loss to Lansing Everett, the Hornets are undefeated after picking up break wins over Frankenmuth by six and Oak Park by 17.
8. Newberry (4-2, Class C) – The Indians are more than halfway to equaling last season’s win total of seven, with their most recent loss (to Brimley) by only a bucket.
9. Gobles (6-0, Class C) – The Tigers are becoming a girls basketball power to go along with their football prowess, putting together another big start after making their District Final a year ago.
10. Northville (6-0, Class A) – The Mustangs have followed a 16-win season with six more victories including the championship at their holiday tournament thanks to a two-point win over solid Dexter.
PHOTO: Detroit Martin Luther King is playing again like a Class A favorite with a 6-1 start against tough competition. (Photo courtesy of the Detroit Public School League.)
Rockford Turns Breslin Orange On Way to Earning Championship Day Debut
By
Tom Kendra
Special for MHSAA.com
March 17, 2023
EAST LANSING – Even on St. Patrick’s Day, seemingly the entire town of Rockford managed to turn the normally green Breslin Center into a sea of orange for Friday’s second Division 1 Semifinal at Breslin Center.
Both coaches admitted that the raucous Rockford crowd – almost all wearing orange T-shirts with a Rams logo on the front and filling about half of the lower bowl – had a huge impact on the game, particularly the start, as the Rams bolted to a 24-7 lead after the first quarter.
“How about those Rockford fans?” said sixth-year Rams coach Brad Wilson, before he even introduced his players at the postgame press conference. “When you look out there and see a sea of orange, it’s unbelievable.”
Buoyed by that crowd and equally unbelievable shooting, Rockford blitzed Detroit Renaissance, 65-42, to advance to the Division 1 championship game for the first time in school history.
Rockford, 27-1 and winners of the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red, will face reigning champion West Bloomfield in Saturday’s 12:15 p.m. title game.
The game will be a rematch of last year’s epic Semifinal, where West Bloomfield prevailed, 66-63, before knocking off Hartland the next day for the title.
The Rams would love to get off to the type of start they had on Friday.
Rockford made 11-of-13 field goals (84.6 percent) in the first quarter, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range, getting the huge crowd involved early.
“We didn’t come out scared at all,” said Rockford junior sharpshooter Grace Lyons, noting it was helpful that her team played at the Breslin last year. “We came out ready to play from the get-go, and now we want to finish this thing.”
Lyons led all scorers with 23 points, making 3-of-6 from 3-point range, while senior Michigan Tech commit Alyssa Wypych scored 13 points with a game-high seven rebounds and her sophomore sister, Anna Wypych, added 12 points.
The Rams cooled off slightly in the second quarter, but still finished the half 15-of-21 from the floor (71.4 percent), and led 39-26.
Renaissance (23-2), which was seeking its first title since capturing the Class B championship in 2005, came out of halftime fired up and used an 8-0 run to trim the lead to just five points.
“We went back to our identity in the third quarter,” said Renaissance junior guard Christian Sanders, who led her team with 17 points. “Had we done that sooner, it may have been a different story.”
The key point of the game occurred right after the Phoenix made their run, and Wilson called a timeout to calm his team down.
Rockford responded with a 9-0 run of its own – using a pair of two-point baskets by Lyons, a bucket by Anna Wypych and a key 3-pointer off the bench from senior Madee Whitford – to push the lead back to 14 points.
The Phoenix, a young team with only three seniors, were never able to threaten the rest of the game.
“You have to give Rockford credit,” said first-year Renaissance coach Dashaun Wood. “They had a big fan base, and I think they fed off of that. We finally got back to who we normally are there in the third quarter, but sometimes when you dig a hole that deep, you burn all your energy just coming back.”
Amyah Espanol, one of two senior starters for the Phoenix, scored 13 points and junior Makayla Johnson added nine.
Rockford finished the game with 54 percent shooting (compared to 29.5 percent for Renaissance) and held a decisive 33-20 rebounding edge.
The Rams will make the one-hour drive home, which is just north of Grand Rapids, and Wilson said he and his assistant coaches will likely stay up all night preparing for West Bloomfield.
“No sleep ’til Breslin, that’s a real thing,” Wilson said with a grin. “We just need to stick to our brand of basketball. West Bloomfield is very good, but we’re really good, too, and I think we’re going to come out and show that we belong to be there.”
PHOTOS (Top) Rockford’s Sienna Wolfe (33) brings the ball upcourt during Friday’s Semifinal win over Renaissance. (Middle) Anna Wypych (2) makes a move toward the basket around a pick from teammate Grace Lyons.