Breslin Bound: Girls Report Week 1
December 5, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Welcome to the second week of the 2016-17 girls basketball season – and this winter’s first renovated “Breslin Bound” report, powered by MI Student Aid.
Over the last few seasons, we’ve weekly posted looks at teams to watch in each class with an eye on the end-of-season MHSAA Tournament. We’re changing things up and expanding a little too to make sure you know about all of the most significant scores from the week that was – like, for example, two of last year’s MHSAA champions suffering losses over the first seven days of this season – plus a few ideas on what games could be especially important in the week to come.
Results and schedules are based on what’s published for each school at MHSAA.com. To offer corrections or missing scores, please contact me at [email protected].
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Bloomfield Hills Marian 56, Warren Cousino 42 – The Mustangs bounced back from an opening-night loss to hand reigning Class A champion Cousino a double-digit defeat at University of Detroit Mercy.
2. Williamston 37, Marshall 31 – The Hornets were District champs a year ago but can set their sights higher, especially after handing this loss to the reigning Class B champion Redhawks.
3. Ypsilanti Arbor Prep 52, Muskegon Mona Shores 39 – The Sailors rightly have Class A title aspirations this winter, but reigning Class C champion Arbor Prep is loaded with future college players as well and should be a contender despite moving into Class B.
4. Manistee 50, Frankfort 34 – One of the few hiccups on Manistee’s run to the Class B Quarterfinals last season was a loss in the regular-season finale to Frankfort, which won 18 games total as the Chippewas finished 21-4.
5. Dearborn 50, Northville 49 – The Mustangs beat Dearborn 49-38 on opening night last season and ended the winter in the Class A Quarterfinals; Dearborn, which won 16 games last season, will be hoping for similar momentum.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each class making sparks:
CLASS A
Canton (2-0) – The Chiefs are coming off a league title and 17-5 record after ending last season in the District Final; they look poised for more after a week that included handing Detroit Cass Tech a 56-30 defeat and avenging last season’s opening loss to Marian with a 43-40 victory over the Mustangs.
Marquette (2-0) – The Redettes are seeking their third straight 20-win season and finished last week with a 39-38 victory over Brighton, which had opened with two wins.
CLASS B
Edwardsburg (2-0) – The Eddies tied for second last season in the Wolverine Conference South, just a win behind champion Sturgis; they have the upper hand early this time after beating Sturgis 61-38 following a 37-32 opening-night win over Niles.
Ypsilanti Arbor Prep (3-0) – The Gators are wasting no time making their Class B presence felt after winning Class C a year ago; the win over Mona Shores is proof last winter’s 25-2 record could transfer, especially since Arbor Prep played mostly bigger schools last regular season too.
CLASS C
Charlevoix (2-0) – Much is expected from 6-foot-1 freshman Elise Stuck, and she’s made good by turning last season’s 36-point loss to Petoskey in a 43-39 win this time and last year’s 28-point defeat to Cheboygan into a 60-32 victory for the Rayders.
Michigan Center (1-0) – The Cardinals have played only one game, but hope a 43-40 overtime win over Jonesville proves telling. Last season, Michigan Center fell by nine to Jonesville and went on to finish 6-15 while Jonesville was 19-3.
CLASS D
Portland St. Patrick (2-0) – An up-and-down 2015-16 saw St. Patrick enter the ostseason with a losing record but reach its Regional Final; all signs point to keeping the good times rolling after a first week with wins over Lansing Christian (43-36) and Fulton (55-51).
Wolverine (2-0) – With nine losses over its final 10 games last winter, Wolverine slid to a 6-14 finish. The Wildcats are one-third of the way to equaling their success after beating Northport 39-33 in overtime and then Atlanta.
Can't-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday: East Lansing (1-0) at DeWitt (2-0) – These two Lansing-area Class A powers regularly meet, with DeWitt claiming a 12-point win last winter before both went on to division championships in the Capital Area Activities Conference.
Tuesday: Muskegon (1-0) at Grand Rapids Catholic Central (1-1) – After graduating the Miss Basketball runner-up from a year ago, the Big Reds can continue to see how they might measure up against an annual Class B power.
Tuesday: Reese (1-1) at Millington (1-0) – These two combined to go 32-13 last season, with Reese winning their lone meeting by 18 points; the Rockets are coming off an 11-point win over Frankenmuth, which won Millington’s Tri-Valley Conference East last winter.
Wednesday: Morenci (1-1) at Pittsford (2-0) – The reigning Class D champion Wildcats have increased their winning streak to 29 straight; Morenci won 13 games last season before falling to Pittsford in their District.
Friday: Sault Ste. Marie (1-0) at St. Ignace (0-0) – The Blue Devils’ 15-6 run last season included a split with the Straits Area Conference rival Saints, who as usual ended up in a Class C Quarterfinal.
Second Half’s weekly “Breslin Bound” reports are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Student Financial Services Bureau located within the Michigan Department of Treasury. MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information, including various student financial assistance programs to help make college more affordable for Michigan students. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 savings programs (MET/MESP) and eight additional aid programs within its Student Scholarships and Grants division. Click for more information and connect with MI Student Aid on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
PHOTO: Flint Carman-Ainsworth (defending) earned its first win of the season Friday, 65-26 over Swartz Creek. (Click for more from Varsity Monthly.)
Breslin Bound: 2023-24 Girls Report Week 11
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 19, 2024
Premium matchups over the last week further amped up the playoff frenzy in Michigan high school girls basketball – and the beginning of the MHSAA Tournament is still two weeks away.
But expect the excitement to just keep building – especially with Sunday’s announcement of this season’s District bracket pairings.
The formula for those brackets has been released, making this a week full of forecasting as teams and fans figure out how their teams fit based on the still-shifting Michigan Power Ratings. Several more big matchups are coming up, so more movement could be on the way – stay tuned.
“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 62, East Kentwood 54 The reigning Division 1 champion Rams (19-1) moved back into first place alone in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red by avenging their 60-54 loss to East Kentwood (15-3) from Jan. 19.
2. Chelsea 51, Tecumseh 35 Two weeks after Tecumseh (14-4) made headlines with its first win over Chelsea (15-4) since 2016, the Bulldogs won the rematch to create a tie atop the Southeastern Conference White with one league game left for both.
3. Portland 51, Lansing Catholic 44 The Raiders (16-1) avenged their lone loss of the season, 62-34 to reigning Division 2 champion Lansing Catholic (13-4) on Jan. 9, to move within one more league win of clinching a share of the Capital Area Activities Conference White.
4. Detroit Renaissance 66, Detroit Cass Tech 27 The Phoenix (18-1) added to their Detroit Public School League Blue title with the PSL Tournament championship, as Cass Tech (12-9) finished runner-up in both.
5. Ishpeming 70, Baraga 43 These are two of the top small-school teams statewide, with Ishpeming (17-1) attempting to earn a share of the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference East title and Baraga (15-4) the reigning Division 4 runner-up and current overall leader in the Copper Mountain Conference.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
DeWitt (17-2) The Panthers clinched a share of the Capital Area Activities Conference Blue title by downing East Lansing 54-42 and can finish an outright championship run Tuesday against second-place Holt. They’ve won nine straight since a one-point loss to Haslett (13-7) on Jan. 17; the only other defeat was to Byron Center (15-4). All but one victory, an eight-pointer over Williamston (14-4), came by 12 or more points. DeWitt also owns a 58-44 win over Saline (see below).
Saline (15-3) The Hornets will need help to catch Temperance Bedford (15-2) in the Southeastern Conference Red, with one more league loss and two league games to play. But they won Friday’s rematch with the Kicking Mules 38-32 and are tracking to match and potentially surpass last season’s 21-4 overall finish. Six wins total have come over opponents with double-digit victories, with others against Grass Lake (15-4), Riverview (15-3) and Dexter (14-5) and the losses to Bedford, Dexter and DeWitt.
DIVISION 2
Grand Rapids Catholic Central (13-6) Despite a 2-4 start, Grand Rapids Catholic Central has shown itself more than capable of hanging with the contenders in Division 2. Few teams have losses to a more impressive group – Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard (20-0), East Kentwood (15-3), Chelsea (15-4), Grand Rapids West Catholic (17-1), Detroit Edison (15-2) and Kenowa Hills (12-6) – and that no doubt is expected to pay off in a District that includes West Catholic. The Cougars lead the O-K Gold and can clinch a share of the title Tuesday against Ottawa Hills before taking on second-place Wayland (13-6) on Friday for a possible outright championship. GRCC won the first game against Wayland 51-50 and also has handed Cedar Springs (15-3) two of its defeats.
Portland (16-1) As noted above, Portland is closing in on a potential CAAC White title share, made even more impressive became Lansing Catholic also is a solid contender to repeat as Division 2 champion next month and four of eight teams in the league have won at least 10 games. Portland definitely is in the Division 2 title conversation as well, and actually would host the District Final matchup with the Cougars in three weeks if the bracket works out that way. The Raiders have just the one loss, plus nine wins against opponents with 11 victories or more, including 46-40 over Grand Rapids Covenant Christian (14-4). A few more interesting challenges are ahead, notably Friday against Division 1 Flint Carman-Ainsworth and next week at Williamston.
DIVISION 3
Lake City (17-2) Last season’s 24-2 run ended with an overtime Regional Final loss to eventual Division 3 champion Hemlock, and this season began with losses to 2023 Division 2 runner-up Frankenmuth (16-2) and Evart (14-3). Lake City hasn’t lost again, taking the rematch with Evart and defeating Manton (16-4) twice to take the lead in the Highland Conference, while also downing Elk Rapids (17-2) and Morley Stanwood (15-2) along the way. In fact, the 44-40 win over Elk Rapids on Dec. 20 was the team’s only single-digit victory until defeating Manton 37-29 on Friday. Wednesday’s trip to Division 2 Hart (13-4) is another matchup to watch.
St. Charles (17-1) The Bulldogs have clinched the outright championship in the Mid-State Activities Conference, making them 4-for-4 on league titles since joining the MSAC, with three of those outright. Last season’s 24-3 run ended in a Division 4 Quarterfinal defeat to eventual champion Glen Lake, and St. Charles is in Division 3 this time – with its lone loss 53-35 in the season opener to reigning Division 3 title winner Hemlock. The 17-game winning streak has included victories over Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (16-3) twice, including 54-43 on Friday, plus pairs over Breckenridge (13-5) and Fulton (12-7).
DIVISION 4
Kinross Maplewood Baptist (15-3) The Black Bears have won 17 and 16 games the last two seasons, and they may be taking another step if Friday’s 55-29 win over Mackinaw City (18-1) is an indication. Mackinaw City is the Northern Lakes Conference champion, and Maplewood’s losses were twice to Big Bay de Noc (15-2) in finishing second in the Northern Lights League and once to Beaver Island. The Black Bears also have twice doubled up Engadine, which ended Maplewood’s season a year ago. They are leading the race for the top seed in the District at Rudyard and finish up the regular season this weekend at the NLL Tournament.
Lake Leelanau St. Mary (14-2) The Eagles may be coming off a loss Saturday to Division 1 Bedford (15-2), but they have plenty of wins to boost their candidacy as contenders next month. St. Mary won 11 straight before the Bedford loss, including over reigning Division 4 champion Glen Lake (14-5), St. Ignace (12-6) and Gaylord St. Mary (12-6). The other loss was Dec. 12, to Division 3 Benzie Central, and the Eagles will get one more big test next week against Division 2 Sault Ste. Marie (11-4) before jumping into the District at Leland. They currently would get the second seed after Glen Lake, which ended St. Mary’s run a year ago.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – Holland West Ottawa (14-4) at Rockford (19-1) – West Ottawa’s biggest fans this week are probably at East Kentwood, as Rockford can clinch a share of the O-K Red title with a win but the Falcons will still have a title hope if West Ottawa avenges an earlier loss to the Rams.
Thursday – Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard (20-0) at Detroit Renaissance (18-1) – The Operation Friendship matchup is a rematch of last season’s meeting of league champions that ended in a 53-52 overtime win for FGR, Renaissance’s only loss of the 2022-23 regular season.
Thursday – Portage Central (16-0) at Stevensville Lakeshore (15-2) – Central brings a one-game lead into this Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West finale after winning the first meeting with Lakeshore 53-44 on Jan. 18.
Friday – Belleville (17-1) at Detroit Edison (15-2) – Belleville is undefeated in Michigan and only one of Edison’s losses was in-state as these two both have high aspirations for next month in Divisions 1 and 2, respectively.
Friday – Munising (14-3) at Bark River-Harris (17-1) – These two are undefeated in the Skyline Central Conference Large schools division as Bark River-Harris seeks to claim a fifth-straight league title.
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) Detroit Renaissance and Cass Tech face off during Sunday's Detroit Public School League Tournament Final at Wayne State; Renaissance won 66-27. (Middle) Saginaw United brought a large Dow Center crowd a 48-43 win over Flint Carman-Ainsworth. (Top photo by Olivia B. Photography; middle photo by Kolleth Photo.)