Breslin Bound: Girls Report Week 1

December 3, 2012

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

More than 700 girls basketball teams hope to be playing at Michigan State University's Breslin Center when this season ends. 

That may be fourth months away. But those quests began last week. 

Each Monday, Second Half will tell you about 10 teams and individuals who jumped out the week before. What's below isn't any sort of statewide ranking – merely a top-10 list of notables for fans no matter where they live and who they will cheer on this winter. 

I fully admit I won't be able to catch every team that does something special. That's where you come in. Post below and let us know which teams did what, or who we should watch coming up. 

1. Brownstown-Woodhaven (1-0) – Much is expected this season out of the Warriors, who finished 22-2 last season. And Detroit Country Day is replacing an all-state backcourt that graduated a year ago. But a win over Country Day is still a win over Country Day, and Brownstown-Woodhaven got one Saturday, 54-52.

2. Goodrich (1-0) – The reigning Class B champion beat the reigning Class C runner-up, Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett, 51-42. Goodrich still has a number of key pieces from last season’s run, while University Liggett has a few too, but is replacing Miss Basketball Madison Ristovski.

3. AuGres-Sims (2-0) – Welcome to high school basketball, Cassidy Boensch. AuGres’ 6-foot-2 freshman had 29 points, 17 rebounds, 16 blocks and 13 steals in her team’s 55-16 win over Whittemore-Prescott, and then 28 points, 12 rebounds and 10 blocks in a 51-42 win over Fairview. Click to read more from the Bay City Times.

4. East Lansing (1-0) – The Trojans and Lansing Waverly regularly have been the Lansing area’s best over the last decade and regularly face each other on the first Friday. This time the Trojans won big, 72-44.

5. West Bloomfield (1-0) – West Bloomfield got off to a good start with a 52-44 win over a team that has finished the last three seasons with victories. Waterford Our Lady has won the last three Class D championships.

6. Hartland (2-0) – The Eagles returned to the court after their 21-win season and second straight District title with a pair of close victories. Hartland beat Holly 36-31 and then Fenton 49-48.

7. Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary (2-0) – The Cardinals showed perhaps some of the poise they learned during last season’s run to the Class D Quarterfinals. They won two close ones over Class B teams, 49-47 over Standish Sterling and 33-31 over Hemlock.

8. Oxford (2-0) – The Wildcats won 10 games last season, and are 20 percent of the way to equaling that total thanks to a pair of close wins. Oxford edged Rochester 35-34 on opening night, then Farmington Hills Harrison 30-27.

9. Leroy Pine River (1-1) – The Bucks rebounded from an opening-night loss to Reed City to double up the reigning Class C champion, Morley-Stanwood, 57-25.

10. Shepherd (2-0) – The Bluejays opened with wins against both teams that call Mount Pleasant home. They beat Class D Sacred Heart 46-37 and Class A Mount Pleasant High 36-23. 

PHOTO: Fowler defeated Ithaca 51-37 on Tuesday. The Eagles are among teams that have begun 2-0 this season. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)

Moment: Powers Avenges 1999 Defeat

April 20, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

After being stung by Detroit Country Day’s fourth-quarter comeback and buzzer-beating game winner in the 1999 Class B Final, the Flint Powers Catholic girls basketball team would not offer an opportunity for the same dramatic ending in the teams’ 2000 rematch.

This time, the Chargers halted Country Day’s fourth-quarter surge a few points short, holding on for a 47-42 victory.

Senior Kelly Koerber – Powers’ leading scorer in the 1999 defeat – again set the pace, putting up 19 points while connecting on 9 of 12 shots from the floor. The Chargers actually trailed Country Day by two at halftime before going on a 15-4 third-quarter run to take a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Koerber’s future Western Michigan teammate Carrie Moore led Country Day in scoring this time with 19 points as well.

The win gave Powers a 27-1 record for the season, its only loss coming to Flushing by a point. Powers would go on to also win the third-straight Class B Final matchup between the Chargers and Yellowjackets in 2001, 54-53, to cap a perfect 28-0 season.

Here’s the full broadcast of the 2000 Final from FOX Sports Detroit.