Breslin Bound: Girls Report Week 6
January 9, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Generally, our Breslin Bound reports – powered by MI Student Aid – emphasize the week that was across the state in either girls or boys basketball.
But this week, it’s easy to jump to the bottom of this report and prep for what could be one of the season’s most exciting runs, starting with a Monday night rivalry game in the Upper Peninsula and ending with one of a number of great Friday matchups downstate.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week's five most intriguing results:
1. Warren Cousino 53, Port Huron Northern 51 – Reigning Class A champion Cousino opened with arguably the toughest first-half schedule in the state, and with the dust settled has emerged 7-2 and with this key Macomb Area Conference Red win over previously-undefeated Northern.
2. Lansing Waverly 55, DeWitt 47 – The Warriors’ three losses this season came against solid teams, but handing previously-undefeated DeWitt its first defeat could signal Waverly is ready to take a step into elite.
3. St. Ignace 80, Charlevoix 41 – Charlevoix entered as the undefeated team of the two, but both now have one loss as the Saints reasserted themselves as the north’s Class C measuring stick.
4. Norway 44, Ishpeming 42 – These two entered undefeated as well, but finished with Norway alone atop the Mid-Peninsula Athletic Conference standings.
5. Flint Hamady 43, Flint Beecher 31 – Hamady remained a step ahead of the rival Bucs as both are now in the Genesee Area Conference Red; their only meeting last season was a Hamady win in the District Final.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each class making sparks:
CLASS A
Battle Creek Lakeview (5-2) – A District champion a year ago, Lakeview has rebounded from a rough opening night against Mason to win five of its last six and its last four. The Spartans tied for second last season in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference East, but earned a 70-56 win over reigning champion Kalamazoo Central in their final game before the break.
Caledonia (7-1) – The Fighting Scots are a one-point opening-night loss to Richland Gull Lake from perfection this winter. They should be a contender in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red moving over after winning the O-K White last season.
CLASS B
Ida (7-0) – The Bluestreaks are another District winner from a year ago off to a great start, with six wins by double figures. They are tied for first with Blissfield in the Lenawee County Athletic Association, with the two teams that finished ahead of them last season – Brooklyn Columbia Central and the Royals – coming up this week.
Marine City (7-0) – A strong 16-4 season came to a first-round halt last winter against MAC Gold rival Marysville in the District. But the Mariners are off to a stronger start this winter thanks to Friday’s win over Vikings, who beat Marine City three times total during 2015-16.
CLASS C
Harbor Beach (8-0) – After going 12-9 with a first-round District exit last season, the Pirates have simply dominated winning all of their games by double figures and all but two by at least 25 points. The second victory this season was by 30 over Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker, which ended Harbor Beach’s 2015-16 season.
Sandusky (9-0) – Like Harbor Beach, Sandusky is pacing the Greater Thumb Conference East. The Redskins finished second last year but already have avenged two losses to reigning league champion Marlette, and get the chance Tuesday to avenge their other 2015-16 regular-season defeat, to Reese.
CLASS D
Baraga (5-1) – The Vikings are coming off a 12-10 season but lost seven of their last 10 last winter; they’re looking good to avoid that misstep this time, with four wins so far over teams they fell to during that streak, including last week’s victory over Lake Linden-Hubbell (50-42).
Rogers City (6-0) – The Hurons are halfway to last season’s win total and have avenged their District Final loss to Posen; downing solid Lincoln Alcona by 11 gives them nice footing in the North Star League’s Big Dipper division after tying with Alcona for second a year ago.
Can't-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Monday – Marquette (8-1) at Kingsford (6-1) – These two finished first and tied for second last season, respectively, in the Great Northern U.P. Conference, which includes the Upper Peninsula’s biggest schools.
Tuesday – Sandusky (9-0) at Reese (7-1) – These very well could be two of the best in the state in Class C and end the season as champions of their respective divisions of the Greater Thumb Conference.
Wednesday – Detroit Country Day (8-0) at Flint Hamady (7-0) – This one hardly needs an explanation; fans of girls basketball are used to seeing both of these teams in March at the Breslin Center.
Thursday – Detroit Martin Luther King (7-1) at Detroit East English (7-1) – East English will see how it measures up with the annual Public School League power in a matchup for first place in the East Division 1.
Friday – East Kentwood (7-1) at Caledonia (7-1) – See above for more on Caledonia; these two could be the best of an outstanding O-K Red this winter and have the best overall records so far.
PHOTO: Sandusky charges ahead during a 63-16 win over Deckerville on Dec. 28. (Photo by Varsity Monthly.)
Breslin Bound: 2023-24 Girls Report Week 7
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 22, 2024
The second half of this girls basketball regular season is upon us, and with it several teams are finding their ways into our “Breslin Bound” conversation.
The biggest headliner of last week certainly was East Kentwood, and we explain why below. The Falcons have just one loss this winter, but 19 teams have reached this point without experiencing defeat – and we discuss five of those as well, along with others continuing to emerge with six weeks remaining until the start of District play.
“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. East Kentwood 60, Rockford 54 The Falcons (10-1) handed reigning Division 1 champion Rockford (10-1) its first loss since Dec. 22, 2022, breaking the Rams’ 33-game winning streak and taking over first place alone in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red.
2. Portage Central 54, Stevensville Lakeshore 44 The Mustangs (9-0) won this matchup of undefeated teams to move a game ahead of Lakeshore (8-1) in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West standings.
3. Goodrich 44, Lake Fenton 36 The Martians (11-0) remained perfect and further avenged last season’s three regular-season losses to reigning Flint Metro League Stars and overall champion Lake Fenton (8-4).
4. Frankfort 59, St. Ignace 45 The Panthers (8-3) crossed the Bridge and won St. Ignace’s B.C. Pizza Classic, defeating the Saints (9-3) in the final after downing Menominee on Friday to advance.
5. Freeland 67, Chelsea 61 Freeland’s Falcons (9-1) won a matchup of Division 2 hopefuls, avenging last season’s 58-52 loss to the Bulldogs (8-3).
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Detroit Renaissance (12-0) Coming off last season’s 23-2 finish and run to the Division 1 Semifinals, Renaissance has raced back into contention with an early 53-46 win over reigning Division 2 champion Lansing Catholic and victories over Romulus and Detroit Country Day also among the most impressive. The Phoenix downed Muskegon 65-43 on Saturday and can clinch at least a share of the Detroit Public School League Blue title in its next game, next Monday against Detroit Cass Tech.
Rochester Hills Stoney Creek (9-0) With five of six teams in the Oakland Activities Association Red at 6-4 or better, and reigning Division 1 runner-up West Bloomfield sharing the league lead, Stoney Creek’s start is even more impressive. But the Cougars put themselves in this conversation a few seasons ago and have built on last year’s 17-7 run with victories over nine-win Romeo and Clarkston and by handing Royal Oak its lone loss. The first meeting with West Bloomfield comes up Jan. 30.
DIVISION 2
Adrian Madison (9-2) The Trojans moved into Division 2 this season after several in Division 3, and also switched to the Lenawee County Athletic Association from the Tri-County Conference. So far, so very good, as Madison already has bettered last season’s 7-15 record and sits just a half-game behind Blissfield in the league standings with their first of two meetings coming up Tuesday. What’s more, all but one of Madison’s opponents has a winning record or would if not for losing to the Trojans.
Paw Paw (8-1) The Red Wolves have finished second in the Wolverine Conference the last two seasons but could be the team to chase this winter. They defeated reigning champion Vicksburg 60-50 in their second game this season, which remains the Bulldogs’ only loss. Paw Paw did follow up that win with an 87-85 double-overtime loss to Edwardsburg, but the Red Wolves came back to defeat the Eddies 58-53 last week and then handed Otsego its first conference loss Friday, 55-39. Paw Paw plays Vicksburg again Feb. 2.
DIVISION 3
Kalamazoo Christian (8-1) Last season’s 22-4 run included a perfect 10-0 record in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley, and the Comets are halfway to repeating the latter accomplishment as they sit in first, one game ahead of rival Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep. Christian’s only loss was 68-44 to Grand Rapids Covenant Christian on Jan. 5 in their first game after break, and Martin and Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian are among upcoming opponents that should give the Comets similar tests as they ready for an intriguing postseason.
Ypsilanti Arbor Prep (8-2) Arbor Prep’s opponents have won 78.4 percent of their games this season, and yet Arbor Prep has bested that with losses only to undefeated Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard and one-loss Jackson Northwest. The Gators handed the only defeat to Flint Powers Catholic, 51-43, and as usual for the Division 3 contenders have a schedule loaded with challenges the rest of the way including undefeated Detroit Edison. Only one of Arbor Prep’s final 12 regular-season opponents doesn’t have a winning record at this point.
DIVISION 4
Gobles (6-3) As we move toward the midway point of the regular season for most of the state’s girls teams, Gobles ranks high in Division 4 Michigan Power Rating in part because of good losses to SAC Central rivals Martin and Saugatuck, both 8-1, and with its third defeat coming from Kalamazoo Christian (see above). Gobles also has defeated Hackett and opened the season with a 52-39 win over Watervliet, which ended the Tigers’ 2022-23 in the District. The Saugatuck rematch comes up Friday, and the second meeting with Martin is Feb. 2.
Portland St. Patrick (7-2) The Shamrocks have loaded the schedule again this winter, taking a loss to 2023 Division 2 semifinalist Grand Rapids West Catholic but handing Division 3 Ovid-Elsie its first defeat last week 51-45. St. Patrick followed the latter with a 56-33 win over reigning Central Michigan Athletic Conference champion Dansville. The Shamrocks also fell to one-loss Fowler 69-63 on Dec. 14, and that rematch is coming up Feb. 2 – but they certainly will be dialed in first for Wednesday’s home game against undefeated Bath, which with Fowler leads the CMAC this winter.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Thursday – Harbor Beach (10-1) at Sandusky (10-1) – These two are first and second, respectively, in the Greater Thumb Conference East, after Harbor Beach won the first meeting 30-26 on Jan. 2.
Friday – East Kentwood (10-1) at Grand Haven (10-1) – They join Rockford at 10-1 overall and as noted above, East Kentwood defeated Rockford last week to move into first alone in the O-K Red.
Friday – Fowler (9-1) at Bath (8-0) – Both are undefeated in CMAC play heading into their first of two meetings, the second set for Feb. 27.
Friday – Frankenmuth (8-2) at Freeland (9-1) – The Eagles hold a one-game edge in the Tri-Valley Conference Red thanks to their 53-51 win over the Falcons on Dec. 8.
Saturday – Rockford (10-1) vs. Lansing Catholic (7-3) at Calvin University – The reigning Division 1 and 2 champions, respectively, meet in the 6 p.m. game at the Calvin University Showcase.
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PHOTOS (Top) Otsego's Tessa Prough (31) puts up a shot during her team's 61-31 win over Sturgis last week. (Middle) A Clare player gets to the basket during her team's 51-36 win over Ithaca. (Top photo by Gary Shook; middle photo by High School Sports Scene.)