Breslin Bound: Girls Report Week 7
January 21, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Girls basketball teams are facing the final month of their regular seasons and for most a second run through a familiar slate of opponents.
Teams on this week's list are among those that took big steps last week toward finishing that slate strong as the tournament awaits at the end of February.
1. Frankfort (9-0, Class D) – The Panthers have returned to the elite in Class D and are on their way to besting last season’s 13-10 finish by the end of this month.
2. Pewamo-Westphalia (9-0, Class C) – The Pirates defeated rival Laingsburg on Friday to take over first place alone in the Central Michigan Athletic Conference.
3. Southgate Anderson (9-1, Class A) – The Titans are tops in the Downriver League, with their lone loss to solid Class B Eaton Rapids last month.
4. Wyoming (8-2, Class A) – The Wolves handed Coopersville its first league loss this season to take hold of the top spot alone in the O-K Blue.
5. McBain (8-2, Class C) – The Ramblers have stormed back with four straight wins after losing twice at the Motor City Roundball Classic and lead the Highland Conference by half a win.
6. Kingsley (8-3, Class B) – The Stags did fall to Frankfort on Friday, but should keep pace and could get another chance to play for a piece of the title.
7. Frankenmuth (7-3, Class B) – The Eagles absorbed a loss as well at the Roundball Classic, but have won six of their last seven and lead the Tri-Valley Conference East.
8. Manistee (8-0, Class B) – Playing as an independent is allowing the Chippewas to take on – and this season defeat – schools of various sizes from multiple conferences.
9. Waterford Kettering (8-1, Class A) – Kettering has won six straight and took the lead in the KLAA North with a four-point win over Waterford Mott last week.
10. Pickford (6-3, Class D) – The Panthers have rebounded from a 1-3 start to move into a tie for first in the Eastern Upper Peninsula Athletic Conference.
PHOTO: Waterford Kettering, here against Freeland last month, has won six straight to improve to 8-1 this winter. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Davis Sinks Memory-Maker This Time as West Bloomfield Downs Rockford in OT
By
Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com
March 22, 2024
EAST LANSING – West Bloomfield wanted badly to avenge last year’s loss to Rockford in the Division 1 Final.
The Lakers did so in dramatic fashion Friday.
Indya Davis banked in a 3-pointer at the regulation buzzer to force overtime, and West Bloomfield converted timely free throws during the extra session for a thrilling 55-47 win over the Rams in the second Division 1 Semifinal at Michigan State University’s Breslin Center.
“It took us 365 days and an extra quarter to get that back,” Lakers coach Darren McAllister said. “Since last year we felt like we left something in East Lansing and it was about Rockford because they beat us, but the big thing is it's not about Rockford. It’s about getting what we left in East Lansing and Rockford, which is a great coached team, was the next step.”
West Bloomfield (26-1) trailed the entire second half before Davis’ heroics.
“Before I took the shot, I told Summer (Davis, her twin sister) that I wanted the shot,” Davis said. “Give me the ball. As soon as that ball came off my hand, I knew it was good.
“That’s the type of shot you see in movies. You don’t think it's really going to go in, but we believed in it and practiced it. When it went in, it was our day.”
Summer Davis led the Lakers with 22 points and made 13 of 16 from the free throw line. She made 10 of 11 in overtime, accounting for all of West Bloomfield’s points during those additional minutes.
Indya Davis finished with 17 points and seven rebounds, the game-tying 3-pointer one of two she made from beyond the arc.
“I believe in her, so I wasn't about to question giving her the ball and it went in,” Summer Davis said. “It was a big surprise, but it wasn't because we came to win.”
McAllister wasn’t surprised to see that shot go in.
“That's Indya all day long, and we practice that,” he said. “I wasn't shocked by it because I knew at the end of the day they weren't ready to go home and schedule a banquet. They wanted to keep playing."
West Bloomfield will face Grand Blanc in Saturday’s Division 1 Final at 12:15 p.m.
The shot stunned the Rams (26-2), who appeared to be on their way to an opportunity to finish a repeat title run.
“I thought we were in a great position up three there in the closing moments,” Rockford coach Brad Wilson said. “We defended it pretty well, but hats off to them. They made a heck of a shot.
“It was tough when we saw that one go through. However, I think we really preached that (positive mentality) all season and we were ready to take on overtime and try and get the win.”
It was the third straight meeting at the Breslin between the two teams. West Bloomfield defeated Rockford in a Division 1 Semifinal in 2022 before the Rams’ victory last year – when Rockford took the final lead on a 3-pointer with 40 seconds to play.
“Losing to Rockford by four last year was unacceptable,” said Indya Davis, who finished with 17 points and seven rebounds. “We came back with a new fire this year, and we wanted to win. The rivalry between us and them is huge, and today we got the outcome.”
West Bloomfield led 15-10 in the first quarter, but the Rams responded and outscored the Lakers 19-5 in the second to take a 29-20 lead into halftime. A 7-0 run sparked the comeback, punctuated by Kate Higgins’ 3-pointer.
Despite the halftime deficit, the Lakers cranked up the defensive pressure and clawed back, getting to within six (39-33) after three quarters.
The Rams shot only 35 percent (15-43) from the field, including 4 of 19 from behind the 3-point arc. They were led by Anna’s Wypych’s 20 points. Jordan Mateer added 12 points, while Higgins, a sophomore, recorded 11 points and 13 rebounds.
PHOTOS (Top) West Bloomfield’s Destiny Washington (1) brings the ball up the court during Friday’s Division 1 Semifinal at Breslin Center. (Middle) Indya Davis (24) pulls up for a shot with Rockford’s Kate Higgins defender. (Photos by Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)