Early Jitters Fade Away as Glen Lake Makes Way to Championship Day
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
March 16, 2023
EAST LANSING — As far as a good sign despite futility goes, this couldn’t have been any better for Maple City Glen Lake in its Division 4 Semifinal against Adrian Lenawee Christian on Thursday.
Glen Lake had shot 3 of 20 from the field in the first quarter, despite many of those opportunities coming from close range near the basket.
But the Lakers still led 10-4.
From there, the shooting picked up and so did the lead throughout the next three quarters for Glen Lake, which ended up surging to a 49-31 win.
The Lakers will attempt to win their first Finals championship since claiming the Class D title in 1978 when they meet Baraga at 10 a.m. Saturday.
“You felt their nerves,” Glen Lake head coach Jason Bradford said. “I just told them at halftime to slow it down. Slow it down, face up, see that hoop and put it in. I think the nerves got a little bit better in the second half, and they had better composure.”
Glen Lake started to find the basket more in the second quarter, scoring 15 points in the frame to take a 25-11 lead into halftime.
The Lakers built their lead to 18 points at 31-13 with 5:13 remaining in the third quarter and held a 37-20 lead going into the fourth.
Glen Lake took a 45-24 lead with 4:50 left and was never threatened.
Senior Maddie Bradford had 18 points and 12 rebounds, and senior Ruby Hogan nearly had a triple-double registering 13 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds to lead the way for Glen Lake (25-2).
The Lakers dominated the boards, outrebounding Lenawee Christian by a 47-30 margin and collecting 20 offensive rebounds.
“I think that was huge,” Jason Bradford said. “Rebound, rebound. We preach it in practice, and we’re always working on that. You have to be aggressive. Rebounds are kind of like extra (possessions) and free points.”
Isabelle Kirkendall scored 11 points and Avery Sluss added eight for the Cougars (18-11).
Lenawee Christian returned to the Semifinals despite losing four starters from last year’s team, this time guided by first-year head coach Emilie Beach.
“Big picture, this is so special,” Beach said. “At our school, it seems like the norm to win your District, win your Regional and get to the Final Four. This is so special.”
Glen Lake was making its second-straight Semifinal trip as well after losing in Division 3 a year ago, and seemed to overall benefit from that experience despite the slow start offensively.
“Nerves are going to come,” Hogan said. “You know it’s going to be there, and you’re going to have slip-ups because you are getting used to the big crowd at this stage. Just being able to bounce back from that in the second quarter and second half and making those shots you missed in the first quarter (was nice).”
PHOTOS (Top) Glen Lake’s Jessie Pugh (14) gets through the lane and to the basket during Thursday’s second Division 4 Semifinal at Breslin Center. (Middle) Players scramble for a loose ball during the Lakers’ eventual 49-31 victory.
In Memoriam: Brenda Henry (1967-2021)
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
April 30, 2021
Brendaettie “Brenda” Henry, a dedicated academic and athletic presence at Detroit Western International High School for more than three decades and an integral member of the tournament management staff annually for the MHSAA Girls & Boys Basketball Finals at Breslin Center, died unexpectedly April 21.
Henry had served on staff at Western since 1989, most recently as an academic interventionalist in charge of working with seniors and getting them scholarships, and she also oversaw Western’s night school IMPACT (formerly Second Chance) Program that assists high school students with credit recovery.
She also had served as Western’s athletic director for four years and coached volleyball, basketball and track & field, and she was a registered MHSAA basketball official for 14 of the last 16 seasons.
Every winter for nearly 15 seasons, Henry’s educational service extended to her MHSAA basketball family as she contributed to championship weekends at Breslin and previously Eastern Michigan University.
“Brenda had a huge heart for people, and that’s why she was such a valuable part of our basketball tournament staff for so many years,” MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said. “She was a huge reason the Breslin experience has been special for so many people.”
Henry, an alum of Detroit Northern High School, worked in Detroit Public Schools for more than 35 years total. She also was a sign language interpreter and active part of her church community.