Focused on Finish, West Bloomfield Completes Run to Reign Again
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
March 23, 2024
EAST LANSING — Following Friday’s overtime Semifinal win over Rockford – a rematch of last season’s Division 1 championship game – many may have thought West Bloomfield already had clinched this year’s title.
But the deciding matchup with Grand Blanc still loomed Saturday, and trying to get over Friday’s emotional high was a bit of a task for the Lakers.
“A little bit,” West Bloomfield senior Summer Davis said. “But we came here for one goal, and that was to win a state championship. I think everybody got that.”
West Bloomfield left no doubt that there wouldn’t be a letdown from the start Saturday, holding Grand Blanc to just one point in the first quarter and ultimately cruising to a 60-30 win.
It was the second championship in three years for the Lakers, who finished a mission that began following a tough loss to Rockford in last year’s championship game.
The Lakers finished this season 27-1, unbeaten in Michigan with their only loss to an Ohio opponent.
“I couldn’t be more proud of our players,” West Bloomfield head coach Darrin McAllister said. “I’m super proud of our seniors. I’ve had them since they were sophomores. I kind of watched them grow up. They turned out to be two-time champions today, and I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
West Bloomfield wouldn’t have been in the title game if not for senior Indya Davis banking in a 3-pointer at the regulation buzzer Friday, forcing overtime in the Lakers’ eventual 55-47 win over the Rams.
West Bloomfield continued to roll right into Saturday, scoring the first 10 points against the Bobcats and ultimately leading 15-1 going into the second quarter.
“We had to have the mentality coming out of ‘don’t underestimate them,’” Summer Davis said. “Just play hard.”
The Lakers built their lead to 33-17 by halftime, and then all but put the game away outscoring Grand Blanc 18-8 in the third quarter and taking a 51-25 lead into the fourth.
The game was a rematch of a regular-season finale between the teams, which West Bloomfield won by 39 points.
Summer Davis scored 14 points, senior Kendall Hendrix had 13 and Indya Davis had 11 points and eight rebounds for West Bloomfield, which shot 53.7 percent from the field and 8 of 18 from 3-point range.
Grand Blanc was making its first appearance in a Final and finished its season 23-5. Senior Chelsea Bishop scored 20 points to lead the Bobcats, which shot 26.2 percent from the field and made just 2 of 15 shots from 3-point range.
Grand Blanc also turned the ball over 19 times, and West Bloomfield capitalized with 12 points off those changes in possession.
“We thought we had to get a good start out of the gate, and we just didn’t,” Grand Blanc head coach Bob Taylor said. “We got behind early, and it seemed like it was all uphill.
“That team is very, very good. Every time they had a shot, they made it. They got the ball into the high post, they moved the ball and they played good defense. When we got behind, it was just hard.”
PHOTOS (Top) West Bloomfield players celebrate their Division 1 championship Saturday at Breslin Center. (Middle) Several players including the Lakers’ Kendall Hendrix (11) challenge for a loose ball. (Below) Indya Davis (24) pulls up for a jumper with Grand Blanc’s Kate DeWitt (20) defending. (Photos by Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)
Grand Blanc Starts Fast, Finishes Strong in Advancing to 1st Title Game
By
Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com
March 22, 2024
EAST LANSING – The formula for Grand Blanc’s success in Friday’s Division 1 Semifinal was simple.
Start the game fast, and finish the same way.
The Bobcats built an early double-digit lead, but had to stave off Belleville’s second-half comeback attempt to pull out a 54-45 win at Michigan State University’s Breslin Center.
Grand Blanc (23-4) scored 14 of the game’s final 17 points to advance to the program’s first Final.
“We thought it was going to be easier than it was after the way we started because we got off to a great start, but then momentum went the other way,” Bobcats coach Bob Taylor said. “We got off to a nice comfortable lead, and then they charged back in the third quarter.
“It was give and take after that, and we were fortunate enough to make some plays in the end.”
Grand Blanc sprinted out to an early 10-0 and increased it to 19-6 by the end of the first quarter.
Senior Kate DeWitt, who played all 32 minutes, made a pair of 3-pointers to ignite the fast start.
“We started out well, but after they came back we just needed to stay calm, cool and collected,” DeWitt said. “We didn’t want the season to stop, and it’s just basketball. It’s a simple game.
“We just had to play our game (at the end), and there’s no words to describe how this feels right now. All I can do is smile.”
Despite the rocky start, Belleville, which didn’t arrive until 11:30 a.m. due to the snowy weather conditions, didn’t waver. The Tigers slowly chipped away at the early deficit.
A 3-pointer by SeCrette Carter and a lay-up from Jordan Petersen during the final minute of the second quarter cut the Grand Blanc advantage to 25-15 at the half.
Belleville freshman sensation Sydney Savoury then led a furious third-quarter surge.
The 6-foot forward scored 11 of her game-high 24 points in the third and drained a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Tigers their first lead of the game, 37-35.
Belleville outscored the Bobcats 22-10 during the period.
“We started off in the first quarter real slow, but we kept our tempo and we knew we would make a run and we did that at the end of the third quarter and into the fourth,” Tigers coach Jason Wilkins said. “Our shots weren’t falling at first, but then they started falling and our defensive intensity picked up.
“But credit to Grand Blanc. They didn’t give up, they fought hard and made the clutch plays when they were needed.”
The Tigers led 42-40 with six minutes left, but managed only three points the rest of the game as Grand Blanc’s defense tightened.
“The mindset was to keep their key players from shooting,” said Grand Blanc senior Chelsea Bishop, who had 13 points and four steals.
“They started to get hot in the second half, so it was just keeping them from shooting and driving.
Grand Blanc junior Rayven McQueen, who finished 6 of 9 from the field for 12 points, scored back-to-back buckets to cap a 10-0 run and put the Bobcats ahead 50-42 with 2:28 remaining in the game.
Friday’s was the first trip to the Semifinals for Belleville (24-3) after the team won its first Regional title since 2001.
“Grand Blanc was the better team today, but I’m proud of my team and getting here was a great accomplishment.”
Starting guard Parc Liggins led Grand Blanc with 14 points and was 5 of 6 from the free throw line.
PHOTOS (Top) Grand Blanc’s Rayven McQueen (21) makes a move toward the basket during Friday’s first Division 1 Semifinal at Breslin Center. (Middle) Malaya Brown (24) looks to get to the lane with Belleville’s Sydney Savoury (31) defending. (Photos by Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)