Martinez Back on Point for John Glenn
December 14, 2015
By Bill Khan
Special for Second Half
BANGOR TOWNSHIP — Laying on the basketball court in pain, Kalle Martinez didn't need a medical opinion to know she was in trouble.
"I knew that the pain I felt I'd never felt before, so I knew something was definitely wrong," she said.
The diagnosis: A torn anterior cruciate ligament in her knee.
What followed was one of the toughest periods in Martinez's young life — life without basketball.
The injury happened during a team camp at Central Michigan University during the summer of 2014, putting her sophomore season at Bay City John Glenn in jeopardy.
While going through rehab was physically and emotionally challenging, she approached the grind of getting healthy with the same work ethic that made Martinez a star as a freshman on a strong varsity team.
"It just gave me motivation when I found out what happened to get better and keep playing like I know how," said Martinez, who said she first picked up a basketball at age 4.
As a result, she was back on the court by mid-January, well ahead of schedule for someone with a torn ACL. She played in 13 out of the Bobcats' 19 games, averaging 10 points a game after putting up 18.8 per game as a freshman.
"Basketball is her life," John Glenn coach Cory Snider said. "When a huge portion of your life gets taken away from you, it's pretty tough. I tell you what, the same way she plays basketball, she attacked her rehab. She came back in 7½, 8 months from an ACL, which is normally a full year's recovery time. She wasn't herself, obviously, for those first couple months, but we kept saying 60 percent of Kalle is better than no Kalle."
"I was not 100 percent at all, but I wanted to play with my friends," the 5-foot-6 point guard said. "I knew I wasn't able to do what I used to do, so I worked with what I had and built from there."
Unable to physically work on her game during her rehab, Martinez tried to improve herself in other ways.
"I watched a lot of film," said Martinez, who received all-state honorable mention as a freshman. "I really just paid attention to detail and how to correct myself."
"She's back to where she was athletically her freshman year," Snider said. "She looks the same. However, she's become a much more intelligent basketball player, which is a huge difference. She sees the floor so much better. That was part of the process of going through that injury last year. She was forced to learn how to play the game instead of just beating everybody."
Martinez was healthy enough by summer to impress the staff at Central Michigan, which offered her a scholarship before the start of her junior year. Martinez accepted, removing the pressure of the recruiting process for her final two years of high school.
"It's a good feeling," she said. "I feel I made the right decision going there. I feel I'm going to fit in really well. It's kind of a relief to know I don't have to go to this camp to get noticed. I feel at home at CMU."
She also feels more like her old self at John Glenn, leading the Bobcats to a 5-0 start that included a 53-44 victory over a Southfield-Lathrup team ranked No. 1 regardless of class in several preseason polls. Martinez had 18 points in that game, hitting five 3-pointers.
"I feel good," Martinez said. "I feel 100 percent now. I'm blessed, because not everyone can say they came back completely."
Martinez doesn't need to fill up the net every night, because she runs an offense that includes Grand Valley State University recruits Jenai LaPorte and Cassidy Boensch.
LaPorte is a three-time honorable mention all-state pick who is John Glenn's all-time leading scorer with 1,223 career points. She averages 14.2 points per game this season, and Martinez adds 12.6. The 6-foot-3 Boensch averages 15.8 points and 8.3 rebounds. Jamie Brisson averages 8.3 points.
"This is the best team we've had by far," LaPorte said. "Just the way we've been playing together for some people four years, for some three years. We have a lot of experience. We know what everyone likes to do."
It's an experienced lineup that has its sights set on winning John Glenn's first District championship since 1991 — and more.
The Bobcats have been a District championship-caliber team in recent years, but were eliminated by Midland Bullock Creek the past three seasons. Bullock Creek reached the MHSAA Class B Semifinals in 2013 and 2014 and was ranked No. 1 last year when it won a 40-39 overtime thriller against John Glenn in the District Semifinals. The Bobcats reached the District Final four straight years before losing in the semis last season.
In order to be better prepared for the postseason, John Glenn loaded up its nonconference schedule. The first five games included Class A contenders Southfield-Lathrup and Detroit Renaissance, 26-time District champion Frankenmuth and Class A Midland. The Bobcats face five-time MHSAA champion Saginaw Nouvel on Wednesday.
"Coming into the year, our mindset was we'd rather go 15-5 and make a deep run in the playoffs than go 20-0 and possibly not be ready for tournament time," Snider said. "We want to make sure we're battle-tested and ready to go once that tournament rolls around. This first two weeks for us has been killer."
Bill Khan served as a sportswriter at The Flint Journal from 1981-2011 and currently contributes to the State Champs! Sports Network. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Genesee, Lapeer, St. Clair, Sanilac, Huron, Tuscola, Saginaw, Bay, Arenac, Midland and Gladwin counties.
PHOTO: Kalle Martinez sets up Bay City John Glenn's offense during last season's game against Saginaw Nouvel. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Breslin Bound: 2022-23 Girls Report Week 11
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 13, 2023
It’s just about time for 12 weeks of results to provide the first signs on the roadmap for the final three weeks of this girls basketball season.
The District seeding process, based on Michigan Power Ratings (MPR), will produce the top two seeded teams in every District bracket this upcoming Sunday – and by noon those full Districts will be drawn based also on the formula for this year’s brackets determined this past Sunday. See the MPR page of the MHSAA Website for explanations of the formula and all other things MPR-related.
“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. Detroit Edison 51, Ypsilanti Arbor Prep 35 The Division 2 Pioneers (14-3) won this matchup of 2022 Finals champions, downing Division 3’s Arbor Prep (12-5).
2. Calumet 59, Escanaba 57 The Division 3 Copper Kings (13-4) bounced back from a one-point loss to Negaunee three days earlier to hand the Division 2 Eskymos (15-1) their lone loss this season.
3. Coldwater 57, Jackson Northwest 51 These two are tied atop the Interstate 8 Athletic Conference standings after Coldwater (17-1) avenged a four-point Jan. 10 loss to the Mounties (16-2).
4. Traverse City St. Francs 47, Elk Rapids 43 (OT) The Gladiators (15-2) pulled a half-game ahead of Elk Rapids in the Lake Michigan Conference standings thanks to finishing a regular-season sweep of the Elks (14-3).
5. Hancock 36, Houghton 29 The Calumet win above may have caught more eyes statewide, but Hancock’s over the rival Gremlins (15-2) clinched a share of the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference West title and moved the Bulldogs to 15-1 overall.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Temperance Bedford (18-1) The Kicking Mules are staring down a possible first league title in more than a decade, which tells you plenty about the Southeastern Conference Red as they’ve averaged 17.3 wins total over that time. They’re in line for that opportunity with three league games to play thanks to a 37-29 win over co-leader Saline (16-3) on Friday, after taking their only defeat from the Hornets – by 17 – just two weeks earlier. Bedford sits No. 8 in Division 1 MPR.
Utica Ford (16-1) The Falcons won the Macomb Area Conference White by four games, and lost this season only on Dec. 6 to Rochester (15-3). The league title was Ford’s first since 2016-17, and the 16 wins equal last season’s total and include nine over teams that are or would be .500 or better without losses to the Falcons. They’ll play Macomb Dakota in a MAC Red/White Tournament semifinal on Tuesday.
DIVISION 2
Detroit Edison (14-3) The reigning Division 2 champions moved into the top spot in Division 2 MPR this week, with a 9-1 record against in-state MHSAA opponents after opening with six of their first seven games against teams from Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. The Pioneers came back from a Jan. 31 loss to West Bloomfield (17-2) with wins over Farmington Hills Mercy (16-2), Grand Rapids Catholic Central, Detroit Cass Tech and Ypsilanti Arbor Prep (12-5). They’ll finish their in-state schedule against Frankenmuth and Grosse Pointe South.
Warren Fitzgerald (18-0) The Spartans arguably have undergone the most significant turnaround of any program, girls or boys, statewide this season after finishing 1-16 a year ago. They won the MAC Silver by five games and take on New Haven in a Tuesday MAC Bronze/Silver Tournament semifinal after winning their first meeting this season by 39. Early victories over Hazel Park (13-5) and Marine City (14-3) were signs of the program’s rebound, and no opponent has gotten within single digits since Jan. 5.
DIVISION 3
Hemlock (15-3) The Huskies wrapped up an outright Tri-Valley Conference 10-1 championship with a 72-53 win over second-place Standish-Sterling (15-3). Their only losses came to three Division 2 teams in the TVC-8 – Saginaw Swan Valley (14-4), Freeland (14-4) and Frankenmuth (15-2), and in addition they have notable wins over St. Charles (16-2), Ithaca (15-3) and Division 1 Midland Dow (11-7). The St. Charles win avenged Hemlock’s loss in last year’s District.
Niles Brandywine (15-2) The Bobcats will finish second in the Lakeland Athletic Conference with those two losses to league champion Buchanan, but can secure second alone Friday against Benton Harbor. Brandywine also has wins over league leaders Bronson (15-3), Colon (14-4) and Cassopolis (13-4). The Bobcats finished 18-3 a year ago but ran into Buchanan in their first District game, and it’s possible they could meet again although at this moment they’ll be seeded on opposite sides of a strong bracket.
DIVISION 4
Hillman (15-3) The Tigers have won 11 straight in claiming the North Star League Little Dipper championship outright after sharing it last season. Some solid wins are bolstered by strong losses as well, as Hillman has fallen only to Eastern Upper Peninsula Athletic Conference champion Cedarville (13-3), twice, and Johannesburg-Lewiston (13-5). A second matchup with Division 3 Alcona (12-5) and a season-ender against Division 3 Oscoda should provide additional postseason prep.
St. Charles (16-2) The Bulldogs can clinch a share of the Mid-State Activities Conference championship Tuesday against Ashley, which would be their third in three seasons since joining the league. What’s new is that St. Charles is in Division 4 this season, coming off a Division 3 District title in 2022, and will almost assuredly enter this year’s bracket as the top seed thanks in part to a pair of wins over Carson City-Crystal (14-4) and those losses to Hemlock and Swan Valley.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Wednesday – Holt (15-2) at Flint Carman-Ainsworth (14-0) – Both are moving in on potential league championships but also are building high hopes for the Division 1 tournament.
Friday – Goodrich (17-1) at Lake Fenton (19-0) – Lake Fenton leads the Flint Metro League Stars by a game thanks to its 50-44 win over Goodrich on Jan. 20, but this will decide if the title is shared or outright.
Saturday – Haslett (19-0) at Rockford (16-1) – These league leaders also have high postseason hopes, with Rockford No. 1 in Division 1 MPR and Haslett No. 5 in Division 2.
Saturday – Detroit Catholic High School League finals – Championship games in both brackets will be played at University of Detroit Mercy.
Sunday – Detroit Public Schools League final – The championship game will tip off at 3 p.m. at Wayne State University.
MHSAA.com's weekly “Breslin Bound” previews and reviews are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Office of Postsecondary Financial Planning located within the Michigan Department of Treasury. MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
PHOTOS (Top) Farmington Hills Mercy's Owynn Evans runs the offense as her team clinched a share of the Catholic League Central championship last week with a 60-55 win over Dearborn Divine Child. (Middle) Ada Forest Hills Eastern's Amelia Elms (4) looks for an open teammate during Friday's 56-40 loss to Grand Rapids Catholic Central. (Below) A pair of Paw Paw defenders work to wall off Otsego's Madison Hoffman during their matchup earlier this season. (Photos by Douglas Bargerstock, Michigan Sports Photo and Gary Shook, respectively.)