Warren Cousino’s Aubrey Holman, Kierra Fletcher, and teammates celebrate defeating Hudsonville 60-45, during the MHSAA girls basketball Class A game 2 semifinals at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Mich. on Friday, March 18, 2016.

Early and often.

That’s how Warren Cousino junior Kierra Fletcher scored — and her teammates followed right along to build an unsurmountable 11-0 lead over Hudsonville on the way to the Patriots’ Class A semifinal win, 60-45, Friday afternoon at the Breslin Center.

“I felt we set the tone early on, as far as defensively, and it helps when you hit your first four shots that you take,” Cousino coach Mike Lee said. “Kate (McArthur) set the tone, especially from the outside range, and then Kierra set the tone on the inside part of it.

“When Kate gets hot early, it’s going to be a good day for us.”

Indeed, a good day for Fletcher as well.

Her 37 points tied for third all-time in a state semifinal game. She went 14-for-20 from the field and 9-for-13 at the free throw line, then added nine rebounds with five assists.

“She’s a human press breaker and one of the best free throw shooters,” Lee said. “She has a good jumper, but you would never know it because she doesn’t really take them because she’s always driving to the hole and looking for her teammates. She can find that girl on the weak-side block. The most unselfish player for somebody of her caliber.”

Fletcher said part of the Patriots’ motivation was their identity.

“We came into the tournament, we knew that we were sleepers and we just wanted to prove to everyone in the state wrong, because half of Michigan calls our school Casino, or Coosino,” she said. “So we’re happy that we’re getting Cousino on the map.”

With a 21-8 lead after one quarter and a 32-18 halftime edge, the early spurt held up. Cousino did climb to a 20-point lead in the third when Hudsonville went scoreless for five minutes, before a solid fourth quarter when it scored 18 points. Shaina DenBesten led Hudsonville (23-4) with 15 points, while Chloe Guingrich added 12.

“I just wanted to come out and get an early lead on them because we knew they have great post (players) and we didn’t want to get down in the game,” Fletcher said.

Both Lee and Fletcher credited freshmen McArthur and Mackenzie Cook for the early spurt as well, with their combined four triples in the first half.

“They’re two of the best freshmen in Michigan in my opinion,” Fletcher said. “Kate can knock down threes left and right. Cook can knock down the jumper and she’s quick and can take you on the first step.”

Cousino (23-4) has only one senior on the team, Mackenzie Anderson, who sat more than normal due to foul trouble.

“Even though this may be the farthest we’ve gotten, I think the years before have prepared me to help the younger kids get situated,” Anderson said. “Since we do have a fairly young team, a lot of people thought that since we don’t have that senior enthusiasm in the playoffs, maybe we would lack a little bit.”

That didn’t happen, so the Patriots get their first shot at a state championship.

Grand Rapids South Christian’s Jennifer DeBoer drives the lane Friday against Birmingham Detroit Country Day’s Arika Tolbert. “We weren’t expected to be here, so we were able to just go out and play,” said DeBoer.

EAST LANSING – It was a bad look for Birmingham Detroit Country Day from the opening tip of Friday’s Class B semifinal.

Slow starters most of the season, the defending champions threw the ball all over the Breslin Center (18 turnovers) and couldn’t make a shot (32.1%) in what turned out to be a 57-46 setback to a well-prepared Grand Rapids South Christian group.

The Sailors (25-2), were aggressive, poised and had an answer for junior guard Destiny Pitts in Markayla Vander, a rangy, elite defender who took on the challenge.

“I tried to get under her skin,” said Vander, who scored 14 points. “I didn’t say anything to her. It was just my physical presence. I thought I did a good job.”

Her performance was a turning point.

“We looked in the book and we saw at halftime that (Pitts) had only four points and I said ‘Markalya, we need the same thing in the second half,’ ” said South Christian coach Kim Legge. “We’ve played with a lot of poise all season. When teams make runs at us, we keep our composure.”

Down, 24-14, at halftime because of great Sailors’ defense and 12 turnovers, the hopes of a Country Day repeat went to the bench when Pitts picked up her third and fourth fouls within 52 seconds in the third quarter, the fourth coming on an offensive foul call while she was dribbling up-court.

“I thought they were going to call a foul on them,” said Pitts. “I thought it was suspect.”

Four minutes later, junior center Tylar Bennett picked up her fourth foul falling over a Sailor during a scramble and joined Pitts on the bench.

“We didn’t perform, but they took us out of a lot of things we wanted to do,” admitted Country Day coach Frank Orlando. “They’re a good team. God bless them. We didn’t give up and we got it down to four. They played very good defense, and I give them credit for that.”

Foul trouble and the gritty play of South Christian had the Sailors ahead comfortably, 37-26, after three.

Both Pitts and Bennett entered the game to start the fourth, and the Sailors made sure Pitts was looking at two to three defenders. She finished with 14 points, but “I missed a three in the corner. We had so many people in foul trouble. Tylar and I went to the bench with four fouls and our senior (Arika Tolbert) had four fouls and eventually fouled out.

“I told Coach O (Orlando) we’d be back and that’s my goal.”

Pitts’ triple got the Yellowjackets to within 41-37, but Zoie Hulst rolled in a jump shot and Isabella Scott bounced in a short jumper and the Sailors’ lead was back up to 45-37.

Jennifer DeBoer led South Christian with 18 points and Mariel Bruxvoort added 10.

“We thought we could play with them,” said DeBoer. “There was never any pressure on us. We weren’t expected to be here, so we were able to just go out and play. It wasn’t that we didn’t think they were good, but we had nothing to lose.”

Contact Perry A. Farrell: 313-222-2555 or pafarrell@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @farrellperry.

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Marshall’s Nicole Tucker

EAST LANSING – With 1.4 seconds to play and the game’s outcome in the balance, Bay City Glenn called a timeout to ice Marshall’s Nicole Tucker before she went to the free-throw line.

As it turned out, Tucker had ice in her veins.

She drained both attempts as the Redhawks pulled out an exciting 43-42 win, advancing to tonight’s championship game with Grand Rapids South Christian.

At the other end of the court 13 seconds earlier, Glenn’s Cassidy Boensch endured a similar scenario, timeout and all, to give her team a one-point lead.

Marshall tried everything possible in short order to convert on their last possession. Boensch blocked the Redhawks’ first shot attempt, a second rolled around and out, and Tucker was fouled on the follow-up as Boensch went for another block.

“I was a little bit nervous at first when I realized she had fouled me and I was going to the line,” Tucker said. “(During the timeout), they all told me that I do this every day at practice, and I thought, ‘Yeah, I do,’ and there would be no doubt that I was going to put them in, and we were going to win, because that’s what I needed to do to win.”

Both of Tucker’s attempts hit the front of the iron, bounded backward, kissed the glass and dropped in.

Coach Sal Konkle never had a doubt that Tucker would come through.

“I told the girls, ‘After Nicki makes these, don’t foul.’ Plain and simple,” she said. “I was confident she was going to make them, and honestly, if we wanted anyone at the line, it’s Nicki.”

Tucker was 5-of-6 from the line and led Marshall (25-1) with 14 points.

Boensch had 14 points and 16 boards, six of those coming in the final quarter, yet she was unsuccessful in her quest to get one more.

“I went in hoping to get the rebound and then went for the block,” said Boench, a Miss Basketball finalist. “Tough call, but I’m going to be replaying that one for awhile.”

The game was tight the entire way, no team leading by more than six points. Marshall led, 23-22, at the half and extended the lead by scoring the first five points of the third quarter.

Glenn’s Jamie Brisson erased that deficit by scoring on three consecutive trips up the floor, and Jenai LaPorte, who aggressively drove the lane all night, closed out the third quarter with the Bobcats’ final three baskets, staking them to a 35-34 lead with eight minutes to play.

With the win, Marshall reaches the championship for the first time since 1981, when Konkle suited up for the team.

“I’d bet you almost every fan in here, every basketball junkie thought that Marshall wasn’t going to win. And I told the girls, ‘You know what? I believe in you, believe in yourself,’ and they certainly did,” she said. “These guys are going to see to it that we don’t lose, and it’s been an amazing experience. We’ve had a heck of a year.”

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Son of Swami

Can we move back to the boys basketball tournament?

The Son of Swami continued to struggle through the girls tournament, losing two semifinal games heading into the Class B semifinals. (And then there were the Class B semifinals…)

SOS thought St. Johns would be able to handle Detroit King and he was certain Niles Brandywine’s three-point shots would continue to fall against Traverse City St. Francis.

Now, after the surprising upsets in Class B, the only thing falling is SOS — and he can’t get up.

But he is here anyway, with the predictions on today’s state championship games at the Breslin Center.

Class A

Detroit King (24-1) vs. Warren Cousino (22-4), noon. What a Cinderella story. Kierra Fletcher, the player SOS discovered last season — OK, he stumbled over her — leads unranked Cousino to its first state finals. But the glass slipper shatters as King takes state title No. 6. King of the Hill 66, Warren’s Casino 63.

Class B

Grand Rapids South Christian (25-2) vs. Marshall (25-1), 6 p.m. Raise your hand if you saw this South Christian-Marshall matchup coming. No one saw it, especially SOS. Two amazing coaches meet in the finals and the crystal ball says to expect more than a 32-minute game. David Kool South High 49, Winn Schuler’s 48, OT.

Class C

Traverse City St. Francis (26-1) vs. Ypsilanti Arbor Prep (24-2), 4 p.m. This is the day that should have come last year, with Arbor Prep finally winning its first state title. St. Francis has a nice inside/outside thing going, but Arbor Prep has Nastassja Chambers cooking. Arbor Day 61, Majerle City St. Esper 55.

Class D

Pittsford (26-0) vs. Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart (24-1), 10 a.m. Just keep your eyes focused on the paint because this should be a battle royale between two of the state best post players, no matter the class — Sacred Heart’s Averi Gamble and Pittsford’s Maddie Clark. If they neutralize each other, it could be up to Pittsford’s Jaycie Burger to be the difference. Pitt Stop 58, Mt. Dismal Sacred Heart 54.

Contact with the Son of Swami can be arranged through Mick McCabe: 313-223-4744 or mmccabe@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mickmccabe1

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Detroit King’s Tia Tedford fights for the rebound against Warren Cousino late in the fourth quarter.

EAST LANSING – Getting back to the Breslin Center wasn’t easy for Detroit King.

During last year’s semifinal loss to Birmingham Marian, there was a lot of bickering on the bench. Players were being openly disrespectful to longtime coach William Winfield as the Crusaders came apart.

But a summer of reflection and building unity by the seniors healed wounds and created harmony. Not only did King repeat as Detroit Public School League champs, but the Crusaders advanced all the way to the Class A state championship game against Warren Cousino.

“Some of us played AAU together and that helped,” said DePaul-bound senior Micaela Kelly, who was a star in the 67-65 loss with 34 points. “We were frustrated, but we came together over the summer.”

Kelly also got inspiration from King’s state championship football team.

“They said we got ours, now it’s time for you to get a championship,” said Kelly.

It didn’t happen. King shot just 17.6% from three-point land in the first half and failed to cultivate an inside game. For the first half they were just six of 28 shooting for 21.4%, building a 35-19 hole they were unable to climb.

Kelly made 10 of 22 field goal attempts, including just three of 12 threes. But King’s three-point shooting was a disaster, five of 31 for the game for 16.1%.

“I tried to put the team on my back,” said Kelly. “I wanted this game. I left everything out there. That’s my consolation. I played as hard as I could.”

She received accolades from Cousino coach Mike Lee.

“In the pregame she came up and shook my hand and gave me a little bit of a hug like a congratulations,” said Lee. “I thought that was a nice gesture on her part. She’s a great shooter and a great player.”

Winfield second-guessed his game strategy.

“If I had to go back and do it again I think we would have pressed earlier,” said Winfield, who has five state titles and seven runner-up finishes. “I thought the girls played well. They don’t have anything to be ashamed of.”

Most of Saturday’s game resembled last year’s blowout semifinal loss to Marian until Cousino star Kierra Fletcher picked up her fourth foul and the Crusaders made a big rally in the fourth.

King committed just nine turnovers and forced 22. However, the 22 of 68 shooting, missed threes and botched layups proved costly.

The leadership mantle now falls on juniors Tia Tedford and Alicia Norman.

Tedford suffered through a six of 23 shooting performance. She made just one of 11 triples in scoring 14 points.

“We probably should have went inside more,” she said. “

“This is probably more frustrating because there was a lot of pressure we went through this year. People didn’t even think we’d make it this far.”

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Traverse City St. Francis’ Annie Lyman tries to pass the basketball while being guarded by Ypsilanti Arbor Prep’s Adrienne Anderson.

In five seasons with Ypsilanti Arbor Prep, Rod Wells’ coaching record is an eye-popping 102-17. But his six-year coaching career record is 102-38, which is even more eye-popping once you do the math and notice how he started.

“I was at (Ann Arbor) Skyline for their inaugural season and had pretty much sophomores and juniors, we went 0-21,” he said. “I started with the freshmen that year and the head coach decided to leave, and I ended up with the varsity job. But it was a great thing because it taught me how to start a program, so when Arbor Prep opened up five years ago, I already had experience starting a program.”

WE ARE MARSHALL: The Class B champion Redhawks were different from other teams at the Breslin Center because they didn’t have one player stand head-and-shoulders above the rest. That balance showed in the championship 51-42 win over Grand Rapids South Christian: starters Emily Delmotte, Nicole Tucker, Carlee Long, Taryn Long and Jill Konkle each hit two or three field goals, all scoring between six and 13 points apiece.

“Our top seven players have been our high scorers this season,” said Delmotte, the team’s only senior. “We all work hard and that’s important. If you have your superstar and they’re off that day, who do you go to? If there’s one of us who was off, somebody else stepped up. If someone was sick, or somebody was having something going on, we didn’t skip a beat; we kept going.

“It’s crazy and it’s just amazing, I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

SO CLOSE, YET SO FAR: The St. Francis girls were the seventh team that coach Keith Haske has guided to the Breslin Center, and so far Haske has yet to claim the ultimate prize. Formerly the coach at Charlevoix, his boys lost in the 1999 Class C semifinals to Bath, in the 2001 finals to Kalamazoo Christian, the 2004 finals to Saginaw Buena Vista and the 2007 semis to Saginaw Nouvel. Haske also led the Charlevoix girls to the 2004 finals, losing to Detroit DePorres, and his St. Francis boys’ squad lost in the 2012 finals to Flint Beecher. His Gladiator squad graduates only three seniors, so it’s possible Haske will have another shot or two at a championship.

TO THOSE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE: Payton Sims, Zakiya Wells and Karlee Morris never won a state championship for Arbor Prep, but the three, who graduated last year, went 88-15 in four seasons and set the pace for this year’s squad, Wells said. “That was a hard-working group, that was a special group; they taught these ladies how to play,” he said. “Three of our starters were coming off the bench last year, but they got beat up by those seniors ever since ninth grade. I kept telling people we were going to be good; those girls really performed against my seniors, they were never afraid of them. They took those lessons that they learned, and that’s what took them to the top.”

TROPHIES FOR TRAVERSE: Although Traverse City St. Francis didn’t win in Class C, senior center Lauren McDonnell was quick to defend her school by listing the Gladiators’ athletic accomplishments this school year. The girls’ cross-country and ski teams won a state title, boys’ tennis and skiing finished as runners-up, and the football and volleyball teams went to the semifinals.

“And we’re just getting into the spring season, and we’re going to see great things from our baseball, our softball and our track teams,” she said.

Class C: Ypsilanti Arbor Prep nets first title, 53-37
Class B: Marshall shoots down South Christian, 51-42

Warren Cousino senior Mackenzie Anderson drives on Detroit King’s Jasmine Flowers Saturday. Anderson scored 20 in Cousino’s 67-65 win.

EAST LANSING – Second chances come in different sizes and outcomes.

For 5-foot-6 senior guard Mackenzie Anderson, her second chance resulted in Warren Cousino’s first-ever Class A state championship — a 67-65 win over Detroit King Saturday at the Breslin Center.

Anderson, who came into the contest averaging 9.5 points and three assists per game, scored 20 points in the final, after scoring just four the day before in the semifinals win over Hudsonville. A main culprit Friday was foul trouble, which cut her playing time in half.

“I had a little bit of nerves and wasn’t really playing my game well, which I do regret,” Anderson said, with a state championship medal hanging around her neck. “I didn’t want to make the same mistake I made yesterday. I wanted to leave it all out on the court. I just wanted to be there for my teammates today.”

She said her scoring output was more than just extra playing time.

“We spread the court out and put me up top so that way it was basically a one-to-one matchup,” Anderson said “If I could drive it and kick it out that was great, but if not I would just take it all the way and I ended up drawing a good amount of fouls (8-for-13 free throws), so I think the more points just came with the game plan.”

Cousino (23-4) commanded the first half, taking a 35-19 lead over King (24-2) at halftime. But the Crusaders picked up the pressure defense and fought back by outscoring Cousino, 46-32, in the second half to come up just short. The Crusaders forced 22 Cousino turnovers, but leading scorer Micaela Kelly (34 points) said too many rushed three-point attempts missed didn’t help the outcome. King shot 5-for-31 (16%) from deep.

“I’m kind of speechless,” Warren Cousino coach Mike Lee said as the new Class A champion. “We came out to a great start again and played with so much heart. I think we took them off guard for a little bit. Then when they made their run they knocked us back a little bit. In that third quarter, had to take a couple crucial timeouts and gather the troops for one last fight, one last round.”

Anderson is the only senior on a team that’s already hoping its young nucleus, led by junior Kierra Fletcher — who scored 37 points in the semifinal and 27 on Saturday, and freshman Kate McArthur (13 points) — can return to East Lansing next year.

“As soon as we won regionals, we made school history,” she said. “And we figured, hey, if we’re going to make school history now, we’re not done yet.”

Listen live: Michigan high school girls basketball finals

Ypsilanit Arbor Prep’s Ro’Zhane Wells shoots a jumper against Traverse City St. Francis during the MHSAA girls basketball Class C finals against Traverse City St. Francis at the Breslin Center in East Lansing on Saturday, March 19, 2016.

EAST LANSING —  If you want to watch alligators attack, here are your best options: vacation in the Everglades, surf YouTube, watch Animal Planet, or buy a ticket to the Breslin Center whenever Ypsilanti Arbor Prep is playing.

The Gators won their first state title, 53-37, as their quickness and aggressive trap defense caused problems for Traverse City St. Francis all day long. Arbor Prep forced St. Francis into making 29 turnovers and benefited by scoring 33 points off the miscues.

“Our team defense is phenomenal,” said Nastassja Chambers, who led Arbor Prep (25-2) with 14 points. “Adrienne (Anderson) does a really good job of messing with the point guards; it makes the point guards’ passes really bad and it’s easier for us to get the steal. It gives us a better chance to pressure all the other girls; because our defense is so in people’s face, it makes them really hard for them to run an offense.”

The tone was set early, as Arbor Prep scored the game’s first nine points. The Gladiators did not get a shot off during their first five trips up the floor, and did not score their first points until two minutes remained in the first quarter.

“We were fired up coming in the gym. We were determined not to let them determine the flow of the game from the beginning,” Arbor Prep coach Rod Wells said. “I decided I wasn’t going to wait to start going after them. We were just going to go after them early, we were going to try to put some pressure on them, and we were going to see how they handled it early instead of waiting for the flow of the game. So I just took my chances and I told the girls, ‘We’re ready.’”

St. Francis (26-2) had trouble reacting.

“They were just a little bit quicker than what we’re used to seeing,” St. Francis coach Keith Haske said. “It’s not just one or two quick kids; they’ve got more quick kids than I ever want to see in my life. I was impressed. Usually against one or two quick kids you can be OK, but they just seemed to have about three more, then three more came in, and we could just never seem to get in a rhythm.”

St. Francis did close the gap to 10-9 eventually, but Arbor Prep continued to control the pace, and scored 11 points on their first six possessions of the fourth quarter to put the game away.

Besides Chambers’ 14 points, Cydney Williams added 10 while Anderson had eight for the Gators. For St. Francis, Annie Lyman had 15 while Lauren McDonnell contributed 10 and Juliana Phillips had nine.

While Arbor Prep’s shooting percentage was just a little bit better than St. Francis’ (38% to 34%), the Gators’ ability to limit the Gladiators’ looks was a big factor. Arbor Prep had 64 shot attempts while St. Francis was held to 42.

Listen live: Michigan high school girls basketball finals

Preps!

EAST LANSING – During warm-ups before Saturday’s Class B championship game, the Grand Rapids South Christian student section charted Marshall’s misses, which reached over 100.

But once the game started, Marshall (26-1) was significantly better shooting than the Sailors, claiming its first state title in hoops with a 51-42 victory Saturday at the Breslin Center.

Jill Konkle led the Redhawks with 13 points and Taryn Long and Emily Delmotte each added 10.

Markayla Vander led the Sailors with 16 points and Jennifer DeBoer scored 13 before fouling out.

Both teams were shooting for their first state championship, but South Christian’s shots weren’t falling in the first half. South Christian (25-3) made just six field goals and trailed, 25-15, at halftime as Marshall’s defense also forced nine turnovers.

“I kind of feel like the little engine that thought they could,” said Marshall coach Sal Konkle. “Nobody thought we could do this. We believed and the kids worked for a lot of years and put up with me for a lot of years. If you can get a team to play at a speed they don’t want to or go at a pace they don’t want to. … The kids know when to switch and what angles to take.”

The halftime adjustments didn’t work for South Christian as an 8-4 run had Marshall ahead, 33-19, forcing Sailors coach Kim Legge to call a timeout.

“We never got into our offense, I don’t know what I can say,” said Legge. “We’ve been behind before, but the momentum never seemed to swing in our favor. I don’t think we were nervous. The girls were pretty calm going into the game.”

The Sailors shot just 35.7%

South Christian managed to trim the deficit to 34-28 by the end of three, scoring nine of the last 10 points.

Marshall opened up a 10 point lead, but South Christian cut it to six again before a three-point play by Long with 3:10 left extended the lead to 45-36.

At the start of the game, the Sailors ran into quick foul problems when Sydney DeYoung picked up two quick fouls with 4:03 left in the first. Marshall hung tough against the aggressive Sailors defense, taking a 9-8 lead on triple by Carlee Long.

Marshall led, 11-8, after one by forcing six turnovers and its defense continued to stifle the Sailors they built the lead up to 13-8 on a jump shot by Georgianna Pratley.

Jill Konkle, the coach’s daughter, hit consecutive threes as the Redhawks went on a 12-5 spurt to take a 25-13 lead on a Pratley floater.

She was playing because Nicole Tucker was on the bench in foul trouble.

“I was over there cheering them on and it was great,” said Tucker who finished with eight points after a scoreless first half.

Contact Perry A. Farrell: 313-222-2555 or pafarrell@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @farrellperry.

Warren Cousino’s Kierra Fletcher pounds her hands on the court after making a shot while getting fouled in the fourth quarter against Detroit King.

EAST LANSING – Warren Cousino’s 19-point lead had almost evaporated before Kierra Fletcher’s eyes when she drove to the lane in the fourth quarter, made a shot while being fouled and fell to the ground.

While on the floor, the junior guard let out a shout and pounded her fist so hard on the court she probably left an impression on it.

That is when she realized Cousino was going to be Class A state champion.

Fletcher turned in another amazing performance Saturday, scoring 27 points to go with eight rebounds and five assists to enable Cousino to knock off five-time state champion Detroit King, 67-65, at the Breslin Center.

Her routine was eerily similar to the championship-game effort Franthea Price had in 1984 in leading underdog River Rouge past a stacked Livonia Ladywood team, 47-46, in Kalamazoo.

Fletcher was not a one-person team, but she was the one who set the tone with her amazing drives into the lane for soft pull-up jump shots that bounced gently off the rim and into the basket.

While the King players were a horrendous 5 of 31 (16.1%) from three-point range, Fletcher didn’t take a single three-point shot — in the entire tournament.

We don’t know if Fletcher has much of a perimeter game — because she is so ridiculously efficient with everything she does, she isn’t here to show off.

“Three-point shots to me, they’re not very high percentage,” she said. “So I just try to go in closer because the closer you are to the basket, the more likely you are to have it go in.”

That sounds like someone wise beyond her years, just as Price was 32 years ago.

“I just want to have a basketball IQ,” Fletcher said. “It doesn’t really matter how much I score. If I score, I score. If I don’t and I can get the ball to my teammates, I can. I do whatever I have to do to win.”

Truth be told, Fletcher, a 3.97 student, prefers to pass as opposed to shoot. She shoots only when needed, which can drive Cousino coach Mike Lee a little loopy at times.

“Sometimes Coach Lee kind of tells me I have to be more selfish, but that’s just not who I am,” she said. “I get hyped when another person on my team makes a play, it gets me going. If I’m getting a lay-up, it’s just a lay-up, but if I’m getting someone else an opportunity to score, I think that’s what matters most to me.”

This was a spectacular weekend for Fletcher, who totaled 64 points on 23-of-33 shooting with 10 assists in the two games at Breslin.

Add in her amazing defense and we have a special player on our hands.

The impression Fletcher’s fist left on the court wasn’t the only impression she made on this day. This was her opportunity to let the state know that girls basketball is played in Macomb Country after all.

“I think I showed people I can play basketball,” she said, modestly. “People don’t really know who I am, which is fine, I guess. But since I just played on statewide television that people will say: ‘Oh, that’s Kiera Fletcher.’ So I guess it’s cool.”

Actually, the reaction was more like: “Wow! That’s Kierra Fletcher!”

And if they were around in 1984, the might have thought they just saw the reincarnation of Franthea Price.

Contact Mick McCabe: 313-223-4744 or mmccabe@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mickmccabe1

Listen live: Michigan high school girls basketball finals

Marshall junior Jill Konkle, the coach’s daughter, who scored a team-high 13 points in the final, with her mom, Marshall coach Sal Konkle, and their shared state trophy. “This is a dream come true,” Jill Konkle said.

Only 33 seconds remained on the clock Saturday night when Marshall coach Sal Konkle’s favorite player in the world walked to the free-throw line.

Konkle’s left elbow rested on her right arm that was folded in front of her, and she bit down on her pointer finger as it seemed to dawn on her that her team was about to win the Class B state championship that eluded her in 1981 when she was Marshall’s star player.

Early Saturday, Konkle received a text from a teammate on that ’81 team.

“Not a lot of people get do-overs in life, and you got a do-over,” it read. “So can you just make this happen?”

Tom Duffey, her high school coach, texted her that this time would be the charm.

The No. 9 Redhawks were the underdogs when they played No. 5 Grand Rapids South Christian in the championship game, but not quite as much as they were Friday when they shocked No. 2 Bay City Glenn, the AAU team disguised as a high school team, to move into the finals.

Her pregame speech Saturday was rather short:

“You can do anything for 32 minutes — you can do anything. If you do this for 32 minutes, you’re going to be state champions. If you don’t do it for 32 minutes, you’re going to regret that for the rest of your life.”

Following Marshall’s 51-42 victory over South Christian, Konkle found something to regret.

Michigan girls basketball all-tournament team

For some time the girls had been talking about Lance Hawblitz getting a tattoo if the team won the state championship. During one of the discussions, Konkle lost her head and told her players that if they won the title, she would get a tattoo.

“I’m not a big tattoo fan,” she said, “but it looks like I’m getting a tattoo.”

Konkle has an idea of the kind of tattoo she will get, but the exact location is going to be a problem.

This was Konkle’s 16th season at Marshall, where she built an outstanding program but one that hadn’t been to the state finals since ’81.

Several years ago, she had the opportunity to become a head college coach, but she turned it down.

“She never really said why,” said the girl who was standing at the free-throw line with 33 seconds left, “but my guess is she wanted to be able to coach me.”

That was junior Jill Konkle, the coach’s daughter, who scored a team-high 13 points in the final.

Over the years, Konkle has built the program without the benefit of transfers or AAU school-of-choice kids. She has done it through hard work, and she is a demanding coach.

“It’s everything she does,” said Jill. “She’ll do whatever I want. I’ll ask if we can watch some film together … go to the gym. She’s an all-around great coach. She gets on us, but, at the end of the day, we all know she loves us.”

Jill can say that with conviction because her teammates are more than just players to her mother.

Michigan high school girls basketball finals results

“They’ve all become my girls,” Konkle said. “When you grow up in a small town, these kids are over at your house. They go to proms, they do everything together. That’s what makes it so special for us.”

The most special part of all was coaching Jill, the feisty guard who backs down from no one, even her mother, the coach. Make that, especially her mother, the coach.

In fact, the two butted heads so often that Konkle didn’t know if she could coach Jill through high school. Mother and daughter were too much alike.

“She’s kind of tough, isn’t she?” Konkle asked, rhetorically. “She’s a little gritty. I like it. We went through our ups and down in coaching her. I threatened to quit a couple of times. I told her: ‘Somebody else can do this, because this is not enjoyable for me and this can’t be enjoyable for you.’ ”

Finally, after Mitch, one of Konkle’s sons, intervened, an understanding was reached, and it has been smooth sailing for mother and daughter.

No one is happier than Jill that she has been able to play for her mother.

“I don’t even think I can put into words how it feels,” her voice cracking as tears welled in her eyes. “Ever since I was little, she’s been my No. 1 supporter, so being able to have her experience this with me is a dream come true.”

But exactly where is Mom going to put that tattoo?

“I might have to do ankle,” Konkle said. “I don’t even want to get a tattoo, but I will because I promised.

“What was I thinking? It worked — that’s what I was thinking.”

Contact Mick McCabe: 313-223-4744 or mmccabe@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mickmccabe1.

Grand Rapids South Christian’s Zoie Hulst and Markayla Vander celebrate with their team after South Christian’s 57-46 win in the Class B state semifinal Friday in East Lansing.

EAST LANSING – Jennifer DeBoer and her Grand Rapids South Christian teammates weren’t intimidated one bit having to go up against favored Birmingham Detroit Country Day, the school that has won more state basketball titles (10) than any other. In fact, she cherished the underdog role.

“It was kind of fun because no one really expected us to come out how we did, especially in the first half. We were up 10 at halftime — that was an amazing feeling, but I knew that they were going to keep pushing back, so we had to keep our poise and keep our control,” said DeBoer, who scored a game-high 18. “We knew that we really didn’t have anything to lose; we made it to the final four and we really wanted to win, but the pressure wasn’t really on us. I think that kind of calmed my nerves.”

Coach Kim Legge said that sense of calm helped the Sailors (25-2) get the job done.

“All season long we have been a very even-keeled team and people have said that to me from the outset, ‘You guys just look so poised all the time.’” She said. “Even when teams are making runs against us, we stay even-keeled and keep our heads above water.”

SEEN IT BEFORE: When Country Day scored just 14 points in the first half Friday, it wasn’t the first time the 24-2 Yellowjackets had to deal with a slow start. Coach Frank Orlando said his squad was “a second-half team” and had to battle back from deficits in several games this year.

Country Day fell behind quickly against South Christian, shooting a measly 17.4% from the floor in the first half. The Yellowjackets were kept scoreless in second quarter until Kaela Webb hit a running hook with 1:12 before halftime to make the score 22-10.

Coincidentally, that was the halftime deficit when the Yellowjackets played Class C finalist Ypsilanti Arbor Prep five weeks ago, the difference being that Country Day won that game, 37-33, by scoring the last 19 points of that game. The Yellowjackets couldn’t quite duplicate that feat Friday, though — they got as close as four points, 41-37, before falling to South Christian, 57-46.

THAT’S A LOT OF POINTS: At 1,803 and counting, Country Day graduate Aerial Powers became the Michigan State women’s basketball all-time leading scorer during the Spartans’ first-round NCAA tournament victory over Belmont on Friday, and that got us wondering: Who is the all-time leading scorer in Country Day history?

That would be Miss Basketball 1989, Peggy Evans Carr. En route to compiling over 1,800 career points, she scored a championship-game record 47 (going 19-of-24 from the floor) in the Yellowjackets’ 71-59 victory over Saginaw Valley Lutheran in the 1989 Class C title game. She later played at Tennessee and Ohio State, and coached Inkster to the 2010-11 Class A title.

THAT WILL HAVE TO WAIT: With Marshall’s last-second victory, it meant three of Class B’s most exciting players won’t be sharing the same court tonight in the championship game. But they are very likely to do so next season, as Bay City Glenn’s Cassidy Boensch and Jenai LaPorte and Grand Rapids South Christian’s Jennifer DeBoer are all headed to Grand Valley State University. Still, it would have been fun to have their prep teams face each other for a state title, said LaPorte, who led her team with 15 points. “When we saw them win their game, that’s what we were really hoping for — to play them in the finals — but now we’re just rooting for her all the way, and we’re just really proud of her.”

Listen live: Michigan girls basketball semifinals

Grand Rapids South Christian’s Mariel Bruxvoort goes hard towards the basket against Birmingham Detroit Country Day’s Destiny Pitts during South Christian’s 57-46 win in the Class B state semifinal Friday in East Lansing.

ALL-NORTH

First team

DESTINY PITTS

Birmingham Detroit Country Day

6-feet, junior guard (captain)

Can hit shots from anywhere, making 50% from the floor, 43% beyond the arc and 86% from the line. Scored 17 points per game and led the Yellowjackets to the state semifinals.

Coach Frank Orlando: “Destiny is a unique player. She can do so many things to help you out on the court. She has that ability to read the game.”

Deja Church Southfield-Lathrup

DEJA CHURCH

Southfield-Lathrup

5-9, Jr. G

The leading scorer on a team ranked No. 1 in Class A for much of the season, ringing up 19 points per game with six rebounds, four steals and three assists.

Coach Michele Marshall: “Deja was our most versatile player and a real student of the game. She was our best defender and took on the responsibility of guarding the other team’s best player.”

Antoinette Miller Southfield-Lathrup

ANTOINETTE MILLER

Southfield-Lathrup

5-7, Sr. G

Quick combo guard was known for her passing, but could also be a scorer, putting up 17 points per contest. Led Chargers to 21-4 mark and OAA Red crown. Signed with Cincinnati.

Coach Michele Marshall: “Antoinette is a pass-first point guard who gets her teammates involved, but she can also attack the rim or shoot the 3-ball. She’s an all-around player who makes our offense go.”

Elizabeth Grobbel Birmingham Marian

ELIZABETH GROBBEL

Birmingham Marian

6-1, Sr. C

Provided stability for the rebuilding Mustangs, who won the Catholic League and a district title after losing all five starters from the prior season. Averaged 10.3 points, 8.8 boards.

Coach Mary Cicerone: “Her biggest attributes are her leadership and experience, and her court awareness. She protected the paint and was a huge post presence.”

Alexis Johnson Southfield

ALEXIS JOHNSON

Southfield

5-10, Fr. G-F

Johnson’s play was a nice surprise for 20-2 Southfield, which was able to move up a level in the OAA and become Blue division champions. She led the team in scoring at 11.7 ppg.

Coach Jamie Glinz: “She brought a lot of excitement, a lot of energy. She’s very athletic and has a nice jump shot. She definitely added another dimension for us, something we didn’t have.”

Coach of the Year

Jamie Glinz, Southfield

All-Detroit high school girls basketball teams

Second team

Kaela Webb, Birmingham Detroit Country Day

Kayla Luchenbach, Clarkston

Kristen Nelson, Farmington Hills Harrison

Kierra Crockett, North Farmington

Mackenzie Harbort, Birmingham Seaholm

All-East high school girls basketball teams

Third team

Evelyn Wischmeyer, Lake Orion

Zora Pullen, Farmington Hills Mercy

Taiye Bello, Southfield Lathrup

Amber Stephens, Farmington Hills Harrison

Olivia Moore, Birmingham Marian

All-West high school girls basketball teams

Honorable mention

Maddie Novak, Lake Orion

Alex Troy, Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes

Kehinde Bello, Southfield-Lathrup

Stormeigh Mattison, Southfield

Sonya Williams, Oak Park

Makoya Denham, Berkley

D’Layna Holliman, Southfield

Samantha Potter, Royal Oak

Megan Lenihan, Troy

Katherine Prina, Bloomfield Hills

Charlika Stubbs, West Bloomfield

Quionche (Sha) Carter, Birmingham Groves

Celia Somers, Berkley

Michele Gervais, Troy Athens

Infinnatie Rowe, Pontiac

Ghyanna Green, Hazel Park

Kayla Boyd, Ferndale

Alissa Smith, Auburn Hills Avondale

Jenna Norgrove, Rochester

Abbey Powell, Farmington

Dana Hoerman, Birmingham Seaholm

Amber Davis, Oak Park

Allie Lipson, Novi

Cara Ninkovich, Novi

Bailey Mattison, Walled Lake Northern

Janara Flowers, Walled Lake Western

Jordan Walczyk, Walled Lake Western

Haley Tewes, Waterford Kettering

Myra Williams, Waterford Mott

Emily Bernas, Waterford Kettering

Lillia Schoof, Waterford Kettering

Ellie Mackay, Novi

Siyeh Frazier Detroit Renaissance

Renaissance high schools Siyeh Frazier brings the ball up court during second period action on Wednesday, March 2,2016 at Southfield Lathrup high school in Southfield MI. Kirthmon F. Dozier/Detroit Free Press

ALL-DETROIT

First team

Siyeh Frazier

Renaissance

5-feet-9, senior guard (captain)

Had a fantastic career for the Phoenix and is taking her talents to Penn State. Could beat you off the dribble or driving to the basket. Named Miss PSL after leading the team to the league championship game. Averaged 19.5 points per game along with 5.7 rebounds, 4.5 steals and 3.8 assists per game. A class act on and off the court, “I just wanted to win and be a good teammate,” she said.

Coach Kiwan Ward: “What more can you say about Siyeh. She’s a great player and a great person. She had a fantastic senior season and I’m going to miss her.”

Micaela Kelly Detroit King

Micaela Kelly

King

5-9, Sr. G

Led the Crusaders to their fifth-straight PSL league title. A deadly three-point shooter and aggressive rebounder, she’s a tough, hard-nosed player who is fearless and not afraid to take the big shot. She averaged 15 points, 8.6 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 4.2 steals per game for the Crusaders.

Coach William Winfield: “She’s the best guard in the state. She can shoot the three, defend, go to the basket and is a good rebounder.”

Tiera Thomas Detroit Henry Ford

Tiera Thomas

Henry Ford

5-11, Sr. G

Averaged 22.5 points per game, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. With her length, she could guard any position on the floor and hold her own.

Coach LaTisha Wallace: “She’s an all-around player that does everything well. Her best asset is her outstanding range on her jump shot. She has left a legacy at Henry Ford on the court and in the classroom.”

Ericka Smith Detroit Collegiate Prep-Northwestern

Ericka Smith

Collegiate Prep-Northwestern

5-4 So. G

The PSL’s next star, Smith averaged 17.7 points, six rebounds, five steals and three assists per game. Her speed and quickness makes her a difficult player to defend.

Coach Orlando Watkins: “Ericka is the perfect example of what hard work will get you. Last year she was the only freshman on a varsity team with 12 seniors. This season she knew she’d have to step up her game and she did.”

Deanna Fletcher Detroit Mumford

DeAnna Fletcher

Mumford

5-10 Sr. F

A great defender and versatile player, she averaged 17 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and five steals per game. A three-year starter, she’ll enter junior college first before transferring to a Division I school. Shut down some of the best scorers in the PSL.

Coach: Kareem Hogan: “She’s the ultimate team player and the ultimate hustle player.”

Coach of the year

William Winfield, King

All-East high school girls basketball teams

Second team

Alicia Norman, King

Tia Tedford, King

Zoey Otis, Cass Tech

Tanesah McClure, Westside Academy

Janae Sykes, Central

All-North high school girls basketball teams

Third team

Maria Martin, Osborn

Jeorgia Jones, Renaissance

Da’Shawna Fowler, Cody

Jordan Lewis, King

Kendall Taylor, Denby

All-West high school girls basketball teams

Honorable mention

Nnenna Naji, Renaissance

Nina Reynolds, Renaissance

Erica Whitely-Jackson, King

Zanaria Bevelle, Cristo Rey

Nahvia Williams, Cristo Rey

Lareatha Burrell, Cristo Rey

Saubir Logan, Cristo Rey

Nala Barlow, Cody

Courtney Stone, Cody

Tanisha Thurmond, Cody

C’Erra Maholmes, East English Village

Kennedy Harris DCP-Northwestern

DeAsia Young, Public Safety

Ariyana Golden, Public Safety

Arden Lancaster, Public Safety

Keniqua Roberts, Public Safety

Brittany Hill, Renaissance

Victoria Wright, Renaissance

Chasidey Willis, Mumford

Shardaye Yarbrough, Mumford

Vantanae Garrett, CMA

Warren Cousino’s Kierra Fletcher drives the ball on a fast break against Detroit Martin Luther King during the MHSAA girls basketball Class A finals at the Breslin Center in East Lansing on Saturday, March 19, 2016.

ALL-EAST

First team

KIERRA FLETCHER

WARREN COUSINO

5-9, JR. PG (CAPTAIN)

Came up big for Cousino throughout the state tournament, averaging 27 points a game en route to guiding the Patriots to the Class A state championship. She scored 27, grabbed eight boards and dished out five assists in Cousino’s 67-65 title game victory over Detroit King. She averaged 24 points and 9.6 rebounds a game as well as 5.6 assists and 4.2 steals a contest.

Coach Mike Lee: “She’s a playmaker. She can score at will, but she’s also the first one to say that she will take an assist over a bucket. But when she knows that the game’s on the line, she wants the ball in her hands, and that’s what winners and competitors do. She’s a very unselfish player as well as a great student and a great kid.”

Nia Ahart Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett

NIA AHART

GROSSE POINTE WOODS UNIVERSITY LIGGETT

5-7, JR. PG

Led Liggett to a 20-5 campaign and to an appearance in the Class C state quarterfinals. She averaged 22.3 points per game on 52% shooting from the field and 46% shooting from three-point range to go along with 85% free-throw shooting. She also amassed 6.7 rebounds a contest and put in solid work defensively, recording 139 steals (5.3 per contest).

Coach Omar Ahart: “At the beginning of the season, I told Nia and everyone that every day was a tryout. I told her to put her best foot forward every game. She had to learn more because within a year, she’s going to be running someone’s Division I program. And she ended up carrying the team, which consisted of eight players.”

Teresa Diehl Warren Regina

TERESA DIEHL

WARREN REGINA

5-6, SR. G

The “real Diehl,” as her classmates call her, brought leadership every time she stepped on the floor. She averaged 17 points and six boards a game to go along with 4.3 assists. Bright on and off the court, she is No. 1 in her class with a 4.3 GPA.

Coach Diane Laffey: “She’s a floor leader. The whole team looks to her for leadership.”

NIJA COLLIER

ROSEVILLE

5-11, JR. F

Nija Collier Roseville

Won MAC Gold Most Valuable Player with the most points per conference game (20.5) and rebounds per conference game (17.8). Scored 46 points against Center Line on Jan. 22, giving her the Roseville and Macomb County girls record for points in a game, and grabbed 30 rebounds against Marysville on Jan. 26, setting school and county record for rebounds in a game. For the season overall, she averaged 18.3 points and 16.6 rebounds to go along with four assists, 3.5 steals and 1.5 blocks.

Coach Andy Houghton: “She’s always been a great athlete, but her rebounding took over this year. She plays all year round, knows the game and loves it. That mixed with her athleticism makes her a threat and allows her to take command of the game and to impact it greatly.”

Katie Snow Grosse Pointe North

KATIE SNOW

GROSSE POINTE NORTH

5-8, JR. SG

Helped North accumulate a 17-6 record and reach the district finals of the state tournament. On the season, she amassed 13 points and four rebounds a game to go along with three steals and 2.5 assists per contest.

Coach Gary Bennett: “The biggest thing about Katie is her competitive toughness. She has a tremendously high energy level and just keeps going and going. No single player brings more competitive toughness.”

Coach of the year

Mike Lee, Warren Cousino

Second team

Erin Armbruster, Grosse Pointe North

Cierra von Zittwitz, Utica

Nicole Meyer, Utica Eisenhower

Nicole Austin, St. Clair Shores Lakeview

Tris’styn Williams, New Baltimore Anchor Bay

Third team

Kendall McConico, Grosse Pointe University Liggett

Kate McArthur, Warren Couinso

Emily Langolf, Macomb Dakota

Julia Cianferra, Utica Ford

Anna Carmody, Grosse Pointe South

Honorable mention

Tara Bieniewicz, Macomb Dakota

Madeline Brender, Stevenson

Taylor Mueller, Romeo

Courtney Russell, Warren Mott

Mackenzie Anderson, Cousino

Mya Oleksiak, L’Anse Creuse North

Kendal Ring, Sterling Heights

Malynn Kosnik, Eisenhower

Chantae Parker, Roseville

Ashleigh Ringstad, L’Anse Creuse

Natalie Suchoski, Utica

Lashana Young, Lakeview

Katie Boyle, Lakeview

Paige Spinale, Utica

Ashleigh Thomas, Lutheran North

Erin Bracey, Center Line

Khadajah Williams, South Lake

Rosalyn Williams, Mt. Clemens

Ashley Harger, Warren Woods Tower

Kela Willis, Fitzgerald

Lanae Foster, Michigan Collegiate

Brooke Junaud, Center Line

Tone’ Oglesby, Fitzgerald

Hannah Harris, Lutheran North

Lauren Turner, Parkway Christian

Jenna Pomaville, Lake Shore

Meghan Jones, Regina

Faith Terry, South Lake

Jewel Smith, Center Line

Abby Dubak, Lutheran North

Chantal Cherisca, Warren Woods Tower

Hannah Milligan, Lutheran North

Natalie VanDerHaegen, Lake Shore

Sarah Schmidt, Parkway Christian

Hailey Leidel Woodhaven

ALL-WEST

First team

Hailey Leidel

Woodhaven

5-foot-11, senior forward (captain)

Leidel earned the all-time school record for points in a career, at 1,526. This year she averaged 23 points and nine rebounds per game. Also holds school record for most points in a game (38), most in a season (522) and most career free throws made (420). Committed to Massachusetts. Basketball Coaches Association free throw champ in 2015.

Coach Rod Scharboneau: “Hailey is a talented player who also has a burning desire to get better and to compete at a high level. She’s going to be successful in all that she decides to do.”

Kayla Brown Dearborn Heights Robichaud

Kayla Brown

Dearborn Heights Robichaud

5-7, JR. G

Brown averaged 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists a game while leading team to Class B quarterfinals before losing to state runner-up Grand Rapids South Christian. Has multiple Division I offers and a 3.4 GPA. Has more than 900 career points with one season remaining.

Coach Jason Wilkins: “Very good leader, she’s the heart and soul of the team. Made big plays down the stretch. A very hard worker. She never lets up. She’s a coach’s player.”

Victoria Perez Belleville

Victoria Perez

Belleville

5-10, JR. F

Perez averaged a double-double with 15.5 points, 13.3 rebounds and 3.7 steals per game. Led team to district title for first time in 11 years, and won Western Wayne Athletic Red Conference title after 10-year drought.

Coach Joe Brodie: “Tori is an outstanding person and student athlete, with 4.1 GPA. She’s the engine that makes us go. On both ends of the floor she’s definitely our most valuable player. Constantly playing hard and finishing first in everything at practice.”

Kamaria McDaniel Dearborn Heights Robichaud

Kamaria McDaniel

Dearborn Heights Robichaud

5-9, JR. G

McDaniel averaged 20 points a game, plus five rebounds and four assists, and has scored more than 700 points in her career. Led team to solid 18-7 record and Class B quarterfinals. Has a 3.3 GPA and multiple Division I offers.

Coach Jason Wilkins: “She’s a very athletic person, was almost always assigned on defense to the opponents’ best player, since she could defend multiple positions. We asked her to do a lot and I’m looking forward to having both juniors (McDaniel and Brown) back next year.”

Erin Fish Allen Park

Erin Fish

Allen Park

5-7, SR. G

Fish averaged 12.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 1.4 assists per game, culminating with a 4-year career total of 837 points. Voted to Downriver all-league, and all-league academics.

Coach Chuck Perez: “She’s a very determined player. She provided our scoring every night. First player I have ever moved up as a freshman and she’s been solid all four years as a starter. Had ACL surgery in July, so her comeback was pretty remarkable. She has a lot of determination. A great player to coach.”

Coach of the year

Jason Wilkins, Dearborn Heights Robichaud

All-North high school girls basketball teams

Second team

Monae Palmer, Dearborn Heights Robichaud

Daija Anderson, Taylor Kennedy

Jessica Moorman, Northville

Nicole Buffington, Dearborn Heights Robichaud

Allie Filiatraut, Dearborn Divine Child

All-Detroit high school girls basketball teams

Third team

Erin Hult, Canton

Sydnie Bruce, Dearborn

Sydney Singal, Romulus

Annie Yost, Livonia Churchill

Brook Adams, Northville

All-East high school girls basketball teams

Honorable mention

Briana Finn, Canton

Isabelle Clark, Dearborn

Demi Rodriguez, Dearborn Hts. Crestwood

Lexi Bryant, Livonia Franklin

Hannah Badger, Plymouth

Cassidy Lewis, Plymouth

Jada Williams, Dear. Henry Ford Academy

Katelyn Sherwood, Belleville

Grace Lamerson, Livonia Stevenson

Kendall Dillion, Northville

Jayna Lenders, Salem

Madison Wolfbauer, Canton

Alivia Kondrath, Livonia Churchill

Diana Senkowski, Livonia Stevenson

Taylor Robinson, Westland Glenn

Jessica Baginski, Riverview Richard

Samantha Holly, Cabrini

Alexandra Audia, Livonia Ladywood

Warren Cousino’s Kierra Fletcher pounds her hands on the court after making a shot while getting fouled in the fourth quarter against Detroit King.

ALL-METRO

First team

Destiny Pitts, Birmingham Detroit Country Day

Siyeh Frazier, Detroit Renaissance

Deja Church, Southfield-Lathrup

Kierra Fletcher, Warren Cousino

Micaela Kelly, Detroit King

All-East high school girls basketball teams

Northville coach Todd Gudith

Coach: Todd Gudith

Northville

Despite having just two seniors on the roster, the confident

Mustangs finished 21-4, won the KLAA Central Division (9-1) and reached the Class A state quarterfinals for the first time in program history, losing to eventual state champ Warren Cousino.

Gudith: “It’s all because of the kids’ attitude and their hard work. We’ve got 13 kids that are really friends off the court, and the biggest difference this year I thought was our chemistry.”

All-Detroit high school girls basketball teams

Second team

Antoinette Miller, Southfield-Lathrup

Hailey Leidel, Woodhaven

Kamaria McDonald, Dearborn Heights Roubichard

DeAnna Fletcher, Detroit Mumford

Nia Ahart, Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett

All-North high school girls basketball teams

Third team

Liz Groebbel, Birmingham Marian

Teresa Diehl, Warren Regina

Tiera Thomas, Detroit Henry Ford

Kayla Brown, Dearborn Heights Robichaud

Alexis Johnson, Southfield

All-West high school girls basketball teams

Maddie Clark, Pittsford

Class D all-state

First team

Maddie Clark

Pittsford

5-10, JR. F (Captain)

Averaged 18 points per game and shot 70% from the field for Class D state champions. Has verbally committed to Hillsdale for volleyball.

Pittsford coach Chris Hodos: “She’s the nicest girl I’ve ever coached. Maddie is a great athlete, a tough competitor. She’s the state champion last year in discus, great volleyball player. When you’re that kind of athlete, you do what she did in leading us.”

Averi Gamble, Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart

Averi Gamble

Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart, 6-3, SR. C

Lead team (24-2) back to the Class D final after a state title in 2014, averaging more than 16 points, nine rebounds and nearly three blocks per game. School’s second all-time leading scorer.

Sacred Heart coach Damon Brown: “She’s a great teammate and a great offensive player. She’s probably one of the most unselfish players I’ve ever coached. She’s always looking to make her teammates better.”

Mackenna Kelly, Frankfort

Mackenna Kelly

Frankfort

5-10, SR. F

Kelly averaged 14 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists. Her career includes three district titles, two regional titles and one final four appearance. Committed to Central Michigan.

Coach Tim Reznich: “Mackenna has been the foundation of this team the last four years, and helped rebuild this program to one of the best in the state. Her dedication and work ethic will be dearly missed.”

Shannon Bates, Bay City All-Saints

Shannon Bates

Bay City All Saints

5-5, JR., G

Bates averaged 16.1 points, 4.3 assists and 2.8 steals, and shot 82% from the free-throw line. Has started 70 games and scored 772 points.

Coach Jaden Clobes: “She’s the one you want to have the ball at the end of the game. The team winning is more important to her than personal accolades. A good kid all around.”

Jaycie Berger, Pittsford

Jaycie Burger

Pittsford

5-9, JR. G

Led the undefeated Class D state champs in scoring at 19 points per game, including 40% shooting from the three-point line.

Pittsford coach Chris Hodos: “Jaycie is the most intense girl I’ve ever coached. There’s no greater competitor than Jaycie. She works unbelievably hard, and it’s paid off.”

Meet the Free Press girls basketball dream team

Second team

Taylor Bryant, Newberry

Jazmin Hildebrand, Martin

Allyson Richards, Fruitport Calvary Christian

Kiara Nieto, Adrian Lenawee Christian

Marisa Immel, Munising

Class A all-state girls basketball teams

Third Team

Jenna Hincka, Posen

Libby Munoz, Leland

Alex Hunter, Gaylord St. Mary

Bailey Whitcomb, Bellevue

Tori Wangerin, Stephenson

Class B all-state girls basketball teams

Fourth Team

Leslie Asman, Mio

Alex Troy, Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes

Frankie Mattson, Munising

Bridget Stoetzer, Newberry

Maria Stankewicz, Crystal Falls Forest Park

Class C all-state girls basketball teams

Fifth Team

Chelsey Closs, Mackinaw City

Allissa Willa, Bark River-Harris

Taylor Macomber, Climax-Scotts

Grace Haley, Lansing Catholic

Cecilia Schmitt, Frankfort

Sixth Team

Miranda Carlson, Big Rapids Crossroads

Tiffany Senerius, Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes

Brandy O’Neal, Bellaire

Connor Proctor, Fulton

Emily Witkowski, St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran

HONORABLE MENTION

Kelsey Johnson, Stephenson

Karley Johnson, Stephenson

Sarah Savage, Kingston

Taylor Hewitt, Morrice

Hannah Rayburn, Novi Franklin Road

Akwia Tilton, Birmingham Roeper

Lauren Turner, Sterling Heights Parkway

Vanessa Schook, Hillman

Bekah Myler, Gaylord St. Mary

Hannah Carter, Pellston

Scout Nelson, Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart

Brooke Nguyen, Alanson

Jade Galer, Onaway

Alex Hunter, Gaylord St. Mary

Jazmin Hildebrand, Martin

Sarah Buffum, Wyoming Tri-unity Christian

Sophie Ruggles, Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart

Abbie Ostman, St. Ignace

Class C girls basketball all-state

First team

ABBEY OSTMAN

St. Ignace

5-9, SR. G-F

The Saints made three trips to the final four and won one state title with Ostman, who averaged 19.9 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.2 steals per game. Signed with Michigan Tech.

Coach Dorene Ingalls: “She was our primary scorer coming back and definitely had to take on a bigger role this year. She really gave St. Ignace fans a lot to cheer about in four years.”

Jalisha Terry, Flint Hamady

JALISHA TERRY

Flint Hamady

5-6, SR. G (captain)

A guard who can create with or without the ball, Terry graduates as Hamady’s all-time leading scorer (1,610 points), averaging 22 this winter. Signed with St. Bonaventure.

Coach Keith Smith: “Jalisha is a player of substance; she’s a quality person. She’s going to be a person I will deeply miss. She had raw talent, but she improved from year to year.”

Nia Ahart, Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett

NIA AHART

GROSSE POINTE WOODS UNIVERSITY LIGGETT

5-7, JR. PG

Led Liggett to a 20-5 campaign and an appearance in the Class C state quarterfinals. She averaged 22.3 points per game and shot 52% from the field.

Coach Omar Ahart: “I told her to put her best foot forward every game. She had to learn more because, within a year, she’s going to be running someone’s Division I program. She ended up carrying the team.”

Nastassja Chambers, Ypsilanti Arbor Prep

NASTASSJA CHAMBERS

Ypsilanti Arbor Prep

5-9, SR. G

Was the only player on the state champion Gators’ roster to average in double figures (14.1 ppg). Made 53% of field goals, 35% from three-point range. Signed with Wayne State.

Coach Rod Wells: “She’s grown as a player, realizing you don’t have to lead in scoring to be a good player. That’s the biggest thing she got out of this season.”

Kayla Belles, Ithaca

KAYLA BELLES

Ithaca

6-3, SO. C

The Yellowjackets, who had never won a regional title before this year, reached the state semis with this focused underclassman. Averaged a double-double at 18.3 points and 13 rebounds.

Coach Jessie Rayburn: “She’s capable of taking over the floor, and we wouldn’t have gotten as far without her. She stepped up her game in the postseason.”

Class D all-state girls basketball teams

Second Team

Annie Lyman, Traverse City St. Francis

Laurel Jacqmain, Saginaw Nouvel

Makenna Hartline, Niles Brandywine

Ellen Doyle, Gobles

Bridget Hintz, Elk Rapids

Class A all-state girls basketball teams

Third Team

Yana Hudson, Flint Beecher

Ro’zhane Wells, Ypsilanti Arbor Prep

Madison Showerman, Johannesburg-Lewiston

Clara Loukas, Calumet

Robyn Pruitt, Saginaw Arts and Sciences

Meet the Free Press girls basketball dream team

Fourth team

Krystal Rice, Flint Hamady

Tessa Hosford, Bath

Brooke Henning, Blissfield

Mackenzie Fairbanks, Napoleon

Abbey Meissner, Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest

Class B all-state girls basketball teams

Fifth Team

Juliana Phillips, Traverse City St. Francis

Cheryl Setlock, Wixom St. Catherine

Victoria Robinson, Flint Beecher

Emily Fleischmann, Reese

Lindsey Ferrington, Burton Bendle

Sixth Team

Linnie Gustafson, St. Ignace

Bailey May, Centreville

Aleda Johnson, Negaunee

Samantha Krauss, Hemlock

Emily Erwin, Niles Brandywine

Honorable mention

Natalee Lee, St. Ignace

Morgan Kaniszewski, Tawas

Lauren McDonnell, Traverse City St. Francis

Jordan Kraemer, Norway

Jaleesa Garner, Niles Brandywine

Haley Nelson, Sandusky

Kendal Muxlow, Brown City

Carley Cote, Gladwin

Kiri Tiemeyer, Saugatuck

Eileene Naniseni, Mancelona

Laraiah Schichtel, Lake City

Michaela Koopman, McBain

Julie Justin, Pine River

Olivia Duncan, North Muskegon

Alyssa Mulligan, New Buffalo

Riley Phelps, White Pigeon

Lindsey Smith, Laingsburg

Kaitlyn Geers, Kent City

Tiera Thomas, Detroit Henry Ford

Class B girls basketball all-state

First team

Tiera Thomas

Detroit Henry Ford

5-11, Sr. G

Averaged 22.5 points per game, along with seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. With her length, she could guard any position and hold her own.

Coach LaTisha Wallace: “She’s an all-around player that does everything well. Her best asset is her outstanding range on her jump shot. She has left a legacy at Henry Ford on the court and in the classroom.”

Destiny Pitts, Birmingham Detroit Country Day

Destiny Pitts

Birm. Detroit Country Day, 6-0, Jr. G (captain)

Can hit shots from anywhere, making 50% from the floor, 43% beyond the arc and 86% from the line. Averaged 17 points per game and led the Yellowjackets to the state semifinals.

Coach Frank Orlando: “Destiny is a unique player. She can do so many things to help you out on the court. She has that ability to read the game.”

Kayla Brown, Dearborn Heights Robichaud

Kayla Brown

Dearborn Heights

Robichaud, 5-7, JR. G

Brown averaged 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists while leading her team to Class B quarterfinals before losing to state runner-up Grand Rapids South Christian. Has multiple Division I offers and a 3.4 GPA.

Coach Jason Wilkins: “Very good leader, she’s the heart and soul of the team. Made big plays down the stretch. A very hard worker. She never lets up. She’s a coach’s player.”

Jenai LaPorte, Bay City Glenn

Jenai LaPorte

Bay City Glenn

5-7, SR. G

A four-year starter and Glenn’s all-time leading scorer with 1,547 points, LaPorte averaged 14.3 per game this season, including a team-high 16 in the state semifinals. Signed with Grand Valley State.

Coach Cory Snider: “She is such a competitor. She loves the game, she loves being out there against the competition and doesn’t back down from anything.”

DeAnna Fletcher, Detroit Mumford

DeAnna Fletcher

Detroit Mumford

5-10, Sr. F

A great defender and versatile player, she averaged 17 points, 10 rebounds, five steals and three assists per game. A three-year starter, she’ll enter junior college first before transferring to Division I. Shut down some of the best scorers in the PSL.

Coach Kareem Hogan: “She’s the ultimate team player and the ultimate hustle player.”

Class C all-state girls basketball teams

Second Team

Jennifer DeBoer, Grand Rapids South Christian

Renee Sturm, Williamston

Sophia Karasinski, Grand Rapids Catholic Central

Morgan Villemure, Flat Rock

Nicole Tucker, Marshall

Class D all-state girls basketball teams

Third Team

Iyana Brown, Fruitport

Kyra Bussell, Grand Rapids Catholic Central

Kate Tobin, Grosse Ile

Devan Valko, Marysville

Emilee Kott, Manistee

Meet the Free Press girls basketball dream team

Fourth team

Jenna Gregory, Freeland

Maddie Dailey, Hastings

Ashton Combs, Imlay City

Hannah Reinhold, Muskegon Oakridge

Jill Konkle, Marshall

Class A all-state girls basketball teams

Fifth Team

Markayla Vander, Grand Rapids South Christian

Maddie Watters, Williamston

Alexis Ayala, Durand

Kaela Webb, Detroit Country Day

Jade Mosier, Buchanan

Sixth Team

Brayene Benner, Frankenmuth

Savanah Gibson, Birch Run

Keeley Hinton, Parchment

Emily Delmotte, Marshall

Tyeshia Bowers, Flint Southwestern

Honorable mention

Tylar Bennett, Birmingham Detroit Country Day

Kamaria McDaniel, Dearborn Heights Robichaud

Kalle Martinez, Bay City Glenn

Maxine Moore, Detroit Country Day

Taylor Wagner, Stevensville Lakeshore

Karyssa Austin, Marine City

Katie Wood, Belding

Arika Tolbert, Detroit Country Day

Lauren Addy, Swan Valley

Mackenzie Seeley, Alma

Lauren Voelker, Reed City

Natalee Kunse, Clare

Jasmine Hill, Ionia

Kylie Christensen, Cadillac

Brittany Nielson, Grayling

Makenzie Wilkerson, Kalkaska

Ashleigh Thomas, Lutheran North

Christian Cleary, Ann Arbor Richard

Olivia Roe, Portland

Payton Husson, Marysville

Jeny Brandt, Escanaba

Keri Frahm, Frankenmuth

Olivia Mills, Tecumseh

Nija Collier, Roseville

Morgan Kaiser, Stevensville Lakeshore

Daisy Angel, Comstock

Leigha Woelffer, Gladstone