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.”
Listen live: Michigan high school girls basketball finals