By: Nate Dreyer
Friday night provides one of the most stacked nights of high-impact action on MSR so far this basketball season, as we bring five LIVE broadcasts from across West Michigan of girls district final night. State title favorites, Cinderella runs, and rivalries litter the schedule – Let’s take a look at what you can find live on MSR!
Division 1, District 4 @ Rockford | Rockford vs. Mona Shores
The reigning D1 champion Rams have now stretched their win streak on the year up to 12-in-a-row after their lone mid-season loss to East Kentwood in January. The Rams are getting to host their bid for another district and are working through some of the lakeshore’s best to earn the title.
Rockford dispatched of Muskegon on Wednesday 52-42, handing the Big Reds ladies only their sixth loss of the season. Now, it’s Mona Shores on the docket for the Rams; Coach Mike Phillips’ Sailors were able to survive over a very good Cedar Springs team on Wednesday 48-45 to win their sixth straight game.
Mona Shores finished the year only 8-6 in the O-K green and in a tie for fourth spot, but this hot run has them positioned to keep the run going with what would be a huge upset. Coach Wilson’s Rams rolled through their tough schedule to another O-K Red title in 2024, and led by the program’s all-time leading scorer, Grace Lyons, the Rams seem poised to win another district and make another run at the Breslin, for what would be their third-straight trip.
Division 1, District 7 @ Grandville | East Kentwood vs. Byron Center
One of the most anticipated match-ups will be at Grandville Friday night. East Kentwood finished second in the O-K Red with a 20-3 overall record and finished the regular season as the #5 ranked team in the state.
Byron Center were champions of the O-K White at 19-4 overall and are led by a Miss Basketball finalist in their senior guard Lilly Zeinstra. The two teams met back in December in the very first game of the season for each team, East Kentwood got the better of the Bulldogs that night, 58-52 – and this game certainly should be expected to be close again.
Both teams are filled with a ton of experience and are elite defensively, and each typically operate varying types of full-court defense. The Bulldogs opt for a bit slower game using some zone full-court traps, doing so in impressive fashion, allowing opponents to less than 40 points per game this season.
The Falcons have a ton of athletes and are willing to light the proverbial wick on every game they play with some havoc full court defense, forcing steals and creating offense from defense often, the Falcons high-pressure pace allowed for them to score over 60 points per game this year, while holding opponents to less than 45… Despite their very difficult schedule.
Division 1, District 5 @ Forest Hills Northern | Forest Hills Northern vs. Kenowa Hills
The hosting Huskies (16-7) in district 5 lost their two final games of the regular season to elite Lowell and Byron Center squads, but haven’t let that deter them in the playoffs. Coach Jim Sprague’s FHN was able to down Coopersville on Wednesday to be one of the many teams hosting districts with a chance to win the title on Friday night.
Kenowa Hills was able to come out of the loaded O-K Gold with a 17-6 overall record and are playing some of their best basketball of the season down the stretch for coach Brandon Kimble. The Knights have now won five-straight, including a district semis win over Northview, 68-37, on Wednesday.
This will be a great game featuring two teams that were able to survive gauntlet conference schedules and now come out of it with a chance to lift some hardware. Both teams have proven to be able to win in tight, highly-competitive games and have solid backing from strong defensive play.
Division 2 District, 44 @ Forest Hills Eastern | West Catholic vs. Catholic Central
If the last match-up wasn’t highly anticipated enough, this one only adds to the night’s excitement. Rivals and champions from the O-K Blue and Gold, respectively. West Catholic is looking to make another trip to the Breslin Center this year and deliver on a state title, and coach Jill VanderEnde’s team is well positioned to make that type of title run, The Falcons sit at 22-1, with their lone loss coming to D1 title favorite Rockford.
Catholic Central cruised through most of their conference schedule in 2024, eventually winning a deep and loaded O-K Gold with a 13-1 record and 2-game advantage in league play.
The teams met over the Cornerstone Holiday tournament and the game provided one of the toughest games that West Catholic has faced this year. The Falcons were able to pull out a hard-fought six-point 60-54 win, and the second match-up will again promise to provide that type of close game again.
Division 2, District 45 @ South Christian | South Christian vs. Holland Christian
It’s another rivalry matchup here between the two teams that finished behind the teams battling at F.H.E. in the final league standings. South Christian hosts the district and are currently 13-10 on the season after a 7-7 conference record in the loaded ‘Gold’. The Sailors earned a chance to win the district with a 10-point win on Wednesday over a good 14-9 Wayland squad that had previously beaten South Chrisitan both times in conference play.
Holland Chrisitan took down rival Hamilton in solid fashion, 54-37, on Wednesday. The 18-5 Maroons have been playing great basketball down the stretch, winning five in-a-row before falling to West Ottawa in a tight game to close the regular season, before their Wednesday win.
South and Holland Christian have battled once already this year, all the way back in December. South Christian came away in impressive fashion with the win 58-37 on their home floor, they will look to copy that story on Friday night.
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What a night of action it’s going to be for girls basketball on MSR – Be sure to tune in! And, come back with us next week as we’ll be live all week long as the boys make the turn toward the Breslin Center, and the girls enter their regionals week!
