By: Nate Dreyer
Photo courtesy of Miles Postema
After a thrilling night of boys quarterfinal action that saw GR Christian and Zeeland West escape with thrilling wins to advance to the Breslin Center live on MSR on Tuesday, we’re back with three more games and more trophies to be handed out tonight.
It’s girls regional final action, and we have a trio of great games coming from division one and two on the way.
Division 1 at Hudsonville – Byron Center vs. West Ottawa
This might be the most anticipated girls matchup anywhere in the state this week, and it’s being played at the beautiful and huge new Hudsonville Fieldhouse. The Bulldogs and Panthers have met once already this season, with West Ottawa taking a 66-58 non-conference win over BC on January 30.
This game is led by one primary storyline, the battle for Miss Basketball. West Ottawa senior Gabby Reynolds (George Washington) and Byron Center senior Lilly Zeinstra (Butler) are each two of the four finalists for the 2024 BCAM ‘Miss Basketball’ award for the state of Michigan. They each will lead the way for their respective teams, and this will be one of the great one-on-one match-ups in girls or boys basketball in the state this season.
Live coverage starts with the GAME NIGHT crew from the HHS Fieldhouse at 6:30pm, with tip-off at 7:00!
Division 1 at Cadillac – Rockford vs. Midland Dow
The game that will feed into a quarterfinal matchup with the BC/WO winner takes place up at Cadillac High School between a couple of the state’s perennial powers that have been no stranger to the Breslin Center in recent years.
Coach Brad Wilson’s Rams have now run their record up to 24-1 on the season and are riding a 14-game win streak that followed a previous streak of 33 being snapped by O-K Red rival East Kentwood in January.
Dow is coached by Kyle Theisen, who commands a 22-3 Chargers team that finished second within the Saginaw Valley Conference to Grand Blanc (who is also playing tonight over in region 8 vs. Clarkston).
Both teams are solid on each end of the floor, but Dow has been a bit faster and more of an offensive focus this year, putting many games into the 60s and 70s offensively. While the Rams are led by a multiple defensive approach that can play zone, man, half court, or full court and have locked down opponents of any skill level and pace all season long. The Rams have allowed 27 or less in their last two playoff games and have hit their tough defensive groove at the right time as they’ve stepped up their game for March.
Add in a school record 34 points scored for junior Anna Wypych in the district final win over Mona Shores, and the Rams also have found a groove on the other end also. It will be a true clash of Xs and Os and style and will be a great game, as the defending state champion Rams look to advance one step closer to the Breslin Center.
Coverage from Cadillac begins at 6:50pm!
Division 2 at Hopkins – South Christian vs. Vicksburg
At 15-10 on the season, after a 12-10 regular season, it’s been a bit of a cinderella type run for the Sailors of South Christian, but the perennial power Sailors for coach Erika Brown have their foot to the floor in the playoffs, now just two games away from the final four and East Lansing.
They take on one of the state’s best in division two for the regional final wooden mitten trophy, Vicksburg is 22-2 and on a 12-game win streak. Coach Tim Kirby’s Bulldogs have shown an ability to play at multiple paces and win in different ways in the playoffs. They won a district title over Paw Paw 69-57 with both teams filling it up and getting up-and-down the court, but their other two playoff wins were comfortable and more defense-led wins for Vicksburg (they also scored pretty well themselves in the wins) – They beat Three Rivers 74-35 and Stevensville Lakeshore 61-23.
It will be a tough test for the Sailors, who were tested all year in the loaded O-K Gold conference and have played tough games all playoffs long – including taking down Holland Christian in the District final in Double OT.
Coverage from Hopkins begins at 6:50pm, be sure to tune in!
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After tonight, the brackets will continue to dwindle, check in this weekend for MSR’s coverage of the Boys final four and state championships from the Breslin Center, as we’ll have coverage of multiple games across the weekend as three of four divisions feature west-side teams making title bids.
And come back next week, as the girls tournament hits its Zenith, with the quarters on Tuesday and action from the Breslin Center on Thursday thru Saturday!
