Here are the girls basketball district pairings for Oakland County teams. Postseason play starts this week across the state:

DIVISION 1

District 13

(At Howell)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: Hartland vs. Brighton, 6 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G2: Milford vs. Fenton, 5:30 p.m.

G3: Howell vs. G1 winner, 7 p.m.

District final

Friday, March 6

G4: G2 winner vs. G3 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 4 at Northville)

District 14

(At South Lyon East)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: Walled Lake Western vs. Novi, 7 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G2: Northville vs. South Lyon, 5:30 p.m.

G3: South Lyon East vs. G1 winner, 7 p.m.

District final

Friday, March 6

G4: G2 winner vs. G3 winner, 6 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 4 at Northville)

District 22

(At Livonia Stevenson)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: Redford Thurston vs. Farmington, 7 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G2: Livonia Stevenson vs. G1 winner, 5:30 p.m.

G3: Farmington Hills Mercy vs. Livonia Franklin, 7 p.m.

District final

Friday, March 6

G4: G2 winner vs. G3 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 6 at Detroit Renaissance)

District 23

(At Southfield A&T)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: Warren Fitzgerald vs. Berkley, 5:30 p.m.

G2: Southfield A&T vs. Oak Park, 7 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G3: Detroit Renaissance vs. G1 winner, 5:30 p.m.

G4: Detroit Mumford vs. G2 winner, 7 p.m.

District final

Friday, March 6

G5: G3 winner vs. G4 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 6 at Detroit Renaissance)

District 24

(At Bloomfield Hills)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: North Farmington vs. Birmingham Seaholm, 5:30 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G2: Birmingham Groves vs. G1 winner, 5 p.m.

G3: Bloomfield Hills vs. Bloomfield Hills Marian, 7 p.m.

District final

Friday, March 6

G4: G2 winner vs. G3 winner, 6 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 6 at Detroit Renaissance)

District 25

(At Lakeland)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: Walled Lake Northern vs. Walled Lake Central, 6 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G2: Orchard Lake St. Mary’s vs. G1 winner, 5:30 p.m.

G3: West Bloomfield vs. Lakeland, 7 p.m.

District final

Friday, March 6

G4: G2 winner vs. G3 winner, 6 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 7 at Davison)

Girls basketball postseason preview: A district-by-district look at the 2026 contenders

District 26

(At Oxford)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: Lapeer vs. Holly, 6 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G2: Davison vs. G1 winner, 5 p.m.

G3: Oxford vs. Grand Blanc, 7 p.m.

District final

Friday, March 6

G4: G2 winner vs. G3 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 7 at Davison)

District 27

(At Lake Orion HS)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: Waterford Kettering vs. Auburn Hills Avondale, 5 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G2: Clarkston vs. G1 winner, 5:30 p.m.

G3: Lake Orion vs. Rochester Adams, 7 p.m.

District final

Friday, March 6

G4: G2 winner vs. G3 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 7 at Davison)

District 28

(At Utica Eisenhower)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: Rochester vs. Utica, 7 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G2: Utica Eisenhower vs. G1 winner, 5:30 p.m.

G3: Stoney Creek vs. Romeo, 7 p.m.

District final

Friday, March 6

G4: G2 winner vs. G3 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 7 at Davison)

District 29

(At Warren Mott)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: Warren Cousino vs. Warren Mott, 7 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G2: Troy Athens vs. G1 winner, 5:30 p.m.

G3: Troy vs. Royal Oak, 7 p.m.

District final

Friday, March 6

G4: G2 winner vs. G3 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 8 at Warren Cousino)

————

DIVISION 2

District 60

(At Detroit Country Day)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: Hazel Park vs. Ferndale University, 5:30 p.m.

G2: Center Line vs. Ferndale, 7 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G3: Detroit Country Day vs. G1 winner, 5:30 p.m.

G4: Madison Heights Lamphere vs. G2 winner, 7 p.m.

District final

Friday, March 6

G5: G3 winner vs. G4 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 15 at Detroit Edison)

District 61

(At Warren Regina)

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G1: Warren Regina vs. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood, 5:30 p.m.

G2: Pontiac Notre Dame Prep vs. Macomb Lutheran North, 7 p.m.

District final

Friday, March 6

G3: G1 winner vs. G2 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 16 at North Branch)

District 62

(At Linden)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: Ortonville Brandon vs. Flint Kearsley, 7 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G2: Goodrich vs. G1 winner, 5:30 p.m.

G3: Linden vs. Lake Fenton, 7 p.m.

District final

Friday, March 6

G4: G2 winner vs. G3 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 16 at North Branch)

—————

DIVISION 3

District 85

(At Plymouth Christian)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: Detroit Communication Media Arts vs. Westland Universal Learning Academy, 7 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G2: Plymouth Christian Academy vs. G1 winner, 5:30 p.m.

G3: Wixom St. Catherine vs. Detroit Community, 7 p.m.

District final

Friday, March 6

G4: G2 winner vs. G3 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 22 at Clawson)

District 87

(At Madison Heights Bishop foley)

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G1: Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett, 2, Detroit Northwestern 0 (forfeit)

G2: Madison Heights Bishop Foley vs. Warren Michigan Collegiate, 5:30 p.m.

District final Friday, March 6

G3: Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett vs. G2 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 22 at Clawson)

District 88

(At New Haven)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: Mount Clemens vs. New Haven,  7 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G2: Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest vs. G1 winner, 5:30 p.m.

G3: Clawson vs. Royal Oak Shrine, 7 p.m.

District final

Friday, March 6

G4: G2 winner vs. G3 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 22 at Clawson)

—————

DIVISION 4

District 123

(At West Bloomfield Frankel Jewish Academy)

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G1: Southfield Christian vs. West Bloomfield FJA, 5:30 p.m.

G2: Lutheran Westland vs. Novi Christian Academy, 7 p.m.

District final

Thursday, March 5

G3: G1 winner vs. G2 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 31 at Petersburg Summerfield)

District 125

(At Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: Auburn Hills Oakland Christian vs. Burton St. Thomas More Academy, 5:30 p.m.

G2: Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes vs. Flint Michigan School for the Deaf, 7 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G3: Clarkston Everest Collegiate vs. G1 winner, 5:30 p.m.

G4: Genesee Christian vs. G2 winner, 7 p.m.

District final Friday, March 6

G5: G3 winner vs. G4 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 32 at Akron-Fairgrove)

District 126

(At Marine City Cardinal Mooney)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: Chesterfield Austin Catholic vs. New Haven Merritt Academy, 7 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G2: Bloomfield Hills Academy of the Sacred Heart vs. Marine City Cardinal Mooney, 5:30 p.m.

G3: Sterling Heights Parkway Christian vs. G1 winner, 7 p.m.

District finalFriday, March 6

G4: G2 winner vs. G3 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 32 at Akron-Fairgrove)

Macomb Dakota did something that few wrestling teams have been able to do against Detroit Catholic Central this season. Build an early lead on the Shamrocks.

But in the end, four-time defending state champion Catholic Central had the last laugh, winning 11 of the 14 weight classes and advancing to the next round with a 61-15 victory over the Cougars in the Division 1 state quarterfinals Friday at Kalamazoo Wings Events Center.

Top-seeded Catholic Central (18-5) advanced to the state semifinals Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m. and will face fifth-seeded Rockford, 48-18 winners over fourth-seeded Temperance Bedford, in Kalamazoo.

Dakota, making its 12th trip to the state quarterfinals in 14 seasons, bows out of the team tournament with a 23-5 record.

Dakota, the eighth seed, won two of the first three matches against CC and took an 11-5 edge over the Shamrocks. Lucas Harper (144) recorded a technical fall victory over CC’s Xavier Wey and Maverick Hendricks (157) pinned Cole Schwegler in 3:50.

CC saw Grayson Fuchs (150) gain a 17-2 tech fall win over Blake De Stefano, as the Shamrocks trailed by six early.

Catholic Central picked up a couple of pins in the next two weight classes for an 17-11 lead, as Jack Moore (165) pinned Jaad Lorth to the mat in 3:44 and Braxten Roche stuck Dakota’s Tyson Dutt in 1:41.

Dakota picked up a major decision win from Benjamin Crowley (190) to trim the deficit down to two points at 17-15. That was the final points the Cougars could muster against the CC machine.

The top-ranked Shamrocks won the final eight weight divisions, including five via pin and two by technical falls, to pull away.  Caden Krueger (215), Gabriel Ryzyi (113), Brent Coak (120), Jamison Gregory (126) and Ryan Totten (132) all recorded pins for the Shamrocks, while Gavin Boller (106) and Wyatt Lees (138) recorded technical fall victories and Paxton Heitsch (285) won by major decision for Catholic Central.

DETROIT CATHOLIC CENTRAL 61, MACOMB DAKOTA 15

(Division 1 state semifinals at Kalamazoo Wings Event Center)

144: Lucas Harper (MD tech. fall Xavier Wey 17-2; 150: Grayson Fuchs (DCC) tech. fall Blake De Stefano 17-2; 157: Maverick Hendricks (MD) p. Cole Schwegler 3:50; 165: Jack Moore (DCC) p. Jaad Lorth 3:44; 175: Braxten Roche (DCC) p. Tyson Dutt 1:41; 190: Benjamin Crowley (MD) maj. dec. Owen Jurkiewicz 12-4; 215: Caden Krueger (DCC) p. Noah Raxter 2:30; 285: Paxton Heitsch (DCC) maj. dec. Jackson Hundrieser 10-1; 106: Gavin Boller (DCC) tech. fall Kevin Shamblin 19-4; 113: Gabriel Ryzyi (DCC) p. Kayson Spens 3:05; 120: Brent Coak (DCC) p. Lucca Guerrero 0:46; 126: Jamison Gregory (DCC) p. Bryce Mahar 0:38; 132: Ryan Totten (DCC) p. Leonardo Deacon 2:18; 138: Wyatt Lees (DCC) tech. fall Carl Nihranz 17-1

Stoney Creek dismissed girls basketball head coach Columbus Williams, who was in his third season with the program, on Monday.

The move, effectively immediately, also sees the majority of his staff let go, with the exception of freshman coach Joey Tocco, son of Dakota boys hoops head coach Paul Tocco.

From a distance, it’s an out-of-the-blue firing considering the Cougars are 16-4 overall and in most scenarios would be favored to win a district title this season were they not looking at a final against Utica Eisenhower, one of just 14 teams above them in Division 1 MPR. But sources told The Oakland Press that even though it wasn’t the only incident that may have led to his dismissal, the Cougars’ most recent game, a 48-29 loss at Rochester last Friday, Feb. 20, was likely a tipping point.

By the end of the weekend, a number of area coaches said they had viewed or shared footage of that game, which was (and remains) available to stream on the NFHS Network. At least a handful of technical fouls were assessed to the Cougars in the defeat — some to players or the bench, and others to coaches, including Williams, who was eventually ejected.

Stoney was at the free-throw line trailing just 34-27 with 3:53 remaining in that game when officials appear to issue a technical, and video shows one Rochester High administrator escorting out what looks to be a Cougars’ parent or fan. In a sequence that followed less than 10 game seconds later, the same administrator is seen giving Williams a similar directive after some degree of confrontation.

Players were notified of Williams’ dismissal on Monday afternoon in a meeting where they were able to ask questions and voice any concerns, and families of those in the program were also sent a statement later in the day. Part of that statement read, “At Stoney Creek, educational athletics are an integral extension of the classroom. Our mission is to maintain a student-centered, caring community with high expectations for conduct and sportsmanship.

“Following the incident at this past Friday’s Varsity game, we have determined that a change in leadership is necessary to uphold these standards.”

All of the Cougars’ previous losses this season have been to teams that range from very good to elite (Goodrich, South Lyon East, Clarkston), but emotions were probably high because of the repercussions of losing to Rochester. If Stoney Creek had won, it would have split a share of the OAA Red title no matter the result of Tuesday’s final league game at West Bloomfield.

Instead, if defending champion Clarkston wins at Rochester on Tuesday, the Wolves will also be 8-2 in the league and share the crown with whoever wins between the Lakers and Cougars. Stoney had been in the driver’s seat after it’d split its meetings with Clarkston, including a win in Rochester Hills, and also beat the Lakers at home back on Jan. 29.

Stoney Creek athletic director Todd Negoshian, a longtime boys hoops head coach at North Farmington before stepping down and taking his new post this year in Rochester Hills, will assume the interim role of head coach for the Cougars for the remainder of their season, at which point the vacant job will be posted.

Williams, who was in his first varsity head coaching role after most recently serving as an assistant at Utica Ford, compiled an overall 52-18 record with the Cougars. In his first year with the Cougars, he guided them to a 20-6 record that included a district title and the program’s first regional championship.

ORCHARD LAKE – The third time facing Huron Valley this year was lucky for South Lyon Unified, who defeated the Titans 7-3 Saturday night to advance to Wednesday’s D3 regional finals.

Huron Valley had won the two regular season meetings, including a 6-5 overtime thriller just under three weeks ago at Lakeland Ice Arena.

“We didn’t change much up (from the earlier matchups),” Unified head coach Dennis Gagnon said. “We just scored more than they did. The puck bounced our way. Hockey is a game of bounces, and we earned our bounces, for sure. But it still boils down to bounces and luck.”

Unified came out hot, needing just 1:16 to get on the board when Aiden Petrovich converted a center ice turnover, getting a breakaway and flipping a backhanded shot into the net for a quick lead. Barely three minutes later, Braden Hillebrand barreled down the win, cut behind the net and then found Alex Kero trailing the play for a quick shot and a 2-0 lead.

Hillebrand would score with 6:51 to play in the period, making it 3-0 and South Lyon Unified seemed to have things well in hand.

But the Titans would not go down without a fight. Unified had jumped out to a 3-0 lead the last time the teams met back on Feb. 2, and the Titans came back to win that one in overtime. And for a while, this looked like it could be a repeat.

“We had a slow start. They (Unified) were on fire. It’s hard to come back. At times, it looked like we were chipping away at it, and then they would get a goal right back,” Titans head coach Tim Ronayne said.

The Titans’ power play connected with 48.7 seconds to play in the first period when Nate Dell scored a one-timer from down low. Then, just 2:28 into the next period, the Titans scored again when Austin Scanlon won a faceoff clean back to Lucas Brethauser, whose shot from the top of the right circle seemed to have eyes for the net. Suddenly, it was 3-2 and the Titans had all the momentum.

But this time, Unified had the answers whenever the Titans pushed back. South Lyon Unified restored the two-goal margin just 24 seconds later on a goal from Grant Daugherty, then added another pair before the period had ended with Petrovich and Hillebrand each picking up their second goals of the game.

Huron Valley had a bit of a push early in the third period when Nate Dell got a power-play marker to cut things to 6-3. Even so, the final period was a penalty-filled affair with South Lyon Unified picking up a few penalties in the early stages of the third, and then Huron Valley took several late penalties, short-circuiting any late rally by the Titans.

Photo gallery of a D3 hockey regional semifinal between South Lyon Unified and the Huron Valley Titans

Both sides first met this winter on Dec. 17 in Brighton. In that initial showdown, unlike in the last two, scoring was scarce early as neither team found the back of the net in the first period. However, the Titans struck four times in the final frame in a 5-2 win. Dell and Scanlon assisted Tommy Colt for the game-winner in OT of the February matchup that decided the LVC.

South Lyon Unified (22-4-2) advances to Wednesday’s regional final where it will face Division 3 defending champion Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, who thrashed Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard on its own ice in the evening's first semifinal.

“We’ll just enjoy this one and look forward to the next one,” Gagnon said. “You can’t ask for anything better, can you?” he added.

Huron Valley finishes its first year as a unified team (Lakeland and Milford) with a 16-12-1 record and the Lakes Valley Conference Championship.

“it’s a disappointing way to end the year, but all said and done, we had a great year,” Ronayne said. “It’s our first year being unified, and it was a lot of fun coaching all these guys. The most impressive thing was that they all got along. They melded together, and they’re all brothers. That’s a life lesson in itself right there."

South Lyon Unified defeated the Huron Valley Titans 7-3 in the D3 regional semifinal played on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026 at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s.

ORCHARD LAKE – The Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Eaglets opened the defense of their D3 state title by rolling to a 10-2 victory over the Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard Fighting Irish.

St. Mary’s started strong with two goals in the first six minutes and never looked back. Sophomore Brandon Kondrat got things going for St. Mary’s, capitalizing on a turnover to snap a shot into the net from close range with 12:48 to play in the first period. Dominic Pizzo’s one-timer exactly 100 seconds later made it 2-0, and both goals would be typical of things to come.

St. Mary’s made a living down low in this one. The Eaglets scored most of their goals from point-blank range, getting tip-ins and close in shots early and often, but especially in the third period when they put the Fighting Irish away with four quick goals, ending the game with 6:55 still on the third period clock.

“That was really the goal after the first period – start getting more of that (getting shots in deep) and being able to move that puck across the whole zone rather than using just half of it,” Eaglets head coach Brian Klanow said.

Pizzo was the top scorer for the Eaglets with two goals and one assist, while Matthew Mourad also had three points (one goal, two assists). Charlie Roberts, J.T. Birkett, John Brown, Cam Sussex, and Daniel Ramos each had two points as the Eaglets spread the scoring throughout virtually the entire team. Nine different players scored and 17 Eaglets got at least one point.

Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard’s top line scored a pair of goals with Kai He and Stephen Joffe both scoring for the Fighting Irish. But that was about all the offense for the Fighting Irish, who mustered just 12 shots on goal for the night.

The Fighting Irish played hard throughout the game and battled up and down the line up, from goalie Zeke Talusan to a defense anchored by Jakub Sienkiewicz, right up to the forward lines. Gabriel Richard scratched and fought for every loose puck and every inch of ice they could get. But the young Fighting Irish just could not overcome St. Mary’s firepower.

Photos of Orchard Lake St. Mary’s and Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard in a D3 hockey regional

With the win, the Eaglets (22-4-2) move on to Wednesday’s regional final where they will host South Lyon Unified, winners of the second semifinal on Saturday night.

“We have to come out, put our heads down, and play like a team the whole game,” Klanow said.

Gabriel Richard finishes the year 14-13-1 overall, even with a roster loaded with freshmen and sophomores.

“Everyone gave it everything they had on the ice. I’m just proud of the effort and proud of the way the guys played today,” Fighting Irish head coach Clint Robert said. “We just wanted to be a family in the locker room, and I thought in the locker room the guys really bonded well. It felt like family, and I think that’s important especially with having the majority of the guys back next year. Despite the lopsided outcome here, I think the way the guys battled and for them to see what it takes and what a top team looks like, I think it’s going to be good for us moving forward,” he added.

Orchard Lake St. Mary’s defeated Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard 10-2 in the MHSAA D3 regional semifinal played at OLSM on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026.

WARREN – Jay’den Williams admits that his bedroom walls are getting littered with wrestling memorabilia and most of it is items he has earned.

The Roseville senior 165-pounder, ranked first in the state, brought home some more poster brackets and a medal to add to his growing collection Saturday at Warren Cousino High School.

Williams – who is 37-1 for the season and 186-4 for his stellar four-year career – recorded a 20-3, technical fall victory over Rochester Adams’ Dominic Beccari in the finals at the Division 1 Individual Regional.

“I have too many,” laughed Williams, a three-time state finalist and a sate champion as a junior. I don’t have room anymore. Let’s see – I have four from (Macomb County), four from districts, four from regionals and one from (the state finals).”

Williams was one of 14 regional winners Saturday at Cousino, as standout wrestlers tangled for some eight hours to determine state qualifiers. The top four individuals in each weight class advance to the MHSAA Division 1 state finals March 6-7 at Ford Field in Detroit.

Rochester Adams’ Deacon Morgan will be joining Williams and 55 others from the Cousino regional at the state finals in two weeks and he was impressive ripping through the field in the 144-pound weight class. Last year’s state runner-up has been ranked in the top three in the state and his aggressive fast-paced style helped him record a 19-3, technical fall victory over fellow state-ranked opponent Lucas Harper from Macomb Dakota. 

“I try my best to keep the pace. I just keep my head in the game and keep working and be relentless,” said Morgan. “I do keep up the pace and try to wear my opponent down.”

With last year’s state champion now in college, the door is open for Morgan this season.

“Last year I was second in the state, so the goal is still to win a state championship,” he added.

Rochester Stoney Creek produced one champion, as Jawad Bazzi outlasted Romeo four-sport star Owen Perry 7-3 in the finals at 150. Romeo produced five finalists and tied Adams for the lead with three champions.

Warren Mott had a pair of champions on the day. John Kaminski recorded a 13-5 major decision win over Dax Fegley of Troy in the 157-pound finals. Two weight classes later, Ethan Drozdowski emerged as the 175-pound champ when he defeated Fraser’s Mitchell Nash.

Romeo’s Tommy Jaynes’ quest for glory in the 190-pound division continued, as he added three more wins Saturday to give home 153 for his career and ended his day with a 17-2 technical fall win over Darnel Boyd of Roseville.

“This is the next step,” said Jaynes, a state runner-up last season who is 49-1 this season. “I just have to keep pushing, eating right and manage my nutrition. But I don have to thank God. He gives me the ability to be able to go out there and do this. I just need to keep working hard and remain focused on the goal.”

Adams’ Maxim Vostryakov (215) improved to 39-9 on the season and his major decision victory of 9-1 over Troy’s Selah Houston gave him his first individual regional title.  He came three days after his team captured its first regional title since 1999. Adams’ John David Quinlan (126) prevailed with a 9-5 victory over Romeo’s Ethan Miller in the finals match.

“Personally, for me, I’ve had blast this season. I love my teammates and I love the fact that we won a team regional and that I was able to get one as an individual, too,” said Vostryakov. “Last year I lost in the blood rounds and I’m excited to be able to win today and also win that team regional in the same week.”

Quinlan is also a big part of the Adams success story this year.

“All of this is a great feeling. This team is a close as a team I’ve been one and to win a individual regional here today and to win team regionals earlier this week is amazing. We had three winners today and Max (Vostryakov) clinched it against Romeo the other day for us to win the first regional match,” noted Quinlan. “We have a lot of very good wrestlers and I think we had seven qualify today (for the state finals).”

Landon Cooke of Utica pinned Dearborn Fordson’s Mehdi Beydoun in 4:00 with a broken hand to improve to 22-3. Cooke was injured over the Christmas break with a broken bone in his right hand and missed nearly a month of action.

“I think this title is big because this will help with my seeding at state,” said Cooke. “I missed quite a bit of time and sat out nearly a month because I broke (a bone in) my hand. I won the county meet and then the injury happened right after Christmas. This is my second tournament win, but it is the regional and that’s important. My goal is to try to get up there (on the podium) and be All-State, maybe even top three.”

Sterling Heights Stevenson 106-pounder Anthony Bertollini won his finals match via forfeit after his opponent, Tristan Ciaramitaro of Chippewa Valley, picked up a minor injury at the end of his semifinals victory and opted out. Detroit Cass Tech’s Cyrus Woodberry edged Dearborn Fordson’s Rasoul Charafeddine 4-3 in the 113-pound title bout, while Roseville’s Branden Halsey (132) defeated Fraser’s Connor Wilson 9-4 to win his division.

Romeo sophomore Nico Adamo pinned Fraser’s Zack Courtney in 3:48 to win his 120-pound weight class, while his older brother Valentin Adamo captured a thrilling, 3-1 overtime victory over Dakota’s Carl Nihranz to end the marathon day. Both wrestlers are ranked in the top 10 in the state.

“I just had to trust myself and keep pushing out there,” said Valentine Adamo. “Carl is one of my wrestling partners (outside of high school) and we’re friends. We train together a lot and we’ve wrestled each other a couple of times before. I knew it would be a close match.”

The younger Adamo captured his first regional title.

“This should help me with my seeding. I want to be All-State and I think winning regionals is a big step towards that,” said Nico Adamo. “I didn’t start off the season too well. I only finished seventh at the county meet. I would love to have that day back. But I think that motivated me because I am wrestling a lot better now.”

NOVI — Towards the end of last season, Novi head coach Chris Housey told his team after a loss to Canton, “We still control our own destiny.”

While this year’s record looks a lot different sitting at 6-15 after Monday night’s 48-42 defeat to Plymouth, the message is eerily similar.

“I just told them that next week everybody is 0-0,” Housey said. “We have to get ready to go. Playoffs are a new birth, a new beginning for everybody. We have to learn from the mistakes we made but not dwell on them and get ready to go next Monday.”

It has been a difficult year for the Novi Wildcats coming off a 19-5 record, a KLAA West title, and a KLAA Championship by way of a victory over Wayne Memorial in the league championship last winter. While they are still a senior dominated team, only two of the seven played significant time last season. The losses by way of graduation have been tough to overcome.

Novi made it a challenge when it was the visitor of the two Wildcats a couple weeks ago, forcing overtime before losing in Plymouth, 50-42, but there was no bonus basketball in the rematch despite a few closely contested quarters.

The first quarter saw Plymouth come out strong and quickly build a 12-8 lead by its conclusion. As the game went on, Novi began to come together and managed to pull within a single point of Plymouth headed into halftime at 20-19.

After intermission, Novi continued to push Plymouth (8-13, 6-8 KLAA West), trading the lead back and forth before eventually knotting things up 36-36 at the end of the third quarter on a breakaway dunk. But that was as close as it would get the rest of the night as Plymouth took the lead at the start of the fourth quarter and never looked back.

“The last few minutes we made some mistakes, had some turnovers,” Housey said. “We had some good looks all night that we missed that would have changed momentum. We can’t dwell on that, and we have to keep fighting, go back down and play defense.”

In regards to how Monday’s loss is reflective of others this year, Housey explained, “We have to keep going, keep fighting, and we are almost there. We’ve just got to now focus in and lock up, fix those little things. I feel like 80 to 90% of it has gotten better, and as you know with anything, it is that last 10 to 20% that is often the toughest.”

Photos of Novi vs. Plymouth in a KLAA West boys basketball contest

“I think one of the disappointing things for us tonight, when we did put ourselves in great positions to make shots, we couldn’t make them. You miss four or five layups in a game that you lose by six, that makes the difference.”

Novi’s attack on the night was incredibly balanced with nine out of the 10 players who saw action getting into the scoring column. The hosts, 3-11 in the league, were led by Drelen Lillard, who finished with nine points, and sophomore Bladen White, who picked up seven.

The majority of Plymouth's scoring came from Chayse Calvin, who recorded 13 points and Isaiah Hooks, who dropped in nine.

In addition to the seniors who have that championship experience from last year, Housey has some talented underclassmen that he is working into the mix. “We have two sophomores up, one of them started tonight, Trent McGowan," he said. "He played really well tonight, probably his best game of the year. It has been a balance, though.”

When asked about how he balances staying true to his seniors and getting the underclassmen the work they need, Housey replied, “Sometimes we play those guys together (the four underclassmen), sometimes we mix them with the seniors, but they are going at each other in practice every day, learning and getting better. I am proud of them and proud of the work they have put in and they are getting better as the year is going on.”

Both teams finish the regular season on Thursday night as Livonia Churchill will travel to Novi and Westland John Glenn will visit Plymouth in the KLAA crossover games.

For the playoffs, Novi’s draw will be Northville, who the Wildcats have played twice and split those games with, the most recent being a 60-36 loss on February 13. Despite that lopsided score line, Novi won the initial meeting with the Mustangs in OT, 54-45.

“We started off relatively inexperienced," Housey said. "At the beginning of the year, it was gaining that experience of being varsity basketball players, learning what it takes to do all the stuff that is required to win at this level and in this league, and that is really tough. Now, as the season grinds on, we have gotten better. Our record may not show it, but we have gotten a lot better as a group, and we are starting to come together.”

Novi fell just short in a 48-42 loss to Plymouth on Monday, Feb. 16, 2026 in Novi.

The fifth weekly statewide Michigan Sports Writers (formerly Associated Press) prep girls basketball rankings, as compiled from the votes of various media members from around the Mitten for the week of Feb. 16, 2026.

The top 10 teams in the Michigan high school basketball poll, with records in parentheses. Totals are based on 10 points for a first-place vote, nine for second, etc.:

DIVISION 1

Rank, School (Record) Points

1. Belleville (19-0) (5) 50

2 (tie). Rockford (16-1) 42

2 (tie). Wayne Memorial (15-2) 42

4. Detroit Renaissance (15-2) 31

5. Howell (19-1) 29

6. Muskegon (14-2) 25

7. Grand Haven (15-2) 24

8. South Lyon East (18-0) 11

9. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (15-3) 9

10. Saginaw Heritage (14-5) 6

Others receiving votes: 11. Utica Eisenhower 3; 12. Livonia Stevenson 2; 13. Midland 1.

DIVISION 2

Rank, School (Record) Points

1. Grand Rapids South Christian (18-0) (4) 40

2. Goodrich (19-0) 36

3. Tecumseh (17-2) 32

4. Grand Rapids Covenant Christian (17-0) 23

5. Flint Powers (17-2) 21

6. Grand Rapids West Catholic (14-4) 19

7. Haslett (15-2) 17

8. Grand Rapids Catholic Central (16-2) 14

9. Otsego (14-1) 9

10. Negaunee (17-1) 8

Others receiving votes: None

DIVISION 3

Rank, School (Record) Points

1. McBain (2) (17-0) 45

2. Jackson Lumen Christi (2) (15-2) 44

3. Niles Brandywine (1) (17-1) 42

4. Blissfield (15-2) 29

5. Pewamo-Westphalia (14-2) 27

6. Grass Lake (16-1) 24

7. Hemlock (17-1) 12

8. Kalamazoo Hackett (14-3) 9

9 (tie). Harbor Springs (17-1) 8

9 (tie). Cass City (12-4) 8

Others receiving votes: 11. Kalamazoo Christian 6; 11 (tie) Shelby 6; 13. Beaverton 5; 14. Sandusky 4; 15. Caro 3; 16. Saugatuck 2; 17. New Lothrop 1.

DIVISION 4

Rank, School (Record) Points

1. Concord (17-1) (2) 45

2. Morenci (17-1) (1) 43

3. Mio (14-4) 31

4. Kingston (18-0) (1) 28

5. Gaylord St. Mary (17-1) 28

6. Ewen-Trout Creek (15-2) (1) 27

7. Ishpeming (15-2) 27

8. Au Gres-Sims (16-2) 20

9. L’Anse (15-2) 9

10. Indian River Inland Lakes (16-2) 5

10. Frankfort (11-5) 5

Others receiving votes: 12. Munising 3; 13. Adrian Lenawee Christian 3; 14. Baraga 1.

The sixth weekly statewide Michigan Sports Writers (formerly Associated Press) prep boys basketball rankings, as compiled from the votes of various media members from around the Mitten for the week of Feb. 16, 2026.

The top 10 teams in the Michigan high school basketball poll, with records in parentheses. Totals are based on 10 points for a first-place vote, nine for second, etc.:

DIVISION 1

Rank, School (Record) Points

1. East Lansing (19-1) (5) 50

2. East Kentwood (17-2) 45

3. Rockford (17-3) 38

4. Auburn Hills Avondale (20-1) 32

5. Grand Blanc (17-3) 23

6. Muskegon (16-2) 22

7. Grand Rapids Northview (16-4) 16

8 (tie). Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice (15-5) 12

8 (tie). Kalamazoo Central (16-2) 12

10. Detroit Martin Luther King (17-4) 11

Others receiving votes: 11. Wayne Memorial 7; 12. Rochester 4; 13. Hudsonville 2; 14. Saginaw Heritage 1.

DIVISION 2

Rank, School (Record) Points

1. Romulus Summit North (21-1) (4) 40

2. Lansing Sexton (19-2) 35

3. Freeland (17-3) 29

4. Frankenmuth (18-1) 27

5. Hudsonville Unity Christian (17-3) 26

6. Grand Rapids South Christian (17-2) 23

7. Dearborn Divine Child (18-2) 15

8. Ludington (19-1) 11

9. Gladwin (19-1) 4

10. (tie) Grant (20-0) 3

10. (tie) Benton Harbor 3

Others receiving votes: 12. Fruitport 2; 13. South Haven 1; 13. Chelsea 1.

DIVISION 3

Rank, School (Record) Points

1. McBain (3) (17-1) 38

2. Menominee (16-4) 35

3 (tie). Beal City (17-2) 34

3 (tie). Pewamo-Westphalia (17-2) 34

3 (tie). Niles Brandywine (2) (15-4) 34

6. Ishpeming-Westwood (19-1) 25

7. Harbor Beach (17-2) 22

7 (tie). Detroit Loyola (17-4) 22

9. North Muskegon (21-1) 14

10. Onsted (18-2) 11

Others receiving votes: 11. Arts & Tech Academy of Pontiac 5; 12. Springport 1.

DIVISION 4

Rank, School (Record) Points

1. Fowler (18-2) (2) 47

2. Pickford (20-0) 38

3. Wyoming Tri-Unity Christian (17-1) (2) 35

4. Traverse City Christian (20-0) (1) 34

5. Crystal Falls Forest Park (16-3) 30

6. Allen Park Inter-City Baptist (18-3) 28

7. Concord (16-4) 18

8. Dollar Bay (17-2) 15

9. Hillsdale Academy (18-2) 11

10. Genesee Christian (16-4) 5

Others receiving votes: 11. Harbor Springs Harbor Light Christian (15-4) 4; 12. Felch North Dickinson (16-3) 4; 13. Mendon 3; 14. Southfield Christian (16-5) 2.

In a meeting of this year’s top Lakes Valley Conference girls hoops teams, undefeated South Lyon East won 50-45 at Milford on Tuesday night.

Nyla Lake and Brooke Moyer ended with 17 and 16 points, respectively, as the Cougars improved to 15-0 overall and 8-0 in the league.

Ashlyn Lutz scored a team-high 17 points and Taylor Vogel ended with 11 for the Lady Mavs (11-4, 6-2), who have been the only team other than Plymouth to keep it to within single digits with the Cougars this season. SL East won the first meeting with Milford 52-47 back on Jan. 13.

More girls basketball

PONTIAC NOTRE DAME PREP 55, BIRMINGHAM SEAHOLM 37 >> Addy Kitzman scored 10 points and Erin Sheckell added nine for the Maples (4-8), who fell short on Wednesday to the Irish (10-5), who picked up their third win in a row.

HAZEL PARK 49, EASTPOINTE 27 >> La’Onna Otis-Nunnally finished with 14 points on Wednesday and the Vikings, who started the year 1-6, improved to 3-1 in the MAC Bronze and are currently tied for the league lead with Warren Lincoln.

WEST BLOOMFIELD 62, CLARKSTON 52 >> For West Bloomfield (10-4, 4-2 OAA Red), Sheridan Beal poured in 28 points and Bailey Finnie added 15 at home on Tuesday. Elli Robak had a team-high 19 points, Brooklyn Covert finished with 15 and Bella Flavin contributed 10 for the Wolves (11-5, 4-1).

ROYAL OAK 51, BERKLEY 40 >> Alyssa Rozicki led the way with 13 points, Lydia Dickens scored 10, and Allie Hills and Ainsley Weeks each had nine Tuesday for the Ravens, who improved to 6-7 overall and 2-3 in the OAA White. Blessing Nweke had a double-double (12 points, 11 rebounds), Amsatou Diop scored 11 points and freshman Niqco Shoulders had 10 boards with five blocks for the Bears (3-12, 2-3).

ROYAL OAK SHRINE 56, LUTHERAN NORTH 46 >> On the road Tuesday night, Julia Kraemer scored a team-high 13 points, Leah Proctor finished with 11, and the duo of Summer Smith and Nora Tillman each had nine for the Knights (4-10, 2-5 CHSL AA Division).

WIXOM ST. CATHERINE 70, ALLEN PARK CABRINI 57 >> Tuesday night’s road win by the Stars (10-5, 8-1) was their ninth in their last 10 games and also helped them clinch the CHSL AA Division title.

WALLED LAKE NORTHERN 44, LAKELAND 43 >> The Knights (7-9, 4-4 LVC) were able to overcome 17 points by Lakeland’s Aubrin Miller and pull out the win on Tuesday. The Eagles are now 7-7 overall and 3-5 in the league.

TROY 71, FERNDALE 8 >> Maci Zeiter led all scorers with 11 points and Olivia Spangler chipped in nine to help the Colts (10-4, 4-1 OAA Blue) win on the road Tuesday.

DURAND 48, ORTONVILLE BRANDON 43 >> Junior Ella Rizzo went for 29 points and hauled in nine rebounds in a wire-to-wire defeat Wednesday for the Blackhawks (4-1, 3-5 FML Stars). Maddie Heverly and Elin Austin each pulled in six rebounds and combined for seven blocks in the loss.

Boys basketball

WALLED LAKE CENTRAL 51, SOUTH LYON 42 >> Johnathan Matthews scored a dozen points, Anthony Camacho had 11 and Asa Clay came a rebound short of a double-double on Tuesday for the Vikings (10-7, 6-2 LVC).

MADISON HEIGHTS LAMPHERE 69, CLAWSON 35 >> Jack Robinson poured in 22 points with a handful of steals and Gavin Abbott chipped in nine points as the Rams jumped to 14-2 overall and 8-0 in the MAC Bronze with Tuesday’s triumph.

ROCHESTER HILLS LUTHERAN NORTHWEST 49, AUBURN HILLS OAKLAND CHRISTIAN 43 >> Preston Parmentier went off, hitting 3-pointers for 33 points in the Crusaders’ victory on Tuesday. PJ Thiessen finished with 11 rebounds and Mike Griffin Jr. had seven steals as well for Lutheran Northwest, now 8-7 overall.

SOUTH LYON EAST 46, MILFORD 35 >> Milford dropped to 8-9 on the year despite 10 points each out of Caden Johnston-Thompson and Dorian Wright on Tuesday. Mason Crosby had a game-high 12 points for the Cougars (10-6 overall), who stayed tied atop the LVC at 6-2 with the home win.

WATERFORD OUR LADY OF THE LAKES 54, ALLEN PARK CABRINI 52 >> Alex Asai knocked down a pull-up jumper from the elbow to beat the buzzer in Tuesday’s victory that clinched the CHSL Intersectional 2 Division title for the Lakers (12-4, 7-1). Jack Miller scored 13 points, Riley Jones had 12 and Latane Ware also added 10 in the win.

LAKE ORION 59, TROY 52 >> Dragons senior Jackson Shoskey scored 23 points, Max Neering had 16 and Nathan Giacolone contributed nine in Monday’s win. The Dragons also picked up a victory at Walled Lake Western on Tuesday to make it six straight and improve to 11-7.

Hockey

BLOOMFIELD HILLS BROTHER RICE 4, CLARKSTON 3 (OT) >> Drake Spring’s seventh goal of the season was also the game-winner in overtime for the Warriors, who also got goals out of Colin Mott, Winston Wigginton and Landon Zsenyuk. Ryan Wilford notched his eighth goal of the season in the Wolves’ defeat.

FARMINGTON UNITED 7, BISHOP FOLEY UNITED 1 >> The Griffins’ top-three leading scorers (Brady Brink, Owen Sims, Connor Brink) all added to their double-digit tallies on the year in Wednesday’s home victory. Derek Townsend hit the back of the net for the 26th time this winter in the Foley loss.

ORCHARD LAKE ST. MARY’S 9, RIVERVIEW GABRIEL RICHARD 1 >> Charlie Roberts netted his 26th and 27th goals of the seasons, Thaddeus Raynish scored twice, and Dominic Pizzo scored and assisted three times as the Eaglets routed the visitors Tuesday night.

NORTHVILLE 3, BLOOMFIELD HILLS CRANBROOK-KINGSWOOD 2 >> Goals from Cam Rocchini and Henry Demuth for the Cranes (13-7) weren’t enough to counter three second-period goals by the Mustangs on Tuesday.

Michigan State added a gem to its class on Wednesday by getting the signature of Detroit Catholic Central speedster Samson Gash.

Gash, who had previously given a verbal to the Spartans last summer, stuck with MSU and new head coach Pat Fitzgerald despite reopening his recruiting process after the firing of Jonathan Smith.

The four-star prospect, a consensus top-50 wide receiver in the Class of 2026, confirmed the news Wednesday that was first reported by Hayes Fawcett of Rivals/on3.

Fitzgerald’s push to secure Gash was anything but a secret in the days leading up. He received a loud ovation from the Spartan faithful at the Breslin Center when Fitzgerald and Gash walked out together at last Friday’s home men’s hoops game against Michigan. Fitzgerald was seen introducing Gash to Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell.

The six-foot, 185-pounder flashed his track speed all season for the unbeaten D1 state champs. An impact player in all three phases, the Mr. Football candidate concluded his senior season with 1,700 yards and 18 total touchdowns.

Both Georgia and Penn State were among the top programs that offered Gash following Fitzgerald’s hire on Dec. 1, but Gash had indicated after the Shamrocks won the title that he intended to take some time on his decision before ultimate opting to join his older brother Caleb in East Lansing.

Fitzgerald will hope it’s not the last commitment from a Gash to come.

Samson’s younger brother, Gideon, has continued to see his star rise following a strong junior season in which he was a lockdown player in the secondary for Catholic Central, and like his brother, was a danger man in the return game.

Like Samson, Michigan State also initially offered Gideon this past summer, but he’s seen his list of offers increase by double digits since the turn of the calendar. Among the schools that have joined the chase for the three or four-star cornerback are Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Iowa and Alabama.

With Samson added to the group, 247 ranked Michigan State’s 2026 class 50th overall, while On3 had the Spartans at No. 54.

Other Catholic Central senior footballers headed to play at the next level include Benny Eziuka (Virginia Tech), Jack Janda (Iowa), Josha Atiemo (Central Michigan), Brandon Bartolucci (Wayne State), Luca Genrich (Michigan State), Hunter Stokes (North Central College), Michael Dersa (Western Michigan), and Cedric Williams Jr. (Michigan State).

BLOOMFIELD HILLS — More often than not, it’s Da’ron Mason that leads the scoring charge for Bloomfield Hills, in triumph or defeat.

But the Black Hawks’ 53-41 victory over Pontiac in front of a packed house Friday night showed why the OAA Blue frontrunners go beyond their star senior.

“This was one of those games, I didn’t have any feel for the stat line, who scored what, who did a good job on the glass,” Black Hawks head coach Brian Canfield said. “It was a full team effort. Then, you look at the book, Carter Hartfield had 17, but everyone else … when Da’ron’s the fourth-leading scorer and you can still pull that game out and win by double-digits, that’s pretty significant for us.”

Mason finished with seven points and was among a handful of Black Hawks who scored between a handful and eight in the win.

“We just came out knowing we had trust in each other,” Mason said of the effort in the second half. “I have trust in all those guys. I’m just glad they trust me to get them that pass. We knew we were the better team and had to show them (Pontiac) that.”

Bloomfield Hills came in on an eight-game winning streak, and the only game during that span decided by fewer than nine points was its 43-42 win in Pontiac on Jan. 9 when the two teams last met.

With the Black Hawks at 5-0 in the league and Pontiac the next-best contender at 3-1 going into the rematch, Friday’s result was going to have major ramifications, and the Phoenix had to feel good about their chances midway through. Caden Covington had two 3-pointers in the first quarter and JJ Claudio knocked down three in the second and had 17 points already by halftime when Pontiac led 29-20.

“I just think we came out with energy, and we executed very well in the first half,” Phoenix head coach Dion Harris said. “I don’t know how many turnovers we had, but we got shots at the basket, hit shots, and didn’t turn it over much in the first half. These kids play well when everything’s going right.”

Canfield and Mason sent a message at the interval, though.

“We knew that we were playing under our skill level, and we felt like we could do more and we had to bring the energy up,” Mason said. “We all came together as a collective and said we needed to play harder, especially on the defensive side. We had to come out and show them that’s what we do, we play 90 full feet.”

Those words of self-affirmation paid dividends, apparently.

A corner triple by Brennan Bies chopped the lead down to just four less than 90 seconds into the third quarter, and Ryan Hunt knocked down 3-pointers just a little over a minute apart, the second of which knotted the contest at 33-33 with 3:34 left in the quarter.

“I think they dame out in the second half, hit the first two threes, and we had to call a timeout,” Harris said. “That took away some of our mojo, our energy, and we didn’t come down and score those first three or four possessions. It’s hard for these guys to come back out of that when they other team goes on a run and we miss consecutive shots. We still don’t know how to play through that.”

The teams were tied at 36 at the end of the third, but the fourth was all Bloomfield Hills (14-2, 6-0). Hartfield and Carter Canfield each connected from distance in the first 48 seconds to force a Pontiac timeout, then Hartfield scored and Hunt got a turnaround jumper to bounce a few times on the iron and fall. A sharp pass into the post by Meyer Saperstein to Canfield capped off a 12-0 run by the Black Hawks with about 3:30 remaining.

Photos of Bloomfield Hills vs. Pontiac in an OAA Blue boys hoops contest

All the while, Pontiac (8-6, 3-2) couldn't buy a make from 3-point range, and its second-half woes from the charity stripe (3 of 10) only made matters worse. The Phoenix only had two points throughout the entire quarter until Claudio (22 points) connected from NBA range with 38 seconds left in regulation.

On the game turning, Coach Canfield said, "I thought the first quarter was back and forth, then they knocked down two threes, and I told guys at the (end of it), 'You won that first quarter, you had played better for a longer period of time, but they just got two threes.' And they continued to make threes. Both teams executed well, but they made perimeter shots, we didn't.

"Da'ron struggled in the first half, and obviously when you have a player of that caliber (struggle), he's such an important part of the team, the team's gonna struggle. The second half, the turnaround was a couple adjustments with spacing against the defensive pressure that gave us some open looks on the perimeter, and we're a really good shooting team, so I didn't think we were going to continue to miss shots like that ... Another big part of that is, early fourth quarter, Da'ron picked up his fourth foul, and after I've just said when a player of that caliber doesn't play well, we need him, but he was on the bench when we went on that run.

"It's been the same story (for our team). They've been in close games for a half our so, sometimes three quarters, but at some point in fourth quarters, we've been able to tighten up the defense, secure rebounds and pull out the win."

Asked whether he believed the circumstances contributed to how his team performed down the stretch, Harris replied, "Absolutely. I think that added pressure, it effected us. I don't want to say we can't play under pressure but we've had three opportunities (against Avondale, Pershing and now Bloomfield Hills) to make statements in games, and we need better leadership out on the floor so we can overcome those moments where things aren't going right ... We have about a month left before state starts and we have to focus all our energy on getting better at what we need to do to make a playoff run now."

Even with the win, Coach Canfield wasn't about to declare the OAA Blue as belonging to the Black Hawks, who continue their second go-around against league opponents on Feb. 6 against Troy. "Look, we have a two-game lead with four games left for us, but I've done this long enough to know I'm not counting on anything until it's final," he said. "And for us, it is just one game at a time. Anybody in our league can beat anybody, but our goal is to be the best team we can be regardless of the record, and in order for us to do that, we have to win the next game."

BLOOMFIELD HILLS – Birmingham Groves dictated tempo from the start and raced to an 80-39 victory over Bloomfield Hills in a battle for first place in the Oakland Activities Association White Division.

Both teams came into the game unbeaten in league play. But it didn’t take long for Groves to assert control of the game. After the teams battled to an 8-8 start, the Falcons closed the first quarter on a 14-2 run and never looked back.

The Falcons full cast came to play. Groves came in waves, pressed all night, and generally filled the stat sheet every which way. The Falcons dressed 10 players and all of them scored, each had at least one rebound, and eight players had at least one steal as everyone got into the act.

“We wanted everyone to score, so that was the cool thing,” Falcons head coach Jessica Duleba said. “I think you got to see our style of play is pretty fun.”

Still, when the Falcons needed a bucket to get on track or stem a brief run by the Black Hawks, it was either Harlem Simpson or Jacey Roy that they turned to. Simpson, who recently hit 1,000 for her career, finished with a game-high 26 points, including 20 points in the first half. Roy added 17 points, and Mallory Killian added 13 points for the Falcons.

“I’m happy with our performance. The shooting was good tonight,” said Duleba, whose team has now equaled or exceeded 80 points in eight games during its current win streak that followed an 0-2 start to the year.

The Black Hawks played well in spurts. When they could break the press or get a defensive stop or two, Bloomfield Hills was very competitive. But as soon as they started to turn the ball over, Groves would score in transition, put on a quick spurt, and extend its lead.

“I felt that we threw the ball away three times in the first half, and they scored three threes,” Black Hawks head coach Renardo Brown said. “That’s what we’ve got to learn. We’ve got to learn to break it (the press), and then run something,” he added.

Photos of Birmingham Groves vs. Bloomfield Hills in OAA White girls hoops action

Raina James came off the bench to lead the Black Hawks with 12 points. Julianna Socha had a game-high nine rebounds for Bloomfield Hills, and though they also spread the scoring around, outside of James, no one else came close to double figures for the Black Hawks.

With the win, Groves (10-2 overall) improves to 5-0 in the OAA White and assumes full control of the league race. The Falcons begin their second trip through the league on Tuesday with a road game against Auburn Hills Avondale.

“We really wanted this one. We lost to them in districts last year, so we had this one on our list,” Duleba said. “We’re just happy to get this one. We split it last year (in the regular season) and lost in districts, so we keep that as our motivation. We have a lot of teams on our list this year, and we’re trying to prove that we belong and that we should be in the top teams around here, that we deserve some recognition, too.”

The Black Hawks (7-3, 3-1 OAA White) have a quick turnaround, hosting Walled Lake Central in a non-league contest on Friday.

The teams could meet two more times this year – once more in league play and possibly again in districts.

“I played four freshmen tonight,” Brown said. “We’re going through some growing stages right now. But I think give us three or four more games down the road, we work on what we need to work on, and we probably can put a better show out there. But we’ve got to meet them again, probably in the playoffs here, and that’s what it’s all about.”

ROCHESTER HILLS — Stoney Creek relied on the free-throw shooting of junior forward Calista Ivezaj to pull out a 41-38 win over visiting West Bloomfield on Thursday.

She made 11 of 14 free-throw attempts overall and only missed one of her eight tries in the fourth quarter, leading all scorers with 21 points in the Cougars’ success.

“Going into it, we were just prepping a lot, taking practice very seriously,” said Calista, who was coming off a career-high 26 points in Stoney Creek’s last outing, a 59-16 win against Fenton. “We know these league games are gonna be tough. It’s a rivalry, everything there, but we were just focusing on what we do best and locking in on what we know we can execute.”

Stoney Creek, West Bloomfield and Clarkston have been the top-three teams in the OAA Red in some order going back to 2023-24, but the league title has eluded the Cougars. In the first of their four games against those two opponents, a victory over the Lakers is a first step toward claiming one this winter.

“One of our biggest goals has always been winning the OAA Red,” Calista said. “Coming out (of it), (Stoney Creek head coach Columbus Williams) just said, ‘This is the start. We’re sending the message we’re here to play, not play around.’ We’re be focused for the rest of the OAA (schedule).”

After a commanding 15-4 start by the hosts, West Bloomfield (9-4, 3-2) scored five unanswered early in the second quarter to make it a four-point contest, and from there little separated the two league contenders. The Lakers finished off the opening half on a 6-0 spurt that included a 3-pointer by star senior guard Sheridan Beal, and it was Stoney that led by one, 29-28, after three quarters of action.

“We were trying to control the tempo at that point with the lead that we had,” Williams said of the early action. “Their guards put a lot of pressure on us and our girls didn’t read the flow of the game the right way, then we threw a few turnovers in that second quarter that allowed them to get back into the game.”

Following a floater by freshman guard Bailey Finnie’s floater that had the Lakers within one early in the fourth, both teams went scoreless over the course of several trips until the Cougars rebounded a missed 3-pointer and senior Jadelynn Freeman sank a baseline jumper with 3:20 to go.

After two Calista Ivezaj free throws and a split pair by Malia Taylor, Izzy Ivezaj hit Calista underneath for a bucket that made 37-31, but Beal sliced the lead in half with 1:40 to go when she was fouled on a made 3-pointer, though she didn’t sink the free throw.

Photo gallery from Stoney Creek vs. West Bloomfield in an OAA Red girls hoops contest

Beal missed her next two shots, but teammate Tiara Hopkins-Butler deposited the second miss to keep the Lakers within two at 38-36 with 1:09 remaining, and after the Cougars committed a backcourt violation, Beal drove the lane and knocked down a pull-up jumper that tied the game as 50 seconds remained.

Despite that, West Bloomfield fouled afterward and sent Isabelle Sutton to the line, where she made one of two with 43 ticks left, and the last four shots by the Lakers, including a potential game tying 3-pointer after Calista Ivezaj's final two free throws, didn't fall, preserving Stoney's triumph.

The Ivezajs -- Calista, Izzy and Abby -- used their height and length to combine for at least a handful of blocks.

That helped take advantage of one of West Bloomfield's shortcomings. The Lakers are down a pair of key players from the beginning of the year, including forward Londyn Hall (ACL), the only other returning starter other than Beal from last year's team that reached the Division 1 semifinals.

"We're down two starters, and I don't have a floor general, someone who's going to get them where they're supposed to be," Lakers head coach Darrin McAllister said. "It's tough from where we started, what we expected to do. We had to pivot."

Beal, who saw a ton of attention from Freeman and the rest of the Cougars' line of forwards, finished with a team-high 19 points. She's yet to be held to single-digit scoring this season.

"Sheridan's doing a lot more things now," McAllister said. "Going back to losing your starting point guard, at the end of the game, we're putting the ball in her hands as opposed to her being the off-guard. London, she was a tremendous post player, and it's putting pressure on other post players. But hopefully, and I'm confident, we'll get it together and by the postseason we'll be better than we are now.

"If I had hair, I'd be pulling it out right now. But I'm not crying over spilt milk. I can't do that. We've been to the Breslin four times in four years and some people haven't gone in a 30 or 40-year career. So I'm putting it on me."

West Bloomfield and Stoney Creek will rematch in the final league game of the season for both teams on Feb. 24. Meanwhile, the Cougars play Lake Orion on Tuesday, then will face Clarkston, the Red Division's other 4-0 team, in back-to-back games, beginning with an away game against the Wolves on Feb. 6.

"With the snow day we had, looking at both our crazy calendars, that's how we put it," Williams said of the consecutive matchups upcoming with Clarkston. "Personally, I like it, because if we win (both), we've got the league settled within four days."

LAKE ORION – The Lake Orion Dragons came from behind in the fourth quarter to defeat the Pontiac Notre Dame Prep Fighting Irish 50-44 Friday night.

The game was one of runs, and the Dragons had the last big run of the game, closing the game on a 13-3 spurt to pick up the victory. Notre Dame Prep had entered the fourth quarter with a 37-34 lead, but the Fighting Irish were whistled for five fouls in the first 1:09 of the fourth period, and Lake Orion spent almost the entire period in the bonus.

For a while, it didn’t look like it would help the Dragons, who started the game 3-for-13 from the free-throw line, including five straight misses to start the fourth quarter. But Lake Orion finally made their free throws down the stretch, sinking 10 of their last 11 from the charity stripe to hold off Notre Dame Prep.

“It was a tough game. They (Notre Dame) played us really tough,” Dragons head coach Jose Andrades said. “We had to weather a storm, and we just stuck together, did what we were supposed to do, and ended up winning the game.”

Maxwell Neering led the Dragons with 13 points and was instrumental in keeping Lake Orion close during the second quarter as Notre Dame unleashed a 15-0 run that overlapped the end of the first period and the beginning of the second period. But then Neering ran off six quick points on his own, including two steals that he took all the way for transition layups, Max Hinderer hit a couple of shots after that, and the Dragons regained the lead, heading into halftime up 20-19.

Lucas Kattula was dominant for Notre Dame through the first three quarters, racking up 14 points and 13 rebounds before the Dragons finally adjusted and held him off the stat sheet in the fourth quarter.

Drake Roa also had a double-double for Notre Dame, finishing with 13 points and 10 rebounds, while teammates Sam Stowe and Ben Liparoto added 10 and seven points, respectively. But that was it for Notre Dame as no other player scored for the Fighting Irish.

“This is probably the first game where those top-four have honed in and played a consistent, steady game” Fighting Irish head coach Andy Durkin said. “We’re still working on our depth, but we’ll get there. We had some guys step up tonight that got extended run.”

Lake Orion spread things around a bit more as seven different players scored for the Dragons. Neering’s 13 points led the hosts, but the Dragons also got 11 points from Jackson Shoskey, including five crucial free throws down the stretch. William Farmer finished with just six points – but all six came in a crucial fourth quarter run that gave Lake Orion the lead for good.

Photo gallery of Pontiac Notre Dame Prep and Lake Orion in boys basketball action

With the win, Lake Orion evens its record at 7-7 overall. The Dragons resume OAA White play -- they're 1-3 in the league -- on Tuesday when they travel to Stoney Creek to face the Cougars.

“The kids are starting to trust the process, and they know things aren’t going well right now – shots aren’t falling. Free throws aren’t falling,” Andrades said. “(But) we keep doing what we’re supposed to do and eventually we should end up on top. We did that today. We just stuck to the game plan and got out with a win.”

Notre Dame Prep is now 3-8. The Fighting Irish have three games next week, starting with a Monday road trip to Swartz Creek as they continue to try to put things together after losing four starters from last year’s team that reached the Division 3 quarterfinals.

“We’re a good team. We’re just still finding our footing, still working out the kinks, but we’ll keep building, keep building. We’ll be alright,” Durkin said. “We’ve been put in this position a couple times before. We’re just still trying to work out the kinks and continue to play together and make those gotta have it shots,” he added.

The Lake Orion Dragons defeated the Notre Dame Prep Fighting Irish 50-44 in the game played on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026 at Lake Orion.