LBI: Inside The Game Summary

2015 Motor City Roundball Classic

Bay City All Saints vs. Michigan Collegiate

“All Saints withstands furious rally by Collegiate to hold on for the win”

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Detroit Edison High School

Bay City All Saints withstood a frantic Michigan Collegiate rally to defeat the Cougars 40-35 at the 21st Annual Motor City Roundball Classic. After falling behind by double digits in the 2nd quarter, Michigan Collegiate came out after the break and applied some full court pressure defense that gave All Saints all kinds of problems, but allowed the Cougars to convert those turnovers into some easy baskets and cut the lead down to as many as 3 points in the 4th. However, All Saints junior guard Shannon Watson would drill a big 3 from the left wing to end any hopes for the Cougars comeback victory. 

Watson led All Saints with a game high 12 points and 7 rebounds while Michigan Collegiate was led by freshman Kyra Wells 11 points.

Game and Team Highlights

Bay City All Saints:

• The Saints started off very hot, but couldn’t sustain the fast start and let Michigan Collegiate get back into the game.

• They must be able to play in transition. They’re a good half court team that likes to pound the ball inside. Once they were forced to play up-tempo they had many unforced turnovers.

Michigan Collegiate:

• Collegiate started the game off very passive until they got behind by double digits. Before they started to apply their full court diamond press. This gave Bay City All Saints problems that got the Cougars back into the game.

• Head Coach Ricardo Brown may not have any top players on his roster that can single handily lead him to a victory, but he does have a solid group of ladies that plays hard on every possession. This will lead them to some victories later on in the year.

   

LBI: Inside The Game Summary

2015 Motor City Roundball Classic
Blissfield vs. Our Lady of Lakes

“Blissfield defensive effort leads them past Lakers”

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Detroit Edison High School

A pair of 6-0 runs led Blissfield to a victory over Waterford Our Lady of Lakes in the first game of the 21st Annual Motor City Roundball Classic. After the Lakers closed the lead down to 7 just before the half, Blissfield opened the 3rd quarter on another 6-0 run to push their lead to 13. A late rally by the Lakers was just a little too late as they would cut the Royals lead to 5 but couldn’t overcome that big early deficit before falling 47-42. Wyman led the Royals with 18 points while junior guard Alexis Troy led the Lakers with 15 points.

Game and Team Highlights

Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes:

• The Lakers got behind early and just couldn’t recover. They’re a system team that has a very good offensive game plan but they are not accustomed to playing from behind.

• These ladies didn’t give up and played until the final buzzer. Their fighting will makes them a dangerous team in Class D.

Blissfield:

• The Royals are small, but they are tough and very scrappy. They did a great job of hustling on both ends of the floor.

• As Kelsey Wyman goes so does Blissfield. She was a non-factor in the first half but was able to have a productive second half in leading the Royals with a game high 18 points.

• This team plays great on the ball defense, but they must defend off the ball and rebound better if they want to really compete against the tougher teams in Class C.

 **Follow J.Wilkins on Twitter @LBInsider**

LBI: Inside The Game Summary

2015 Motor City Roundball Classic
Flint Beecher vs. Henry Ford Academy

“Beecher gets past Henry Ford Academy”

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Detroit Edison High School

Henry Ford Academy jumped out to a 7-0 lead and from there the Bucs took over. Flint Beecher would score the last 9 points of the 1st quarter and would never trail again to defeat Henry Ford Academy 55-40. Yana Hudson who scored a game high 19 points and got the Bucs going. Beecher turned up the heat by applying constant full court pressure on the defensive end that led to many uncontested layups. Down by as many 17 points in the 3rd quarter, the Navigators would apply some pressure of their own that rattled the Bucs for a short period to cut lead down to single digits. Beecher answered with a 7-0 run to ice the game. Gabrielle Ferrell led Henry Ford Academy with 16 points.

Game and Team Highlights

Flint Beecher:

• Beecher is a scrappy squad that gets a lot of layups from their press defense.

• Transition defense hurt the Bucs throughout the entire game. They did not get back like they should have and it caused them to give up some uncontested layups.

• Beecher needs to do a better job of crashing the boards and rebounding in 2016 if they want to make a deep tournament run. They must get back to the fundamentals of boxing out and quit depending on their athleticism to get them by.

Henry Ford Academy:

• HFA was at its best when they played pressure defense 94 feet instead of sitting in there 2-3 zone where they relaxed and got out rebounded.

• The Navigators must find their identity on the offensive end. They settled for too many jump-shots early in the game that caused them to fall behind.

LBI: Inside The Game Summary

2015 Motor City Roundball Classic
Kalamazoo Loy Norrix vs. Toledo Waite

“Loy Norrix cruises to easy win over Toledo Waite”

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Detroit Edison High School

Loy Norrix came in with a game plan and that was to pound the ball inside early and often. The Knights did just that in a convincing 57-34 victory over the Indians of Toledo Waite at the 21st Annual Motor City Roundball Classic. Toledo Waite tried to stop the bleeding in third quarter by holding Loy Norrix to only 8 oints, however they struggled to put points on the board themselves.

Junior post Ashantai Sandifer and senior post Tajanae Acree dominated in the paint to combine for 23 points and 18 rebounds with Sandifer leading the way with 16 points. Toledo Waite was led by sophomore post Latriece Williams with a game high 25 points.

Game and Team Highlights

Kalamazoo Loy Norrix:

• The Knights have a solid player in Sandifer. She is a kid that can do a little bit of everything. However, in order for her team to be able to compete against some of the top schools on the Westside of the state they will need better perimeter play. They must be able to make open shots so post players can have space to operate.

• Learning to play an entire game as if they are down one or the score is close is a must. They started fouling a lot and being careless with the ball which could cost them in the future in a tight matchup.

Toledo Waite:

• Waite just didn’t look ready to play from the tip. They didn’t bring any offensive or defensive intensity.

• Playing until the end, no matter what the score is, is very important. The game is not over until the final buzzer sounds.

• Toledo Waite needs to get the ball to Williams as much they can. She can score on the block and take some of the pressure off of the guards.

LBI: Inside The Game Summary

2015 Motor City Roundball Classic

Southfield Lathrup vs. Waterford Kettering

“Lathrup Dominates Second Half to Roll Past Waterford Kettering”

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Detroit Edison High School

In this battle of two of Class A’s top teams, the hype would come to reality as each team traded punches and Lathrup would take a slim 25-23 lead going into the break. The second half was a totally different story as the Chargers would hold the Captains to 8 second half points in route to a dominating 59-31 victory. Lathrup was fantastic on the defensive end of the floor as they really stepped up the intensity, limiting the Captains to just one shot and numerous turnovers. When the Chargers weren’t getting defensive stops, they were explosive on the offensive end behind the fine play of their backcourt starters Antoinette Miller and Deja Church. Both players were unstoppable, getting to the basket and finishing at will. Church led the way with 20 points while Miller chipped in with 18 points. Lilla Schoof led the Captains with 10 points.

Game and Team Highlights

Southfield Lathrup:

• This was best that I have seen Lathrup play all year. They were amazing on defensive and dominated in the areas of rebounding, blocking shots and causing numerous turnovers.

• The Chargers got out in transition and got some easy points. When they can get out and run, this team is hard to beat.

• Miller and Church once again stepped in and led the way for their team. This duo making a statement early in the game is needed in tight games.

Waterford Kettering:

• Even in defeat Kettering is still one of the top teams in Class A. Tonight they were just overmatched by Lathrup’s athleticism.

• Moving forward, Kettering will need more from the other players. Haley Tewes and Lilla Schoof cannot do it all when they play good athletic offensive and defensive teams.

• The Captains must be able to handle defensive pressure. They had way too many unforced turnovers from the guard positions.

   

More Roundball Scores From Saturday Night

Waterford Mott 29 Oak Park 11

Birmingham Marian 52 Grosse Pointe South 40

**Follow J.Wilkins on Twitter @LBInsider**