THE REMATCH: Detroit Edison vs. Wayne Memorial
Wayne Memorial H.S

Exciting…fast paced...and nerving... all of these words are three of the many adjectives that could be used to describe the first matchup between these two powerhouses when they met back in December, with Edison defeating Wayne 74-62. The sequel to the Detroit Edison vs. Wayne Memorial battle of the best would be almost identical. From the opening tip-off, both teams played like it was mid-March at the Breslin Center and the end of their season was on the line. With so much talent on one court, anything could happen, and it did.

Edison set the tone right away. The Lady Pioneers dominated the first quarter, moving the ball around well and finishing in transition. Five players put points on the board to give them a 7 point lead at the end of the quarter. Wayne struggled somewhat on offense, but their intensity was high, and they were not backing down at all.   

In the second quarter, Wayne Memorial seem to find their rhythm, however fouls and missed shot opportunities kept them from totally removing Edison’s deficit. Mainly because of the physical pressure that Edison applied, making every possession a challenge; along with the 15 points served up by All-American Rickea Jackson. The Lady Zebras went into halftime trailing by ten points.

After the half, Wayne Memorial immediately started attacking the rim, getting easy layups and drawing fouls. Sparked by a layup and three-point shot from freshmen guard Jordan Wright, Wayne would go on a 10-3 run, cutting their deficit to four points. Jackson quickly did the same for Edison, penetrating the paint, forcing contact from her defender. With 2:10 left in the quarter, Illinois commit Jeanae Terry picked up her third foul and Jackson was at the line for the third time. Senior guard Sammiyah Haskin was also a critical factor in Wayne’s energy boost an offensive run, as well as forcing a few turnovers while on defense. The Lady Pioneers turned on their full court press to match the energy that was being given to them, which seemed to be a great idea until junior wing Gabrielle Elliot earned her fourth foul with a little over a minute left in the third.

Terry showed the true caliber of her game in the final quarter. She turned up her intensity and did all she could to take over for her team, driving to the basket on multiple possessions, hitting easy layups or drawing the foul. Even after getting her fourth foul, she remained aggressive on defense and managed not to foul out. However, nothing could stop Edison. They had too many weapons that allowed them to sub and keep fresh legs on the court. In the end, Wayne was not able to even the series, and Edison walks away with a 2-0 record against the Lady Zebra.

Game Highlights

Detroit Edison:
•    Edison continues to show why they are ranked #1, regardless of class, on every single list. Even when Wayne made their run, Edison remained poised and continued to play their game. 
•    With Edison having a legit six player line-up that can score at will, they create a matchup nightmare. Out of a ten-player roster, seven scored.
•    Leading Scorers: Jackson 25, Hagman 16

Wayne Memorial:
•    Jordan Wright is going to be Wayne’s next go-to player. With every game, she’s getting better and better. Especially as a defender.
•    Jeanae Terry and Sammiyah Haskin are a great team! Their energy and intensity will carry Wayne far in the playoffs.
•    Leading Scorers: Terry 19, Haskin 15 

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