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Girls Basketball Semifinal Picks: Look for Cousino, East Kentwood to play for Class A title
East Lansing – Even though I correctly predicted just one semifinalist in Class A I do have Warren Cousino, last year’s champion, in the final four.
I fared much better in Class B where three of my picks are still playing. I missed on Marshall. I had Grand Rapids Catholic Central in there. I distinctly remember picking G.R. Catholic Central over Marshall in last season’s quarterfinal. Guess I didn’t learn. Ypsilanti Arbor Prep is my pick to win it and the Gators snuck past Williamston in a quarterfinal to reach the semifinals.
In Class C I have two remaining but my pick to win it, Traverse City St. Francis, was eliminated in the districts. Oh, well. It’s March.
The Class D champion will almost assuredly be decided on Thursday when defending champion Pittsford plays Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart. These teams met in the final last season and Pittsford won, 48-30. I did not correctly predict the other two semifinalists.
Despite my failures I will attempt to pick all eight semifinal winners.
All games are at the Breslin Center.
Class A
Friday’s games
Warren Cousino (24-2) vs. Flushing (22-3), 1 p.m.: Cousino played its best game of the season in the semifinals last season and there’s no reason to think that Kierra Fletcher won’t lead her team back again. Pick: Cousino by 6.
East Kentwood (25-1) vs. Southfield for the Arts and Technology (22-4), 2:50 p.m.: Deja Church has been outstanding in the tournament but East Kentwood has been steady as a rock for a month or more. Here’s a vote for the west side. Pick: East Kentwood by 4.
Class B
Detroit Country Day (24-1) vs. Marshall (23-2), 6: A big surprise, to me at least, in the quarterfinals was how close (58-49) Detroit Mumford kept its game with Country Day. Still, Country Day is quite possibly the most talented team in any class. Pick: Country Day by 2.
Freeland (26-0) vs. Ypsilanti Arbor Prep (26-0), 7:50: Don’t think Freeland can handle the experience and the athleticism of Arbor Prep. I’ve been wrong before. Pick: Arbor Prep by 9.
Thursday’s games
Class C
Detroit Edison (18-5) vs. Flint Hamady (19-5), 6: Sophomore Rickea Jackson and freshman Gabrielle Elliott of Edison are two of the top underclassmen in the state, and they’ve gained much experience in the tournament. Pick: Edison by 3.
Pewamo-Westphalia (23-2) vs. Maple City Glen Lake (23-3), 7:50: Pewamo-Westphalia has been ranked in the top 10 most of the season. Pick: Pewamo-Westphalia by 4.
Class D
Engadine (19-5) vs. Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary (17-9), 6: Two teams that few picked to be in East Lansing. Pick: Lutheran Seminary by 3.
Pittsford (26-0) vs. Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (25-1), 7:50: These teams have become familiar with one another recently and Pittsford has Maddie Clark, one of the best Class D players in the past decade or so. Pick: Pittsford by 12.
Quarterfinal record: 11-5
