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Marian ends Southfield-Lathrup’s season once again, defeating the Chargers 47-36
Southfield – Southfield High School was the site of what was one of the biggest girls basketball matchups of the season.
Top-ranked and defending Class A champion Birmingham Marian took on No. 2-ranked Southfield-Lathrup, which was out for redemption after losing to Marian in the regionals last year.
Despite both teams being tied at 24 late in the third quarter, it was Marian that pulled away and defeated the Chargers, 47-36, in a regional semifinal on Tuesday.
Marian (22-1) will take on Farmington Hills Mercy, which defeated Livonia Stevenson, 53-31, in the regional final on Thursday at 7 p.m.
Marian coach Mary Cicerone believed the key to pulling ahead in the third was “we just wanted to make shots right from the second half.
“We got our adrenaline going and that got us more aggressive, that was the plan.”
Sophomore Samantha Thomas led the way as the sophomore had 18 points, 12 in the second half. Those points would help her team pull away in the third when the Mustangs went on a 10-0 run and, later in the fourth, when they were on a 6-0 run.
Also contributing for Marian was senior Jaeda Robinson who had 10 points including two 3-pointers late.
“I had to step up for my team,” Robinson said. “I know I got to believe in myself and they believe in me. I knocked down threes, I do it in practice so I got to convert it to the game.”
Cicerone praised Robinson’s courage at that point in the game.
“Those were big shots, her and Kara (Holinski) hit some big jumpers,” said Cicerone. “We spread them out a little bit, zoned a little more and then (Southfield-Lathrup) had to chase them some more.”
Southfield-Lathrup (21-2) had trouble making shots and sophomore guard Deja Church didn’t receive the scoring help she normally does. Church scored 22 points but just seven in the second half.
Cicerone credited her defense for that by making a switch at halftime and putting junior Bailey Thomas on Church. Robinson defended Church in the first half.
Southfield-Lathrup coach Michelle Marshall was still proud of her team and the season they had.
“You can’t complain in a season in which you were 19-1 (at the end of the regular season),” Marshall said. “Losing to Marian is our first loss in this state.”
“We’re really proud of this team of young ladies that gets along really well together, this is a team that has an amazing GPA, they’re great young ladies and those kids will come back next year. They will learn from this experience as we did after Marian’s game last year.”
The Chargers lost to Toledo Rogers in December.
