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Tecumseh and Morenci girls basketball hit the floor Tuesday, looking for spots at the Breslin Center later this week, as both played in the quarterfinals.
Division 2 No. 2 Tecumseh defeated Goodrich, 61-53, to earn its first trip to the semifinals since 1976 while the Division 4 No. 6 Bulldogs fell in the quarterfinal for the second-straight season against No. 10 Genesee Christian, 31-22.
DIVISION 2
NORTHVILLE — They don’t give out medals for winning a quarterfinal game, but if they did, Tecumseh trainer Jody Manes should have been in the first in line.
Tecumseh took some lumps before slipping past Goodrich 61-53 to advance to Friday’s Division 2 semifinals. But, when Alli Zajac needed help into the locker room at halftime, Manes sprang into action, taping up Alli’s ankle. She came out in the second half, jogged a few times across the floor and scored 11 of her 21 points to lead Tecumseh to its first quarterfinal victory since 1976.
“I’m fine,” Zajac said. “It worried me a little because it was the same ankle I hurt earlier this season. I don’t really know what happened. I think her leg sort of took my legs out. It was already taped, but my trainer taped it again.”
Zajac shrugged off the injury to dominate in the post. Her eight rebounds tied her sister, Addi, for the team lead. She also went a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line. She had two blocked shots and showed why she was a Miss Basketball finalist.
“That was a blood bath,” Tecumseh coach Kristy Zajac said.
Tecumseh (25-1) trailed only once – 4-2 – but that was only following four straight turnovers, five if you count a shot that missed the rim. Goodrich couldn’t capitalize on the early errors, however, and trailed Tecumseh 6-4 after eight minutes. All six Tecumseh points in the opening quarter were by Addi Zajac.
The second quarter belonged to Alli, who scored 10 points. Her field goal with 1:51 left in the half made it 23-13, but seconds later she went down with the ankle injury. Ashlyn Moorehead scored on a floater in the lane and Tecumseh led 25-16 at the break.
While Goodrich came out of the locker room early to get some shots up, Tecumseh stayed in the locker room until the final seconds, only to see Alli jogging back to the floor. She started the half and scored twice in the first two minutes of the half to make it 29-19, then scored inside and from long range to make it 37-25 with 3:44 left in the third quarter.
Goodrich never backed down, despite being down by as many as 16 points, 55-39, midway through the fourth quarter. A couple of late three pointers and some intense pressure cut the lead to 55-47 with 1:55 left, but Tecumseh held on for the victory.
“They play good defense,” Kristy Zajac said. “I knew they could. We’ll have to look at that a little bit on film, but I don’t care how we got it done, only that we did.”
In addition to Alli Zajac’s 21 points, Makayla Schlorf scored 11 points and Addi Zajac had 10. Tecumseh finished with 13 turnovers, but a 30-16 advantage in the paint and 12-5 advantage in second-chance points paved the way to victory.
The next stop is the Breslin Center. Tecumseh will play 5:30 p.m. Friday in the semifinals against No. 4 Frankenmuth, which beat Gladstone, 56-36. Defending champions Detroit Edison, which Tecumseh beat 70-65 in double overtime earlier in the season, and Grand Rapids West Catholic are the other semifinalists.
“It’s been a goal since I was in the fifth grade,” Alli Zajac said. “It’s very special.”
DIVISION 4
BRIGHTON — Another memorable season came to a close for Morenci as the sixth-ranked Bulldogs fell 31-22 in the quarterfinals for the second-straight season.
Morenci (24-2) and No. 10 Genesee Christian were tied, 2-2, for most of the first quarter before the Soldiers went on a 6-0 run to go up 8-2 with about three minutes to go in the opening frame. The Bulldogs were unable to get much offensive rhythm going and trailed 21-8 at the half and 28-17 going into the fourth.
Morenci's defense played tough, holding Genesee Christian to its' second-lowest scoring effort of the season, but the Bulldogs couldn't come up with a run to back into the game.
Colbie Ekins had nine points while the team's lone senior, Alyssa Gibbs, had seven points.
The Bulldogs cap the season with a third-straight TCC title and back-to-back regional championships.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Tecumseh, Morenci play in MHSAA girls basketball quarterfinals
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Division 2 No. 2 Tecumseh defeated Goodrich, 61-53, to earn its first trip to the semifinals since 1976 while the Division 4 No. 6 Bulldogs fell in the quarterfinal for the second-straight season against No. 10 Genesee Christian, 31-22.
DIVISION 2
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NORTHVILLE — They don’t give out medals for winning a quarterfinal game, but if they did, Tecumseh trainer Jody Manes should have been in the first in line.
Tecumseh took some lumps before slipping past Goodrich 61-53 to advance to Friday’s Division 2 semifinals. But, when Alli Zajac needed help into the locker room at halftime, Manes sprang into action, taping up Alli’s ankle. She came out in the second half, jogged a few times across the floor and scored 11 of her 21 points to lead Tecumseh to its first quarterfinal victory since 1976.
“I’m fine,” Zajac said. “It worried me a little because it was the same ankle I hurt earlier this season. I don’t really know what happened. I think her leg sort of took my legs out. It was already taped, but my trainer taped it again.”
Zajac shrugged off the injury to dominate in the post. Her eight rebounds tied her sister, Addi, for the team lead. She also went a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line. She had two blocked shots and showed why she was a Miss Basketball finalist.
“That was a blood bath,” Tecumseh coach Kristy Zajac said.
Tecumseh (25-1) trailed only once – 4-2 – but that was only following four straight turnovers, five if you count a shot that missed the rim. Goodrich couldn’t capitalize on the early errors, however, and trailed Tecumseh 6-4 after eight minutes. All six Tecumseh points in the opening quarter were by Addi Zajac.
The second quarter belonged to Alli, who scored 10 points. Her field goal with 1:51 left in the half made it 23-13, but seconds later she went down with the ankle injury. Ashlyn Moorehead scored on a floater in the lane and Tecumseh led 25-16 at the break.
While Goodrich came out of the locker room early to get some shots up, Tecumseh stayed in the locker room until the final seconds, only to see Alli jogging back to the floor. She started the half and scored twice in the first two minutes of the half to make it 29-19, then scored inside and from long range to make it 37-25 with 3:44 left in the third quarter.
Goodrich never backed down, despite being down by as many as 16 points, 55-39, midway through the fourth quarter. A couple of late three pointers and some intense pressure cut the lead to 55-47 with 1:55 left, but Tecumseh held on for the victory.
“They play good defense,” Kristy Zajac said. “I knew they could. We’ll have to look at that a little bit on film, but I don’t care how we got it done, only that we did.”
In addition to Alli Zajac’s 21 points, Makayla Schlorf scored 11 points and Addi Zajac had 10. Tecumseh finished with 13 turnovers, but a 30-16 advantage in the paint and 12-5 advantage in second-chance points paved the way to victory.
The next stop is the Breslin Center. Tecumseh will play 5:30 p.m. Friday in the semifinals against No. 4 Frankenmuth, which beat Gladstone, 56-36. Defending champions Detroit Edison, which Tecumseh beat 70-65 in double overtime earlier in the season, and Grand Rapids West Catholic are the other semifinalists.
“It’s been a goal since I was in the fifth grade,” Alli Zajac said. “It’s very special.”
DIVISION 4
BRIGHTON — Another memorable season came to a close for Morenci as the sixth-ranked Bulldogs fell 31-22 in the quarterfinals for the second-straight season.
Morenci (24-2) and No. 10 Genesee Christian were tied, 2-2, for most of the first quarter before the Soldiers went on a 6-0 run to go up 8-2 with about three minutes to go in the opening frame. The Bulldogs were unable to get much offensive rhythm going and trailed 21-8 at the half and 28-17 going into the fourth.
Morenci's defense played tough, holding Genesee Christian to its' second-lowest scoring effort of the season, but the Bulldogs couldn't come up with a run to back into the game.
Colbie Ekins had nine points while the team's lone senior, Alyssa Gibbs, had seven points.
The Bulldogs cap the season with a third-straight TCC title and back-to-back regional championships.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Tecumseh, Morenci play in MHSAA girls basketball quarterfinals
Continue reading...
