8th Straight Conference Championship for Grass Lake

Saturday, I headed to Cougar Country, Spring Arbor University, for the Cascades Conference Championship festivities. After Michigan Center and Hanover-Horton kicked things off, Grass Lake and Brooklyn Columbia Central Squared off for the title. Grass Lake came into the game seeking its eighth straight Cascades Conference Championship and third consecutive victory against Brooklyn Columbia Central in the big game. The Warriors defeated BCC 53-28 in 2024 and 45-43 in 2024.   Cascades East Champs Grass Lake (18-1) hadn't lost a game since December 13th against Rockford, and finished a perfect 15-0 in league play. Cascades West Champs Brooklyn Columbia Central (17-2) last suffered defeat on January 13th against Grass Lake, and ran the table against the West with a 13-0 record.   Brooklyn Columbia Central Lost to Michigan Center 39-53 earlier in the season, while Grass Lake defeated the Cardinals twice, including a dominant 75-41 victory earlier this month. The Warriors defeated Brooklyn Columbia Central 58-31in January, and I anticipated a similar result on Saturday. But there's a reason you play the games, and they aren't won on paper. The Golden Eagles took down Morenci, a top-three D4 contender, in January, and they drew first blood in the Championship Game.   Brooklyn Columbia Central's discipline on defense forced Grass Lake to take contested shots in the half-court and kept the Warriors without a three-point field goal in the first half. The Golden Eagles hit two outside jumpers and penetrated off the dribble, taking a 23-20 lead into the half. Both teams traded buckets and matched each other point for point in the third, setting up a tense final frame as Brooklyn Columbia Central remained ahead 35-32. In the fourth, Grass Lake's defensive pressure produced steals that led to transition points and won the rebounding Battle inside. The saying goes that free throws can win or lose games, and that proved true once again. Grass Lake converted 18 of 29 from the charity stripe and made an efficient 9 of 13 from the line in the fourth. Brooklyn Columbia Central converted 9 of 25 from the line in the game, making 3 of 9 in the fourth. Grass Lake earned a hard-fought Championship victory, defeating a determined Golden Eagles team 52-42. Here are the prospects from both teams who grabbed my attention during the game.    Kolie gave Brooklyn Columbia Central a boost in the second quarter that helped them take a 23-20 lead into the half. She knocked down a mid-corner jumper, finished a layup with soft touch, and made a momentum-swinging block on the other end. Kolie worked hard to keep the ball in front of her on defense and was an active rebounding presence for the Golden Eagles. Kolie was an outstanding facilitator, scanning the floor and making great passes to teammates. She dished out a game-high five assists and led the team with two blocks. Kolie's versatility will be an asset next year at Adrian College.     Gabby energized Brooklyn Columbia Central in the first with a vicious chase-down block on a layup attempt and did so again when she buried a smooth corner three in the second quarter. Gabby deflected an inbounds pass on defense, secured the steal, and showed good body control to tight-rope the sideline. She attacked hard downhill on dribble-drive, hung in mid-air, and dropped in a soft floater over her defender. Gabby scored seven points for the Golden Eagles and led the team in rebounds with five.     Reese was the most athletic and physically striking prospect on the court. She timed a pass perfectly on defense, leaped up like there was an invisible trampoline under her feet, and batted the ball down like a middle hitter at the volleyball net. Her competitive fire, passion, and relentless mindset impact the entire team. Reese has another gear when she runs the floor. She scored a tough layup through contact off the dribble, then added a smooth catch and finish at the rim in transition. Reese imposed her will in the second half. She crashed the glass hard to secure multiple offensive rebounds and forced the defense to put her on the line. Reese drove straight to the rim with fierce determination and iced the game from the charity stripe, converting 8 of 10 from the line in the fourth quarter. The Cascades Conference MVP led Grass Lake with 16 points and 11 rebounds. GVSU is adding another top ten prospect to its program.     The moment never feels too big for Leah, and she stepped up once again for Grass Lake. Leah grabbed a defensive board, pushed the ball up the court with pace using both hands in transition, then buried a confident pull-up jumper up top. She showed off her hops, climbing the ladder to snatch a rebound, and actively pursued the ball off the rim throughout the game. Leah delivered down the stretch for the Warriors. She converted a layup, dished out a key assist, and added a breakaway layup after a steal. Leah poured in six points, grabbed seven rebounds, and added three steals in the win.     Mya made sure that her final Cascades Conference Championship Game ended in a win. She started the scoring for Grass Lake in the first, using an effective pivot to create space from her defender, then knocked down the mid-range jumper. Mya changed directions with her dribble, pushed the tempo in transition, and attacked downhill to earn trips to the free-throw line. She contorted her body to score a tough floater in traffic and took a pop pass hard to the basket for another soft finish off the glass. Mya converted free throws at the line, handled the ball with poise, distributed crisp passes, generated steals on the defensive end, and stepped into a clutch wing three to ignite the Warriors at the beginning of the third quarter. She ended the game with 15 points, seven rebounds, three steals, and two assists. Mya will continue her career at Davenport University following graduation.     Cecelia turned in an MVP-caliber performance for Brooklyn Columbia Central in their biggest game of the season. Cecelia's quick feet, gritty in-your-face perimeter pressure, and determination on the defensive end kept ball-handlers bottled up. She drove hard to the rim, absorbed contact, and finished a tough layup off the glass. Cecelia drilled a triple in the slot and swished another corner three off the hop. She caught a pass on the perimeter, split the gap with a speedy drive, and finished through heavy contact again to score at the rim without the backboard. Cecelia penetrated the middle on a determined drive, spun, and scored a difficult-angled reach-around layup with her left. She was the most productive player for the Golden Eagles in both halves, leading BCC with 15 points.

Saturday, I headed to Cougar Country, Spring Arbor University, for the Cascades Conference Championship festivities. After Michigan Center and Hanover-Horton kicked things off, Grass Lake and Brooklyn Columbia Central Squared off for the title. Grass Lake came into the game seeking its eighth straight Cascades Conference Championship and third consecutive victory against Brooklyn Columbia Central in the big game. The Warriors defeated BCC 53-28 in 2024 and 45-43 in 2024.