MHSAA Tourney Preview: District 33

The road to the state finals begins on March 2nd. Teams from four divisions will compete for 128 district titles across two peninsulas, and only one team from each district will add a trophy to their case. District previews will be released in the weeks leading up to the state MHSAA tournament to provide all-access insight into the teams and prospects that make up select districts. Let's take a closer look at District 33!   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/06/PXL_20250621_155704077.MP_-crop-2420x1589-1750642225.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1261812" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='904974' first='Clare' last='O'Donnell'], 2026, Negaunee, [program_tooltip program_id='928192' first='Zero' last='Star Basketball'], Zero Star Showcase. </figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">District #33-Negaunee</h2>   PGH Favorite: Negaunee   Darkhorse: Gladstone   Teams: Escanaba (2-17), Gladstone (18-4), Houghton (16-6), Kingsford (15-5), Negaunee (21-1)   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/09/PXL_20240623_221915381-crop-2420x1589-1726165502.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-994741" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='903059' first='Gretel' last='Johnson'], 2027, Negaunee, [program_tooltip program_id='928192' first='Zero' last='Star Basketball'], Zero Star Practice, June 23rd, 2024. </figcaption></figure>   Breakdown: Negaunee made it to the State Semifinals in 2024, and after an undefeated season, they were the District 33 favorites in 2025. With two double-digit wins against Gladstone, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that the Miners would be heading to another regional appearance. Gladstone had other plans, upsetting Negaunee 50-47 in the District Finals. Here we are a year later, and it looks like the Braves and Miners are headed for another collision course in the title game. Negaunee won the West Pac conference championship at 11-1, with their only defeat coming to #1 ranked D4 favorite Ishpeming. Negaunee split wins with the Hematites and both games against Gladstone. They beat every other opponent in the district by double-digits this season on the path to a 21-1 record and are a top 25 team in the state.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/06/Lillie-Johnson-crop-1365x897-1772297567.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1789355" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='734932' first='Lillie' last='Johnson'], 2026, Gladstone, Team Prime. </figcaption></figure>   Gladstone made it to the Quarterfinals last year, and they'll be looking to make another deep postseason run. The Braves finished the regular season 18-4 with losses to Negaunee, Houghton, and Ishpeming. Houghton (16-6) finished in second place with a 10-2 record in the West Pac. They come into the playoffs red-hot with wins against Ishpeming and Ewen-Trout Creek. The Gremlins will look to upset Negaunee in their second game of the bracket. Kingsford enters the postseason at 15-5, second in the Great Northern UP Conference (5-3). Two of their last three losses were to Gladstone and Houghton by single digits. District 33 should be extremely competitive, and here are several prospects to have on your radar.    Gretel has great court vision, creates space with her dribble, shoots confidently from three-point range, and finishes through contact in traffic. She's quick on her feet and a lockdown defender. Gretel's leadership, communication, and unselfish presence on the floor are crucial to Negaunee's success. She's a strong and skilled guard with a complete game, making her a phenomenal prospect to watch in District 33.     Clare is an elite defender in the post, and she's going to be a crucial part of Negaunee's postseason success. Clare is long, athletic, mobile, strong, and ruthless on the boards. She has great passing instincts, good footwork, and maintains excellent positioning in the paint on both ends. Clare cleans up around the basket and can disrupt shots on the perimeter. She'll be one of the best forwards competing in District 33.     Lillie couldn't have had a better senior season for Gladstone. She's a dynamic 6-1 wing who can dribble penetrate, bury three-pointers, dominate the glass, and defend on the perimeter. Lillie set the single-game school record with 47 points, reached 1,000 rebounds, and became the school's all-time leading scorer. She has over 2,000 career points. Lillie is the top prospect in the U.P. and will be must-see TV in District 33.     Eva is a sniper, and she drilled a Gladstone single-game record, nine three-pointers in February. Eva is athletic, sprints the floor, and finishes effectively at the rim using either hand. She'll be a talented guard to watch for the Braves in District 33.     Aubrie is a sharpshooter from Kingsford who can put up huge numbers in the scorebook. She set a school record this season with 39 points during a 75-21 win against Iron Mountain. She's lethal from beyond the arc, shifty off the bounce, pesky on the defensive end, and finishes well with either hand.     Ellie has athleticism, skill, instincts, and a two-way presence that make her one of the top prospects to watch in District 33. She shoots accurately from beyond the arc, has excellent footwork, finishes with balance at the rim, and is a persistent rebounder. Ellie's offensive abilities and commitment on the glass produce double-doubles. She'll be Houghton's number one weapon on the court.

The road to the state finals begins on March 2nd. Teams from four divisions will compete for 128 district titles across two peninsulas, and only one team from each district will add a trophy to their case. District previews will be released in the weeks leading up to the state MHSAA tournament to provide all-access insight into the teams and prospects that make up select districts. Let's take a closer look at District 33!