LILLY BLOSSOMS IN CHIPPEWA VALLEY WIN
Devin Lilly was hard to miss. The Chippewa Valley player with the flowing blond hair was a beacon with 13 of his career-high 29 points in the third quarter to spark the Big Reds to a 65-51 victory over host Troy Athens in a Division 1 district semifinal basketball game Thursday night.
Lilly slashed to the hoop time and again, giving the Big Reds leads of 32-25, 39-30 with a threepoint play and 41-32. The 6-foot-2 junior made a 3-point goal for a 44-34 lead with 1:32 left in the quarter as the Big Reds extended a five-point halftime lead and set the stage for an all-Macomb Area Conference championship game.
“My team needed me to score,” Lilly said. “I came out and played my ball.
“They couldn’t check me.” Corey Smith, the Big Reds’ coach, has been trying to convince Lilly to go to the basket more frequently.
“He doesn’t know how good he can be,” Smith said. “Growing up, he has been dependent on his 3-point shot. I’ve been telling him, ‘You are more than a 3-point shooter.’ Tonight he did a really good job of grabbing the ball off the rim and just taking it.”
Cephus Harris added 18 points for Chippewa Valley (10-4), which plays either Ford or Stevenson on Saturday for the championship.
Jacob Thornton led OAA Blue champion Troy Athens (8-6) with 16 points. Jordan Sebagh had 15 and Christian Jemmoa 12.
The Red Hawks were able to use many varsity players after believing they’d have to tap into their JV because of a COVID-19 quarantine.
“The Oakland County Health Department came out with some new guidelines,” Troy Athens coach David Scott said. “By watching film of our game and practice, they were able to see who was in close contact, so we
were able to get most of our team back.
“We were missing some key guys. This is no excuse — Chippewa played a great game — but we’ve been off for a week. It was hard, but for a couple of seniors it was nice to get another game under their belts and to be able to finish the season.
“It’s always disappointing to lose in the playoffs, but for a guy like Jacob Thornton, for everything he’s been through this year — he lost his father coming into the season — I’m very proud of him for the season he’s been able to put together,” Scott added.
Lilly continued his barrage in the fourth quarter, opening the scoring with a 3-pointer. He drove for a basket and a 55-40 lead and scored on an acrobatic putback for a 57-41 advantage.
Lilly’s scoring and Troy Athens’ struggles from the foul line — the Red Hawks missed five free throws in the first 3:04 of the fourth quarter — prevented the home team from challenging the Big Reds.
For good measure, Lilly assisted on the final basket of the game scored by Harris.
Chippewa Valley led 2722 at halftime.
DE LA SALLE COLLEGIATE 73, MOTT 44
Linden Holder scored 19 points and Mike Sulaka and Caleb Reese added 11 apiece to lead De La Salle to the district semifinal victory. Holder also had five assists, four rebounds and three steals as the Pilots advanced to Saturday’s final.
SOUTH LAKE 57, DETROIT DENBY 50
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Artez Weathington had 23 points, eight rebounds and five steals to lead South Lake. Daquan Raheem scored 18 points for Denby.
Girls basketball
Utica will play for a district championship.
Lina Rea scored 15 points and had seven rebounds and six steals Wednesday to lead the Chieftains to a 3820 victory over host Ford in a Division 1 tournament semifinal game.
Utica led 23-9 at halftime and raised its record to 4-11.
Ava Hallam added nine points.
Ford’s Madison scored 10 points.
Coach Tom McDonald’s team plays Stevenson in the championship game Friday.
L’ANSE CREUSE 49, ROSEVILLE 33
Bettys
Hannah Roberts scored a career-high 17 points and had nine rebounds to lead L’Anse Creuse to the Division 1 district semifinal victory. Talia Krause had 10 points, nine rebounds, six steals and four assists. Jaycie LaValley had eight rebounds and four blocks and Grace Amoe and Rylee Thomas added six points apiece. Olivia Vanderham scored 19 points for Roseville.
L’ANSE CREUSE NORTH 45, PORT HURON NORTHERN 35
Brooke Daniels scored 19 points to lead undefeated L’Anse Creuse North into the Division 1 district final at Dakota.
GROSSE POINTE NORTH 49, COUSINO 24
Annabel Ayrault scored 13 points and Sophia Borowski had 10 points and eight rebounds to lead Grosse Pointe North (133). Maddie Kohler contributed seven assists and five steals, while Ayrault added four assists, four rebounds and three steals as the MAC Red champions advanced. Ra’Layja Bridges scored nine points and took 10 rebounds for Cousino (14-4).
GROSSE POINTE SOUTH 63, WARREN WOODSTOWER 23
Alexa Downey scored 33 points and Cameron Lundh 11 to lead Grosse Pointe South. The Blue Devils play Grosse Pointe North in a district final at Hamtramck Friday.
LUTHERAN NORTH 45, MARINE CITY 42
Senior Rachel McClelland scored 16 points, Grace Schomaker 10 and Ashley McClelland nine to lead Lutheran North to the Division 2 district semifinal victory.
REGINA 58, FERNDALE UNIVERSITY 43
Avery Sikorski scored a game-high 16 points and added seven assists, Lauren Droska had 10 points and 11 rebounds and Reagan Stempin had 11 points and eight rebounds to lead Regina at Ferndale. The Saddlelites play Hazel Park Friday for the district championship.
LAKEVIEW 51, LAKE SHORE 21
Ari Wlodeck scored 10 points, Mackenzie Stein nine points and Kayla Austin had eight points and nine assists to lead Lakeview. Victoria Rusher scored eight points for Lake Shore.