For the second time this week, Brighton High School will play host to a 1 vs. 2 KLAA West Division matchup.
This time, it’s the girls, who have first-place Brighton (9-3 overall, 7-0 KLAA West) playing host to Salem (9-5, 6-1).
The game will be broadcast on The Livingston Post starting at around 6:50 p.m. Click here for the link.
Both are on long winning streaks. Brighton has won nine in a row after losing their first three, while Salem has won six in a row since losing its West Division opener to Brighton a month ago.
“After our slow start, I knew it was going to take a little bit of time for us to get to understand my system and for me to understand the girls,” first-year coach Bob Wellman said. “It’s starting to come together now. There’s some areas we need to get better at. We need to start putting teams away and finish games a little better, but right now we’re having fun.”
Brighton won the first meeting 54-34 in December, but the Rocks were without their top player, Madison Morson, who saw limited action due to injury.
“She only played a couple of minutes against us in the first game, but she’s a tremendous athlete,” Wellman said. “She can get to the rim, she can take you off the dribble, and she can hit pull-up jumpers. She’s a player you have to be able to contain.”
Brighton post player Kena Smith, who had missed action due to a concussion, was cleared to resume play this week, but Wellman said her minutes will be monitored as well.
As for the rest of the Bulldogs, they have a busy 24 hours ahead, with Salem tonight and a 1 p.m. home game Saturday against unbeaten Haslett.
“I wanted some non-league games where you have to compete, so you’re ready to go at tournament time,” Wellman said. “It doesn’t help you to play teams at are easy victories. Those are game where you’ve got to learn how to play and compete in so you’re ready to go at tournament time.”
