The KLAA girls basketball season comes to an end tonight, and for Howell, one longtime foe stands between the Highlanders and a co-championship: Brighton.
The Bulldogs (11-6 overall, 8-5 KLAA West) were eliminated from title contention a little while ago, but could prevent Howell (13-4, 12-1) from clinching a tie for first with a victory in tonight’s game at Howell .
The game will be broadcast on The Livingston Post beginning at around 6:50 p.m. Click here for the link.
“If we take care of business, and I’m assuming Hartland will, it would be nice to get that division co-championship,” Howell coach Tim Olszewski said. “Brighton’s going to be a very tough battle for us, like they always are. It’s a great rivalry and I anticipate a great game.”
Hartland, which is tied atop the standings with Howell, takes on Plymouth (2-11 KLAA West) tonight.
The Bulldogs’ focus is clear.
‘It all starts with Maeve,” Brighton coach Paul Ash says, referring to Howell senior point guard Maeve St. John. “She’s so dynamic in what she can do. She can score form three levels. She can hit from long range, she can get to the rim, and she’s a very unselfish player and can find open players. If you spend too much time on her, she’ll make you pay that way, too.”
Brighton has struggled at times this season, but the Bulldogs have surged since a 30-29 loss at Northville two weeks ago.
“We played our worst game of the season,” Ash said. “Not to take anything away from Northville, but we just didn’t play well. It was a turning point for us. It seems since then we’ve really started to play well. We let the (second) Hartland game get away from us. We were up 14 points in the first half and we let that get away. Sl we’re hoping we can have that same start and just finish better (tonight).”
Both teams are well aware of each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
“The kids are so familiar with each other’s games,” Olszewski said. “They know each other, so there aren’t a lot of advantages. So there’s no secrets, and that lends itself to a maybe one-or-two-possession kind of game.”
Being home, Olszewski said, might be an advantage.
“Everyone says it is, and I tend to agree,” he said. “It’s familiarity and a little bit more comfortable with the surroundings and you practice there every day. It might be one or two or three points, you know, that might favor you because of the familiarity.”
It’s the KLAA regular-sason finale for both teams. Howell will be at Wayne in the first round of the league tournament on Monday night. Brighton will play host to Fordson, Franklin or Dearborn, depending on Friday’s results.
