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Two U.P. Basketball Teams Advance To State Finals
 EAST LANSING---It wasn't pretty, but two Upper Peninsula girls basketball teams won their state semifinal games Thursday at Michigan State University's Breslin Center. In Class C, the St. Ignace Saints shot just 18 percent from the floor but managed to beat Grosse Poine Woods University Liggett, 34-30. And in Class D, the Forest Park Trojans had to deal with their best player's foul trouble before pushing past Athens, 49-33. Both U.P. teams will play for state championships on Saturday. In Class C, it was a struggle the entire afternoon. St. Ignace led at the end of the first quarter by just 5-2. The scoring picked up a bit in the second quarter, as the Saints took an 18-12 lead at halftime. But neither team could get into a scoring groove from there. University Liggett (20-4) tied the game at 30-30 with 2:36 left in the game. But Saints senior Emily Hinsman scored on a put-back with 1:37 left, then Margo Brown hit a couple of free throws after a Knigts turnover to make it 34-30. That's how it ended. CLICK HERE to see the box score with all of the stats, courtesy of MHSAA. CLICK HERE to watch the post-game press conferences, via MHSAA.tv. St. Ignace (24-2) will face Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central in Saturday's Class C final, as the Saints try to win their second straight championship. That game will start at 4:00, and it wll be broadcast in Delta County on WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com. In Class D, the Forest Park Trojans had to do without the state's best basketball player for almost an entire quarter in their semifinal match against the Athens Indians. Lexi Gussert, who was named Miss Basketball the day before, was on the bench with four fouls for five of the game's 32 minutes. But she put on a show during the fourth quarter as the Trojans outscored Athens, 17-0, to end the game with a victory. Athens led, 25-23, at halftime, and the Indians led, 33-32, entering the fourth quarter. But Gussert scored nine points in the fourth quarter and contributed to a stifiling defense that held the Indians off the board for the entire fourth quarter. Gussert finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds as the Trojans beat the same Athens team they lost to in the state semifinals in 2012. CLICK HERE to see the box score with all of the stats, courtesy of MHSAA. CLICK HERE to watch the post-game press conferences, vis MHSAA.tv. Forest Park (26-0) will face Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart in the Saturday's Class D final. Tip-off is at 10:00 a.m. ET/9:00 a.m. CT, from the MSU Breslin Center. |
| Date | Time | Opponent | Score | Record |
3/4 |
8:00 PM |
at Ishpeming Hematites
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66 - 30 (W)
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3/6 |
7:00 PM |
L'Anse Purple Hornets
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81 - 58 (W)
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3/11 |
7:00 PM |
McBain High School
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54 - 37 (W)
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3/13 |
2:50 PM |
Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett
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34 - 30 (W)
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3/15 |
4:00 PM |
Saginaw Nouvel CC Panthers
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40 - 62 (L)
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