Sports

Divine Child Girls Cruise Into Quarterfinals

The Lady Falcons dominated University Prep in the regional final, 61-31.

In dominant fashion, the Lady Falcons trounced their way to the Class B state quarterfinals with a 61-31 drubbing of Detroit University Prep on Thursday night at Divine Child.

“We were really pumped up for this game,” DC coach Mary Laney said. “I mean, it’s not often do you get the chance to play for a regional title on your home court. That really meant a lot to us—to be able to win in front of our home fans on our floor. We really wanted to come out and get it done.”

They certainly did get “it done,” and there was little doubt in this contest. The Lady Falcons jumped out to a 17-7 lead at the end of the opening quarter—thanks in large part to a 17-5 run to close out the period.

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“Everyone just played very well tonight from the very start of the game,” DC junior Cara Miller said. “We move well. We were good in transition. We’re playing very good basketball in the tournament and tonight I think we just came out ready to go.”

Ready to go is an understatement.

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DC never really looked back from the first bucket of the game, a 3-point shot from the Panthers, which, by the way, was Prep’s only lead of the game at 3-0.

The squad simply dominated offensively, getting to the basket virtually at will and knocking down mid-range jumper after mid-range jumper.

“It’s always been our goal to push the ball," Laney said. “And, once we secured the rebound, we were able to do that tonight and it seemed to inevitably lead to a layup for us. That’s ultimately what we want to do, but some games are just easier than others to do that in. It helped that we did a really good job of finishing tonight, too.”

Junior guard Rosanna Reynolds paced the Lady Falcons with 15 points, while Miller poured in 11 points in the title-winning effort.

However, one of the key players was reserve center Malaysha Cammon.

Cammon wreaked havoc on the inside, blocking six shots and altering countless others.

“Malaysha came in and really stepped up for us,” Miller said. “That was big for us tonight. She played great.”

Cammon’s performance also caught the attention of her coach.

“To have her come in and make such an impact was huge for us,” Laney said. “It really was.”

The dominance of DC’s victory Thursday night isn’t unprecedented this postseason.

The squad thumped Tuesday night, after cruising through , beating their three opponents by a combined score of 176-105.

“I think our Catholic League schedule has a lot to do with it,” Laney said. “That’s what gets us ready for this. We battle and battle all through January and February in the Central Division, and that’s really what gets us ready for this tournament. I have to thank those teams. It’s a tough schedule, for sure, but I think it really helps us this time of year.”

The CHSL is a beast of the conference, but Laney might have one of the most talented and versatile teams in Class B.

That said, the squad tips it off in the quarterfinals March 15 against a very tough Olivet High squad at Marshall High School. 

“At this point, it’s more mental than physical,” Laney said about how her team will prepare for the quarters. “We have to get ready, break down the other teams and see what we have to go against.”

Miller sees the next round as business as usual for her and her teammates.

“We just have to go out there and get it done,” Miller said. “That’s all there is to it really.”

DC, currently ranked in the state’s top 10 in Class B according to the Associated Press, appears to be on a collision course with the state’s top-ranked club, Detroit Country Day.

Should both teams win in the quarters, they’ll face off March 18 in the semifinals.

That’s a step ahead, however, and the next challenge for the squad will be Olivet High.

“We’ll be ready,” Miller said.


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