UNDATED (WTVB) – Union City is the last team left standing in this year’s MHSAA Boys Basketball Tournament, as Coldwater, Bronson, and Quincy were eliminated in their District Semifinal games Wednesday night.
The Cardinals fell to Paw Paw 90-75 in the second game of the Class B District Semifinal doubleheader hosted by the Redskins. Coldwater actually had a 25-23 lead after the first quarter, but Paw Paw stifled the Cardinal offense the remainder of the game after switching to a 2-3 zone, while offensively, they outscored Coldwater 24-12 in the second quarter, 20-16 in the third, and 23-22 in the fourth. Senior Nate Waterbury was our McDonald’s Player of the Game, leading the Cardinals with 24 points in his last game. Brady Beckhusen had 21, and Collin Warner added 12. Coldwater’s season ends at 11-10. Paw Paw, which improves to 11-11, will host Three Rivers Friday night for the district championship. The Wildcats needed overtime to eliminate two-time defending district champ Edwardsburg 49-48 in the night’s first game.
At the Class C Union City District, the host Chargers used a 16-3 second quarter to propel themselves to a 49-32 win against cross-county rival Quincy and a spot in Friday’s District Final. For the Orioles, whose season ends at 12-9, Brandon Gary had 7 points and 5 rebounds; Quinn Eifrid and Drew Deaton also had 7 apiece. Jalen Boes led all scorers with 21 for Union City, while Elijah Harris added 16.
The Chargers improve to 16-5 and will face the Homer Trojans in Friday night’s District Final. The Trojans had to come from behind to tie Bronson 53-all at the end of regulation; they proceeded to outscore the Vikings 15-2 in overtime to take the 68-55 win. Jonah Klingler had 13 points and Noah Roberts 11 for the Vikings, whose season ends at 4-16. Homer will take a 14-8 record into its third game against Union City this season, with the Chargers winning the previous two. Tip-off for Friday’s game will be at 6; our pregame coverage will begin Friday at 5:30, right after the Evening Journal.
At the Class D Bellevue District, Tekonsha lost to Battle Creek St. Philip 55-45 to concluse its season at 4-18. Connor Jenkins led the Indians with 20 points and 6 rebounds, Anthony Layne added 13, and Everett Lewis-Lanphar had a double-double with 11 points and 10 assists. In Class D at North Adams-Jerome, Pansophia Academy lost to Hillsdale Academy 63-16.
The MHSAA Girls Basketball Tournament has reached the Regional Final round with a couple of area teams still alive. In Class B at Harper Creek, Interstate 8 champion Marshall will take on Otsego, while in Class A at Okemos, it’s Interstate 8 runner-up Jackson Northwest vs. East Lansing, and in Class D at Lenawee Christian, undefeated Pittsford will face Hillsdale Academy.
