High school boys’ basketball teams in Flint kicked off district play last week, and the girls’ teams got their postseasons start this week.
District play for Flint teams started Monday, with Flint Southwestern in action against Clio. Southwestern kept the game close in the first half, but the Mustangs pulled away for a 45-29 win.
Big runs for Clio to start the first and third quarters were the difference in the game. Clio started the first with a 9-0 run, but the Jaguars chipped away at that lead by attacking the basket and making hustle plays. Sophomore Ny’Erah Coleman stopped the first quarter run with a jumper, and then two steals and baskets in the second quarter cut further into the lead. Flint cut the lead to just one, but a three by Clio just before the buzzer put them up four at halftime.
Clio then opened the third quarter with an 11-0 run to put the game away.
The Jaguars finish their season with a 6-11 record, but some hopeful signs for the future. The team won more games than they have in the last five seasons combined. They also have no seniors on the roster, so young players gained significant varsity experience this season, with strong contributions by Coleman, freshman point guard Mariam Bilal, junior Isalah Kemp, and sophomore Harmony Garland, among others.
Powers Catholic Waiting in the Wings
Clio’s reward for their opening round win? A matchup with Powers Catholic, one of the top teams in the state this season. Powers finished the regular season at 19-3 and won the Saginaw Valley League championship.
Powers is led by sharpshooting senior guard Kendyl Smith, a Liberty University commit. Inside, sophomore Evah Smith is a force scoring around the basket and rebounding. Powers has significant depth, with a roster that is experienced and has already made playoff runs in the past.
The Chargers open district play against Clio at Clio at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4. The winner of that game faces the winner of Corunna and Owosso at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 6, in Clio for the district title.
An All-Local Matchup
One game to watch on March 4: a matchup between perennial power Hamady and up-and-coming program Flint Elite.
Flint Elite is a co-op team that features students from New Standard and Madison academies. The program has only existed for three seasons, but won 16 games last season and 15 this season. They are led by high-scoring senior Danielle Smoots-Green, who was an All-State selection last season and scored her 1,000th career point last season and has only added to that total with an impressive senior campaign. The team advanced to the district championship last season before losing to Genesee.
One thing Flint Elite has not been able to do, though, is compete with Hamady, which has been one of the top girls’ basketball programs in Michigan for more than two decades. The Hawks had another impressive regular season this year, finishing 16-4 overall and winning the Genesee Area Conference championship.
The teams have already played each other three times this season and four since last season. Those scores have been lopsided, but Flint Elite has gotten closer each time – last season, they lost 78-26, and the scores in the previous matchups this season were 53-17, 80-41, and then most recently 62-42.
They play at 7 p.m. on March 4 at Moses Lacy Fieldhouse in Beecher, with the winner advancing to face the winner of New Lothrop and Montrose at 7 p.m. on Friday in Beecher for the district title.
IAF Faces a Familiar Opponent
International Academy of Flint has had an impressive season. The team has been competitive all season, finishing at 7-11 overall – the most wins they’ve had for a season in a decade.
They face Bendle at 7 p.m. on March 4 at Genesee High School, looking to beat the Tigers for the third time this season. IAF picked up 47-33 and 36-28 wins over the team in two previous matchups earlier in the season.
The reward for the winner? A matchup with the winner of the Genesee-Mt. Morris game on Friday at 7 p.m. in the district final. Genesee has become one of the top girls’ basketball teams in the area in recent seasons and finished this season with a 16-6 record.
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