The routine is mundane but successful.
Howell freshman guard Gabby Piepho goes through the same routine whenever she steps to the foul line. It’s a process which has turned her into one of the best free throw shooters in Michigan girls high school basketball history.
She places her right toe on the line, takes a big breath in and a big breath out. Piepho pounds the ball into the floor and says quietly “make” when she releases the ball.
“I always say make because I always envision the ball going in,” Piepho said.
She made 44 consecutive free throws earlier this season, which placed her in a second place tie for most consecutive free throws in state history. Then she slumped (wink, wink) while making just 13 of her next 15.
While she remains calm, cool and collected opposing fans scream “miss” and other words to unnerve her. It rarely works.
“I can slightly hear it sometimes, but most of the time I try to drown it out,” she said.
Piepho does more than make free throws. She enjoyed a career game at Canton with 26 points and five steals
Piepho and the Highlanders (14-4 overall, 8-3 in the KLAA) are on the joy ride of their lives following a four-game winning streak that pushed them into second place in the KLAA behind Plymouth Salem (13-5, 10-1).
“It’s so fun having this experience with my team,” Piepho said. “We go out there and have fun and we play for each other.”
HOWELL ADOPTS OLD PISTONS MOTTO
If it ain’t rough it ain’t right.
Those are the famous words of former Pistons guard Chauncey Billips born from the 2004 NBA Champion Pistons. The Howell boys basketball team has adopted the same mentality. The Highlanders routinely work themselves into tight situations only to wiggle out and claim improbably victories.
Howell (11-4) is on a seven game winning streak following a come from behind 54-50 victory at Plymouth. Come from behind wins are routine for Howell. So are tight games. Ten of their 15 games have been decided to five points or less.
The Wildcats scored 11 straight points to take a 36-28 lead midway through the third quarter. Howell fought back and the lead changed five times during the final four minutes of the game.
It was anybody’s game until Jaylen Hicks’ three-point shot from the corner with 1:20 remaining to put Howell up for good. Howell closed out the game by hitting four free throws down the stretch.
Howell (8-2 in the KLAA) is in a three-way tie for the conference led with Brighton and Canton.

BRIGHTON HOPES TO KEEP PACE

The Brighton boys hope to keep pace with Salem and Howell during a key game Friday at Hartland (6-11, 3-7). On paper this should be another win for the Bulldogs, but you never know against a rival like Hartland. Brighton won the first meeting 51-41 last month in Brighton as senior guard Mason Millhouse scored a career high 12 points.
Brighton broke a 23-23 tie at the half by outscoring Hartland 28-18 in the second half.