It’s time to crown the queens.
Howell’s magnificent girls’ basketball team blew out Brighton Tuesday night, 61-35 effectively ending the race for the KLAA West Division championship.
The Highlanders are too big, too strong and too talented for the rest of the division. Lily Williams, the 6-foot-6 phenom, has made a huge difference. She finished with 17 points, 12 rebounds and six blocked shots. The Highlanders are more than Williams. When she is being swarmed, Gabby Piepho (18 points), Hanna Ralko (11 points) and Lyla Valentine (10 points) can get loose and hit threes or drive to the hoop.
Williams, a Five Star prospect, was the only Michigan player selected to play in the McDonalds All American game. However, she is not the only big that makes Howell go. Backup Gabby Fishhaber is a 6-1 bundle of energy who attacks the boards and scores with put backs and hustle.
This team seems unbeatable. Howell (16-1 overall, 10-0 in the KLAA) has stormed to a commanding three-game lead in the Lakes Division with four conference games remaining. Hartland (12-5, 6-3) slipped into second place in the division with a 36-32 victory over Plymouth.
No one can catch Howell, ranked eighth in the Detroit News Super 25 state rankings. Can anybody in the KLAA West beat the Highlanders?
Second place Hartland is next. The Eagles play host to Howell Friday in a game where the Highlanders can officially clinch the division crown
Brighton coach Bob Wellman grimaced while answering the question.
“It’s hard,” he said. “Lilly is 6-5 and we don’t have anyone that size. And you have three kids who can shoot. Can they be beat? You have to hope they have an off night, and you have to have the perfect night.”
Howell owns a 12-game winning streak since a non-league loss to state power Rockford. The Highlanders have also beaten every remaining opponent by double digits. They are Hartland (57-35), Novi (65-14), Canton (56-18) and Northville (51-33). That should continue.
“I think any team can be beat,” Brighton junior guard Anna Minnick said. “Obviously Lily Williams is a tough one for us. We are a small team.”