Hartland sophomore guard Brinley Neuer doesn’t play like a sophomore.
She is gritty, fearless and is not afraid of the big moment.
The Hartland Eagles do not play like a team without one senior on the team. In a battle of young bloods the Eagles (15-8) advanced to the Howell district semifinals with a 41-38 victory over Brighton (7-15), which only had one senior player.
Neuer (14 points, eight rebounds) scored seven of Hartland’s final nine points as the Eagles overcame a tight two-point deficit (35-33).
“She digs in. She does what she has to do,” Hartland coach Michael McKay said.
So does junior Kendall Nokovich who stole a late inbounds pass, was fouled and sank two free throws with 6.1 seconds remaining. The future is bright for both Brighton and Hartland, but only one team gets the experience of playing Howell (21-1), winners of the KLAA conference which swept its four games against Hartland and Brighton by outscoring their younger foes, 219-121.
Hartland looks to shock the basketball world Wednesday (7 p.m.) in a season in which it finished tied for second in the KLAA with Plymouth five games behind the Highlanders.
Younger players are often scared of big moments. Neuer was not. Neither was Brighton junior Gracyn Houck, who did not always succeed but died trying.
“Getting scared makes it worse,” Neuer said. “You have to play with confidence because there are so many close games.”
The baby Eagles won five games by five points or fewer. And split two overtime games.
Howell is in a class of its own, but it will be interesting to keep tabs on the Brighton and Hartland girls as they get better and mature.
“The future is bright,” Brighton coach Bob Wellman said.