Eagles Extend Win Streak

Hartland head coach Don Palmer has had his fair share of greatness in his 34-year career. He was inducted into the Basketball Association of Michigan Hall of Fame in 2006, coached a girl (Christie Schumacher) who once scored 55-points in a game, and has more than 750 wins as a basketball coach.

Palmer said what Hartand accomplished last week was the most amazing thing he’s ever seen and that magic continued Tuesday as the Eagles extended their winning streak to 10 games after a 50-32 romp over Walled Lake Central on Tuesday night in the first round of the Kensington Lakes Athletics Association Lakes Conference tournament.

“Last week was an unbelievable week. You played a rival in Brighton, a game you had to win against a very good Grand Blanc team, and then go to Howell to clinch,” Palmer said. “In 34 years of girls high school basketball it was the most incredible week I’ve ever had as a coach. It was an incredible week of basketball. Throw that in with the injuries. We’re just riding this streak for right now.”

With the win, Hartland (16-1, 10-1), next plays at Lakeland High School on Friday.

Powering Tuesday's win was the duo of Kelly Holda and Baliee Maggert who combined for 33 of the teams 50 points. Holda had 17 while Maggert had 16. Holda added eight rebounds and Maggert had five steals.

“I think we work together really good. We’ve built some chemistry over a lot of years playing together,” Holda said.

Maggert and Holda have been playing together since fifth grade.

“Chemistry. Chemistry is a big thing,” Maggert said. “You can read your players when you’ve played with them for a long time. You know what exactly what they’re doing, what they’re thinking, and when they’re thinking it.”

In a third quarter that seemingly broke the game open, Maggert scored eight points, while Holda added seven as the duo scored 15 of the team's 19 points.

“Coach told us to come out and play the third like we played against Brighton. We took that into consideration,” Maggert added.

In the past four games, Hartland has scored 53 points in the third quarter.

“I thought we were just a little more focused in the third,” Palmer added. “I thought we were going to hit a wall at some point. Maybe we did in the first half. They play with a lot of energy.

“In the second half we woke up and focused. We hit a few shots and we started to click.”

The Eagles' stifling defense — which has been their strength this season — held the Vikings to 11-for-36 shooting from the floor. Hartland also had 12 steals in the contest.

Hartland, however, still struggled early on with its free-throw shooting. The Eagles started out a woeful 0-for-6 before finally making their first. They also had problems from beyond the three-point line, missing seven of their first attempts.

Kaila Pietila added six points for Hartland. Jaymie Dyer scored five. Freshman Lindsey Pajot grabbed six boards.