Girls Hoops Survive Comeback to Prevail Over Lakeland

WHITE LAKE – With her team struggling and having just seen a 13-point lead evaporate, Hartland junior Bailee Maggert decided to take over the Kensington Lakes Activities Association Lakes Conference semifinal against Lakeland High School in the final three minutes Friday night. 

Maggert’s two driving layups made the difference as Hartland (17-1) advanced with a 32-28 victory to face rival Grand Blanc in the final Tuesday at Hartland High School. The two teams tied for the West Division crown and split the regular season against each other.

After tying the game with less than four minutes remaining, Lakeland simply could not buy a basket down the stretch. The visiting Eagles switched to a diamond and one defense on Lakeland’s leading scorer and all-conference performer Stephanie Lock, who single-handedly brought her team back from a big first-half deficit with 14 second-half points. 

Maggert scored 8 points for Hartland and set the tempo with her ball handling and penetration in the first half, then down the stretch in the second half. As always, she admitted after the game that she expects a lot of herself. 

“I felt like I didn’t do much offensively earlier in the game, so I wanted to have the ball in my hands,” she said. “We usually like to slow it down when we have the lead, but (once Lakeland tied it), I was looking for my shot.” 

It seemed early in game as if Hartland, which now has won 11 in a row, would win the game in a blowout. The visitors led 10-2 after the first quarter and 16-5 at halftime, allowing absolutely no open looks to Lakeland in the first half. 

Lakeland scored the first 4 points of the second half before eventually cutting the Hartland lead to 22-16. That’s when a controversial technical foul was called on Maggert, which turned into a 4-point play on the other end. As Lakeland fought its way back, it finally started to get more of the loose balls and rebounds that seemed to elude it in the first 16 minutes. 

“I thought we definitely played harder and had more spring in our step in the second half, said Lakeland head coach Mike Head. “We needed to do things better, like box out and handle screens. We adjusted to their (switching) on defense.” 

Lock scored on a lefty scoop with less than four minutes to play, finally bringing Lakeland all the way back into a 23-all tie. But Maggert scored on her two difficult layups in the next two possessions, laying up the ball at weird angle through a mass of Lakeland outstretched arms. 

“She just took the game over offensively at that point,” said Hartland head coach Don Palmer. “It’s good that she was willing to take those shots because we were struggling.” 

Jessica Haren hit a late 3-pointer for Lakeland to cut the Hartland lead back to 3, and missed free throws in the final 40 seconds gave Lakeland a chance. Rose Deren had an open 3 with 15 seconds remaining that just bounced off the rim for Lakeland’s last opportunity to tie. 

The second half turned into a physical game with bodies falling and players scrapping. Six offensive fouls were called in the third quarter alone. 

“We didn’t have an answer for most of that second half for Lock,” Palmer said. “We wanted to make other kids shoot it, and luckily for us, they didn’t quite make enough. I do give them credit for guarding (Maggert) as well as they did. She seemed to be getting frustrated at times, but as a third-year varsity player, she knew when to step up.” 

Head agreed with his counterpart’s assessment. 

“We need that second or third player to step up and give us three, four, five field goals here or there,” Head said. “The girls are really trying and playing their hearts out. I was proud of how they came back.” 

Hartland dressed only nine players for the game and was missing three players, who began the season as starters, with an assortment of injuries. None of them are expected back any time soon, Palmer said. 

Five other Hartland players, Jaymie Dyer, Kelly Holda, Cassidy Porta, Kaila Pietila and Lindsey Pajot, scored 4 points apiece.