No. 1 West Bloomfield too much for Bedford in state quarterfinals
DETROIT – Bedford had the stingiest defense of any girls basketball team in the Monroe County region this season.
The Mules gave up just 32.6 points per game.
They have every reason to be proud of that.
But Bedford found out Tuesday that there is a whole different level of defense.
West Bloomfield allowed just one point to the Mules in the first quarter Tuesday, rolling to a 54-32 victory in the Division 1 state quarterfinals at the University of Detroit-Mercy’s Calihan Hall.
“We knew they could score the basketball,” Bedford coach Bill Ryan said. “We couldn’t just trade baskets with them. Unfortunately, the game got away from us in the first quarter.”
Ryan did everything he could to keep the game from getting away.
He called a timeout after West Bloomfield rattled off the first five points of the game and another after the Mules fell behind 15-1.
“That’s pretty uncharacteristic of me,” Ryan said of the two timeouts in the first quarter.
But it didn’t matter.
West Bloomfield led 17-1 after opening period and the game was pretty much over.
The Lakers hounded the Bedford guards at every turn, forcing numerous turnovers that led to uncontested layups.
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Bedford’s defense actually was pretty good when West Bloomfield wasn’t getting free on the fast break.
But that didn’t matter, either.
West Bloomfield made tough shots over that defense.
“They make contested jump shots regularly and they run their transition game so well,” Ryan said. “It’s no wonder they are the No. 1 team in the state.”
Bedford settled down after the horrible start.
Freshman Anna Gray scored two baskets off slick passes from her older sister Victoria Gray to get the Mules started, then a 3-pointer by Aubrey Hensley sliced the West Bloomfield lead to 23-10 midway through the second quarter.
That was as close as Bedford would get.
West Bloomfield scored the final 13 points of the second quarter for a 36-10 halftime lead. The gap grew to as many as 33 points before the Lakers finished the final 10 minutes with backup players.
Payton Pudlowski, the only senior in the starting lineup, led the way with 9 points. Nyah Mullins added 7 points.
Bedford ended a 24-3 season that included Southeastern Conference Red, district and regional championships.
“I am proud of them and what they accomplished,” Ryan said. “Even tonight, they never quit. Unfortunately, we drew West Bloomfield.”
Summer Davis, who will join her twin sister Indya at Georgia next season, led West Bloomfield with 26 points.
The Lakers take a 25-1 record into the state semifinals at 2 p.m. Friday against Rockford (26-1) at Michigan State’s Breslin Center. That will be a rematch of last year’s state championship game that Rockford won.
W. Bloomfield 15 14 16 2 – 54
Bedford 1 9 9 13 – 32
WEST BLOOMFIELD: Washington 1 0-0 2, Ratliff 1 0-0 2, Beal 3 (1) 2-2 9, Hendrix 3 0-0 6, S. Davis 9 (5) 3-4 26, I. Davis 4 1-2 9. Totals 21 (6) 6-8 54.
BEDFORD: Armstrong 0 1-2 1, A. Gray 2 1-2 5, Pudlowski 3 (1) 2-2 9, Hensley 2 (1) 0-0 5, V. Gray 2 1-3 5, Mullins 2 (2) 1-2 7. Totals 11 (4) 6-11
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Bedford's basketball season ends in Division 1 state quarterfinals
