No. 3 Lake City falls 52-39 in the state semifinals to No. 2 Brandywine

Mar. 21—EAST LANSING — Niles Brandywine changed its entire defensive game plan in a night to prepare for Lake City.

They did so to make it difficult for Lake City's 6-foot-4 senior center Alie Bisballe and 6-foot-1 senior MacKenzie Bisballe in the Division 3 state semifinals.

"We put in a triangle-and-two defense and they executed it to perfection," Brandywine head coach Josh Hood said. "That's what you get when you have a team GPA of 3.8 and a bunch of unbelievable athletes."

The defense wasn't the only problem Lake City faced on Thursday. Brandywine 3-pointers were flying for four quarters.

At halftime, the Bobcats' girls basketball team shot over 50 percent from the 3-point line and held a double-digit lead on Lake City, because the Trojans struggled to put any offense together.

"This fall, all of our girls are fall sport athletes, they came in the morning and worked as a team to try to get 27,000 three-point shots with our new shooter machine and our format workouts, so this isn't abnormal for these girls," said Hood.

Lake City tried to slow down the Bobcat's high-power offense in the Division 3 girls basketball state semifinals game Thursday at Michigan State University's Breslin Center, but the Bobcat offense posed a problem the rest of the second half, despite Lake City rallying from behind, but it wouldn't be enough.

No. 2-ranked Bobcats toppled the No. 3-ranked Trojans 52-39.

The Bobcats (26-1) advanced to the Division 3 state championship to face No. 1-ranked Ypsilanti Arbor Prep (24-4) Saturday at the Breslin Center at 4 p.m.

Brandywine's offense was off to the races in the first quarter after MacKenzie Bisballe put at an even 2-2 in the first minute of action, but Bobcats junior guard Miley Young and senior forward Kadence Brumitt put the Bobcats ahead 7-4. The Bobcats would end the quarter on a 6-0 run to lead 13-4.

Lake City had problems defending the three-point line in the second quarter as the Bobcats shot 57.1 percent from the three. Trojans seniors Payton Hogan and Alie Bisballe gave the Trojans offense the jump start it needed by combining for nine points to cut the deficit to 27-13 at the half.

The Trojan's intensity picked up in the second half as they didn't quit despite being down double-digits.

Brumitt started the third with a 2-pointer to extend the lead 30-13, but MacKenzie Bisballe would counter with a pair of free throws to cut the deficit 30-15, but the Bobcats offense rallied on a 6-0 run to put them ahead 36-15 with 3:22 to play.

MacKenzie Bisballe ended the Trojans' one-minute scoring drought with a layup with 3:22 to play, which helped the Trojans finish the quarter on a 4-0 run to cut the deficit to 36-21.

After being down 20 points in the first half, the Trojans rallied to cut the deficit 47-37 in the fourth after a 2-point jumper from Alie Bisballe with 4:56 to play, but a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws from Young swung the momentum back to Brandywine.

The Trojans' gritty defense forced multiple steals and turnovers to get them within 10 points several times.

"They always had that answer with a three to get back to the routine and then we'd fight back to 10 and couldn't get over the hump," Lake City head coach Bill Tisron said. "If we could've gotten over that hump, who knows what would've happened, but they're a good team."

Lake City's postseason run ended with a state semifinals loss for the second time in five years, but Tisron couldn't be prouder of where the basketball program is heading, despite losing six seniors.

"We have five girls coming back and they're going to work their butts off and we're going to be a different team next year, but I think we're still going to fight. So, we'll see what happens," Tisron said.

MacKenzie Bisballe finished her final high school game scoring a team-high 17 points and six rebounds. Alie Bisballe contributed 12 points, seven boards, three blocks and four steals. Hogan rounded out with seven points and four boards.

Tirson ended his final postgame presser of the 2023-24 season with a somber send-off by thanking the Bisballes for everything they've brought to Lake City, even going so far as to say they've made him become a great coach.

"They're a huge part of this community and they make me look really good," the 10-year coach said with a laugh. "I'm an average coach. I feel like I know what I am doing, but they make me look good. I appreciate them for that and all the girls that come before them that helped build our program."

Alie Bisballe transferred from Houghton Lake to Lake City during her sophomore year to join her cousin MacKenzie Bisballe. The University of Wisconsin commit calls transferring to Lake City, "The best thing that I've chosen throughout my life."

The Trojans finish the season with their second straight Highland Conference title and a 25-3 overall record.