Hart surges past Parchment
For a few minutes Monday night, it looked like Parchment might make things interesting. The Panthers traded baskets with Hart early, keeping the crowd tense as the teams battled through the opening quarter. Then the Pirates flipped a switch. Defensive pressure tightened, shots began to fall, and Hart quickly turned a close game into a runaway, rolling to a 67-34 win in the Division 3 regional semifinals.
The victory sends Hart into Wednesday’s regional championship game and moves the Pirates one step closer to another landmark postseason achievement.
For Hart, that opportunity carries added significance. Just three seasons ago, the Pirates made the deepest tournament run in school history, advancing all the way to the Division 3 state semifinals in 2023 after claiming their first regional title since 1992. Now, Hart is one win away from another regional championship and another chance to extend its postseason legacy.
After the tight opening stretch, Hart steadily took control behind a balanced offensive attack and strong defensive pressure. The Pirates led just 14-12 after the first quarter, but began to create separation in the second. Hart found its rhythm offensively and limited Parchment’s opportunities, building a 36-22 halftime advantage.
The Pirates kept that momentum going after the break. Hart pushed the lead to 50-29 by the end of the third quarter, leaving the Panthers needing a big response to stay alive. Instead, Hart’s defense tightened even more in the fourth, holding Parchment to just five points while continuing to add to the margin. By the final buzzer, the Pirates had turned a competitive start into a convincing 33-point victory.
Pictures Courtesy of Mia Milner
The performance continued a familiar trend for Hart, which has shown the ability to win in dominant fashion throughout the season. Monday’s victory marked the Pirates’ eighth win by more than 23 points. Rilynn Porter led Hart with a game-high 24 points, providing a steady offensive spark throughout the night. Joselyn Flores added 10 points, while Aurora Virtanen chipped in nine in another strong all-around effort.
With the win, the Pirates advance to face Kent City at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, at Calvin Christian. If Hart can keep building on its momentum, the Pirates will have a chance to avenge an earlier-season loss to Kent City. And after already turning two regular-season losses to Shelby into a district title victory, Hart has shown just how different March basketball can be.
Muskegon powers through Heritage
Muskegon also turned in an impressive regional semifinal performance Monday night, defeating Saginaw Heritage 52-34 to move on to Wednesday’s regional final. For the Lady Reds, the victory keeps them within reach of another deep postseason run during what has become the most successful era in Muskegon girls basketball.
Before 2018, the program had never won a regional championship. That changed when Muskegon captured its first regional title and advanced to the state quarterfinals. The Big Reds followed it up in 2019 with another regional crown and the first state semifinal appearance in school history, then returned to the quarterfinals again in 2024. Now this year’s team has a chance to add another chapter to that growing tradition.
The Lady Reds had to settle in early after falling behind 10-4, but they responded quickly and grabbed an 11-10 lead by the end of the first quarter. Muskegon then took control in the second, outscoring Heritage 13-3 to build a 24-13 halftime lead.
Junior center Dy’Nasti Bell was dominant in the paint, finishing with a game-high 21 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks. Senior Mariah Sain added 18 points, five rebounds and two assists, while Cece Bonner contributed five points, five rebounds and three assists.
Muskegon’s defense set the tone the rest of the way, limiting Heritage’s offensive rhythm and allowing the Lady Reds to steadily protect their lead.
The win sends Muskegon into Wednesday’s 7 p.m. regional final against Midland at Alma High School.
Spring Lake regional Result
Grand Rapids West Catholic defeated Spring Lake 49-33 in a Division 2 regional semifinal at Allendale High School.
Alexis Asekomeh led West Catholic with 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Kenley Slanger added 16 points. Spring Lake was led by Alex Botbyl with 14 points.
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