Grass Lake High School basketball player Gabi Lutchka attempts to drive past Tadassa Brown and Zoie Bamm (34) during a regional basketball game at Hudson High School on Tuesday.
By Jeff Steers
JTV Sports
(March 8, 2022 10:56 PM) Gabi Lutchka is near the top in some Michigan High School Athletic Association in several offensive categories.
She is known as a 3-point specialist and a scorer.
Tuesday night the Grass Lake High School senior showed she could play a little defense.
Lutchka stopped Columbia Central’s top scorer in the second half en route to a 47-42 comeback win in the MHSAA Division 3 regional semifinal. The Warriors will advance to play Dansville on Thursday at Hudson High School in the regional final.
The game is slated to begin at 7 p.m.
Lutchka switched from guarding Tadassa Brown from CCHS and defended Zoie Bamm in the second half.
Bamm went wild in the second quarter against the Warriors scoring 13 points – mostly from the inside.
“They (Brown and Bamm) are both ridiculously strong,” Lutchka said. “They get offensive boards and put them back up.”
The adjustment helped Grass Lake erase a 31-28 lead by CCHS after the first half.
“We came up with a good game plan, but Grass Lake made some adjustments,” CCHS Coach Codi Cole said.
CCHS took a 14-13 lead in the first quarter as Lutchka scored seven of the Warriors’ 13 points. Bamm took over in the second quarter scoring 13 of the Golden Eagles’ 17 points.
But the switch on defensive responsibilities was the difference.
“Gabi is a strong girls who is equally good on defense,” GLHS Coach Andrea Cabana said. “I have an entire team of resilient girls … they know that basketball is a game of runs.”
Grass Lake limited the Golden Eagles to 11 points in the second half.
Lutchka led all scorers with 21 points, Kate Starkey scored 15 points, and Makenna Horodeczny finished with five steals for Grass Lake (17-5).
Bamm led CCHS with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Brown scored 14 points for Columbia Central (17-5).
Division 1 regional at Mattawan
East Lansing 54, Western 46: Western High School finishes the season with a 21-2 record. East Lansing advances to play Battle Creek Lakeview – a 42-41 winner over Mattawan – on Thursday at 7 p.m. at MHS.
On Deck for March 9, 2022
Boys basketball districts
Division 1 at Holt
Lansing Everett vs. Okemos 5:30 p.m.
Northwest vs. Holt 7 p.m.
Division 2 at Tecumseh
Western vs. Onsted 5:30 p.m.
Adrian vs. Jonesville 7 p.m.
Division 3 at Leslie
Hanover-Horton vs. Homer 5:30 p.m.
Concord vs. Leslie 7 p.m.
Division 3 at Michigan Center
Michigan Center vs. Vandercook 5:30 p.m.
East Jackson vs. Napoleon 7 p.m.
Division 3 at Columbia Central
Addison vs. Clinton 5:30 p.m.
Columbia Central vs. Hudson 7 p.m.
Division 4 at Jackson Christian
Marshall Academy vs. Bellevue 5:30 p.m.
Jackson Christian vs. B.C. St. Philip 7 p.m.