Defense will decide Class C Regional title

Published 11:25 pm Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Brandywine is hoping its smothering defense will lead it to the Class C Regional championship Thursday night. The Bobcats forced 27 turnovers in a win against Schoolcraft Tuesday. (Leader photo/AMELIO RODRIGUEZ)

Brandywine is hoping its smothering defense will lead it to the Class C Regional championship Thursday night. The Bobcats forced 27 turnovers in a win against Schoolcraft Tuesday. (Leader photo/AMELIO RODRIGUEZ)

Two teams that like to play full-court pressure defense will square off in the Class C Regional championship game at Brandywine High School at 7 p.m. Thursday night.

No. 2-ranked Brandywine (22-1) and Calvin Christian (19-4) will meet for the championship.

Calvin Christian has not won a regional title in more than a decade, while Brandywine will be looking for its first since 2010.

“They bring a lot of pressure, we bring a lot of pressure,” Calvin Christian coach Adam Rhodes said. “They are a little bit quicker, we have a little bit of a height advantage. I don’t know. We will talk with the coaches on the way home and put our game plan together.”

Brandywine coach Josh Hood and his staff has been watching the Squires for some time now. He knows his team will need to control Hillary Curry and Emily VanVliet.

“Any time you have two all-state players, one a point guard and the other a post player, you have the perfect combination,” Hood said. “We have got to limit 44’s (VanVliet) touches and get a body on her and not let her get second chance points.

“Curry, we have to stop her penetration. She is extremely good with the basketball. She as good a point guard as we have seen all year.”

The winner will advance to Tuesday’s Class C Quaterfinal at Comstock Park against the winner of the Morley Standwood-Laingsburg game.

Morley Stanwood (18-5) defeated Holt 49-31 Tuesday night, while Laingsburg (24-0) defeated Kent City 33-24 at the Mason County Central regional.

Tip-off Tuesday is 7 p.m.