DETROIT – Now we know why they play the games.

The speculation was that Royal Oak Shrine, 8-0, champs of the AA Division, would come up against Madison Heights Bishop Foley, 9-0, champs of the Intersection I Division, in the 5 p.m. championship game Saturday, Feb. 22, at Detroit Mercy Calihan Hall.

What a game it would be between these archrival neighbors, whose campuses are a mere four miles apart.

Shrine would be trying to win a fourth straight championship, an accomplishment no team has achieved in the 46-year history of these games. Foley last won in 2014 and only three other times.

Furthermore, in their only encounter this season, a non-league match way back in December, Shrine outlasted Foley, 47-44, in double overtime.

Well, such conjectures, if heard, hadn’t been well received by the staff and players at Our Lady of the Lakes in Waterford or St. Catherine of Siena in Wixom.

The Lakers erupted with a 17-point third quarter to break open a 24-22 halftime lead and then withstood Shrine’s desperate rally to upset the Knights, 50-45, in a playoff semifinal game two nights ago.

In the other semifinal hosted by Warren Regina, St. Catherine rattled Foley’s offense, limiting the Ventures to eight points in the first half on its way to a 50-35 upset victory and the right to return to the championship game it lost last year to Shrine.

“They showed a lot of heart,” Coach Steve Robak said about his squad. “We haven’t had many close games this year. This really is a good win that will be valuable experience when we get into the state tournament.”

Steve’s daughter, freshman Quinn Robak, and niece, junior Brooklyn – daughter of assistant coach, Paul Roback, Steve’s brother – scored 18 and 15 points respectively to lead the Lakers’ attack. 

Quinn fired four 3s, a talent reminiscent of her all-state sisters, Lauren and Lexie, who led the Lakers to CHSL championships in 2009-10-11 and consecutive state Class D titles in 2011-12-13.

“Oh, they help her out some,” Steve smiled, “but they also give her a hard time.”

Four players accounted for Shrine’s offense: Regan Smith and Allison LaPoint had 13 apiece, Hannah Groth 11 and Bridgette Drouillard, 8.St. Catherine bolted to a 26-8 halftime lead behind a relentless offense.

Bishop Foley, meanwhile, was victimized by its own ineptitude, scoring four points in the opening minutes and not another four until midway through the second quarter. The Ventures committed nearly two dozen turnovers for the game.

“We were scared, I guess,” Coach Ray Joseph said. “I don’t know if it was because this was the playoffs and we have such a young team.” 

Senior guard Erin Craig led Foley with 11 points.

“We like to play high energy,” said Stars Coach Jennifer Vangoethem. “That just disrupts their offense.’’ 

Darbi Klatt had 13 and Lizzy Turek and Hailey Baumann had 10 each for the Stars.

A scare for Mercy

Farmington Hills Mercy and Bloomfield  Hills Marian will clash at 7 p.m. Saturday for the Central Division championship at Calihan Hall.

But, they almost didn’t. Therein lies another example of why the games are played.

In the first of two semifinal games Wednesday evening at Novi Detroit Catholic Central, the lead changed hands several times between Mercy and Dearborn Divine Child.

The Marlins led 59-55 with 20 seconds to play when the Falcons’ freshman Kennedy Blair tied it on a four-point play: a triple plus a foul shot.

Blair, who wound up with 28 points, attempted a potential winning shot with six seconds to play. She missed. Mercy junior Julia Bishop grabbed the rebound and dribbled the length of the floor.

She was fouled. The clock showed 00.09.

Bishop made the first free throw and deliberately missed the second for a 60-59 victory and the ticket to the championship game. 

Ann Arbor Fr. Gabriel Richard gave Marian all it could handle in the other semifinal, leading by a point at the half. Marian rallied with a 14-2 fourth quarter for a 43-30 win.

Mercy and Marian tied atop the Central with identical 9-1 records. Their losses came against each other: Mercy 46-34, Marian in the rematch 36-29, a horrendous game for the Marlins where they missed 24 of their 25 shots in the first half.

In the latest Associated Press poll, Mercy is ranked No. 7 in Division 1, Marian No. 8.  Marian has won the CHSL championship the last two years and 18 times total. Mercy just four times, most recent in 2017.

The latest speculation: Both championship games down to the wire.

CHSL boys begin week-long playoffs for their championship contenders

While the girls will determine their CHSL basketball champions Saturday evening, Feb. 22, the boys will begin shortly before noon their playoffs in a week-long quest for their champions.

Eight teams from the Intersection 1 and 2 Divisions will play at Bloomfield Hills Academy of Sacred Heart. League records are indicated in parentheses.

Madison Heights Bishop Foley (3-7) vs. Clarkston Everest (8-2), at 11 a.m.

Royal Oak Shrine (2-8) vs. Marine City Cardinal Mooney (7-3), 12:30 p.m. The Cardinals won both times they faced one another during the season.

Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood (7-3) vs. Intersection 2 champ Detroit Cristo Rey (8-2), 2 p.m.

Intersection 1 champ Riverview Gabriel Richard (10-0) vs. Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett (7-3), 3:30 p.m.

Four games featuring teams from the Central and Double A Divisions will play at Riverview Gabriel Richard High School.

Central Division champ Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Prep (8-0) vs. Dearborn Divine Child (3-3), 11 a.m..

Macomb Lutheran North (4-2) vs. Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice (4-4), 12:30 p.m..

AA Division champ Detroit Loyola (5-1) vs. Warren DeLaSalle (2-6), 2 p.m.

Detroit U-D Jesuit (5-3) vs. Novi Detroit Catholic Central (1-7), 3:30 p.m.. U-D won both of their meetings this season.

The winners of these games will play either Tuesday, Feb. 25, or Wednesday, Feb. 26, at Bloomfield Hills Marian.

The championship games will be played at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29, at Detroit Mercy Calihan Hall.