By: Jonathan Szczepaniak | West Bloomfield Beacon | Published March 29, 2024
WEST BLOOMFIELD — In a journey to the state title game, there’s sometimes a point where one win can make you feel unstoppable heading onto the brightest stage of the season.
For West Bloomfield, beating Rockford in the state semifinals March 22, a rematch of last year’s Division 1 state championship matchup where Rockford earned a 40-36 win, was all the confidence the Lakers needed to finish off the season strong.
Sure, it took a three-pointer to beat the regulation buzzer from senior Indya Davis to force overtime against Rockford, where West Bloomfield would eventually take the reins towards a 55-47 overtime win, but the adrenaline was pumping and the feeling of overcoming past struggles fueled West Bloomfield.
The Lakers knew a matchup with Grand Blanc, who was making its first state finals appearance in school history, would soon be near, and the Lakers were prepared to take back the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 1 state crown.
Leading 15-1 heading into the second quarter, West Bloomfield would keep their foot to the gas for the remainder of the matchup, beating Grand Blanc 60-30 March 23 at the Breslin Center in East Lansing and winning their second state championship in three seasons.
Like they’ve done all season, the senior veterans led the way for West Bloomfield as Summer Davis scored 14, Kendall Hendrix added 13, Indya Davis 11, and Destiny Washington 10 in the win. Indya Davis led the way in rebounds with eight, while Washington had a team-high five assists.
West Bloomfield finished its 2023-2024 campaign 27-1, suffering its only loss to an out-of-state opponent, Whitehouse Anthony Wayne, from Ohio.