TEMPERANCE — As Bedford enters Tuesday's Michigan Division 1 girls state basketball quarterfinal against Wayne Memorial, the 24-2 Kicking Mules are hoping to finally get over the hump in their seventh trip to this stage of the tournament.

Tip-off against the Zebras (20-6) at the University of Detroit Mercy's Calihan Hall is set for 5:30 p.m.

For coach Bill Ryan, in his 21st season guiding the Bedford girls, Tuesday's clash will be his fifth quarterfinal, following prior trips in 2009, 2019, 2021, and last season. The Mules had also reached D-1 quarterfinals in 2002 and 2003.

Last year, Bedford ended its 24-3 season with a 54-32 quarterfinal loss to eventual D-1 state champion West Bloomfield, which was led by senior twin sisters Summer Davis (26 points) and Indya Davis.

A year earlier, the Mules ended 23-2 with a 59-35 loss to Wayne Memorial in a regional final.

One of the Zebras top players that season, then sophomore Colleena Bryant, is still around. This season, the talented 5-foot-7 senior points guard, who has signed to play at Drexel University, is a finalist for Michigan's Ms. Basketball award. She is averaging 18.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 7.9 assists, and 2.6 steals per game for Wayne Memorial, and is well complemented by 5-6 junior guard Mariah Cross.

“Their Ms. Michigan [basketball] candidate that is really dynamic,” Ryan said of Bryant. “She can do it all, but she would prefer setting the table and getting other people open. If she needs to score, she's able to do that. She was a starter on their team two years ago, so we're familiar with her.

“She generates a lot of offense for them, so stopping her will be a key. Then they have two pretty elite shooters on the wings. One has had six and five 3s in their past two games in the regional.”

Unlike last season, however, when Bedford was overwhelmed by West Bloomfield, Ryan has confidence his ninth-ranked Mules are better suited to match up with the Zebras.

“I'd say we're a slight underdog, but in a much better position than we were in last year,” Ryan said. “Last year we were probably 20-point underdogs, and this year there will be some disappointment if we don't advance.

“We want it to be a little more half-court oriented, and they're going to want to get up and down. Whichever team wins out in that regard will probably win the basketball game.”

Much of Ryan's optimism comes from having his own first team all-state talent, 6-2 senior Victoria Gray, in his starting lineup for the fourth straight season to lead the Mules.

Gray, who has signed to play Division I volleyball in the Big Ten at Indiana University, one way or another will be finishing her basketball career this week — whether it be Tuesday, in Friday's D-1 semifinals at Michigan State University's Breslin Center, or in Saturday's finals there.

“I've played basketball since I could walk, and thinking about the fact that I'm going to be done playing is insane,” Gray said. “I don't want to think about it yet. It's just like a different level of motivation. To know that I've been in this type of scenery before, and played in gyms like this. I have to remember that and tell myself that it's just another game, just like we're playing in the home gym.

“I motivated and I'm ready. We want to do something that's never been done [at Bedford]. That's what I want to do.”

The dynamic post player is averaging 20.6 points, 15.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 2.6 steals in leading Bedford this season.

“She's our all-time leading scorer and rebounder here with over 1,200 points and 1,000 rebounds,” Ryan said of Gray. “Instinct-wise, she's probably the best player I've ever coached. She runs and jumps like a deer, and has a tremendous motor. She's a reliable elite athlete that shows up every night for you.

Another reason for Ryan's optimism is the recent return of another fourth-year starter — 5-4 point guard Aubrey Hensley — who has played in the Mules' last 10 games after missing the first 16 rehabbing from foot surgery.

“She's going to play softball next year at the University of Toledo,” Ryan said, “and kind of in her mind was to take this year off [from basketball]. Then she just got the itch. She rehabbed hard and came back to us 10 games ago. That has helped us immensely. If she hadn't come back we probably wouldn't still be alive.”

Hensley, a catcher in softball, has added 5.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists and, most importantly, leadership with her veteran ball-handling and play-making ability.

Starting in her place for Bedford's first 16 games was sophomore Sienna May (5.3 points, 1.8 rebounds), who now comes off the bench as the Mules' top sub.

Rounding out the starting lineup are Gray's 5-10 sophomore sister Anna Gray (7.3 points, 5.8 rebounds), and two seniors — 5-9 Nyah Mullins (6.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists) and 5-7 Brooklyn Manard (6.2 points, 1.6 rebounds).

“Mullins is a super dynamic passer,” Ryan said. “She's able to go inside to score or pass, and her and Hensley just will not go down without a fight. They leave it all out there.”

As a whole, Ryan likes how his lineup jells together.

“We know what each person is going to be asked to do,” he said. “I think we play to our strengths really well. I just feel that we're all on the same page. We have really good chemistry this year.

“It's just a group of girls who are intense competitors. The regional final was a really grueling, physical game, and they just don't back down. They do what whatever’s necessary, even if it is putting themselves in harm's way. They're willing to do it because they want to win so bad.”

After posting a 20-2 regular-season record, including a first-place 13-1 mark in the Southeastern Conference's Red Division, Bedford advanced in the D-1 tournament with district wins over Brownstown Woodhaven (42-20) and Monroe (63-23), and regional victories last week against Allen Park (57-23) and Detroit Cass Tech (43-35).

Wayne Memorial, which is not ranked, split its two league meetings (57-52 win, 62-38 loss) with second-ranked Belleville (25-1) to share the Kensington Lakes Activities Association's East Division title with the Tigers at 13-1.

The Zebras have also played a challenging nonleague schedule that includes losses to the top-ranked D-1 team, Rockford (25-1), Detroit Edison (18-6), Indiana powers South Bend Washington (24-2) and Indianapolis Pike (20-8), and Ohio stalwart Akron Hoban (23-3).

“They should be ranked,” Ryan said of Wayne Memorial. “They beat Belleville, and they just play a tougher schedule than we do to be honest. They go out and play more people. They've played a really aggressive nonleague schedule.”

Rockford and Belleville also remain alive in the D-1 quarterfinals, with Rockford set to play Grand Haven (22-3) and Belleville taking on DeWitt (25-1). The other Tuesday quarterfinal has West Bloomfield (18-8) facing Utica Ford (24-2).

The Bedford-Wayne Memorial winner would face the Rockford-Grand Haven winner in Friday's 2 p.m. D-1 semifinal at MSU. The D-1 title game is set for Saturday at 12:15 p.m.

“Our challenge will be to account for the guard play, and try not to get hurt too bad on the arc,” Ryan said of keys to facing the Zebras. “Also, we have to manage the ball on the offensive end. They play kind of a suffocating [full-court] man-to-man.”

The Mules' court leader believes her teammates will give it their best shot on Tuesday.

“I have no doubt in my mind that they're going to show up ready,” Victoria Gray said. “Our four seniors have played together on the same team since we were like 5. Knowing we've played together almost our whole lives — the feeling we have in the locker room and outside of sports — I know it's going to be a good run.

“We just have to play good, solid defense. They have two very good point guards and a lot of good shooters. We'll have to sit down and defend the arc, defend on the ball, and be calm on offense. And, take shots we know we can make. It'll all unravel the way it's supposed to unravel.”

First Published March 17, 2025, 6:16 p.m.