It figures that a championship game featuring two teams whose strength is defense would lead to a low-scoring affair.

Grand Valley State and American International both lived up to their reputations in the final of the Division II Women’s Basketball Championship March 25 in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

The Lakers proved to be a notch better as Grand Valley State won its first women’s basketball title by edging American International, 58-52, in Summit Arena.

Both teams entered the game having allowed their opponents to score in the mid-50s all season.

With the score 55-52 in the late stages of the game, both teams clamped down and no one scored for more than five minutes, until Grand Valley State’s Crystal Zick made a three-pointer with 18.8 seconds remaining to give the Lakers the breathing room they needed.

Zick’s clinching basket gave her 15 points, which tied teammate Julia Braseth for team-high honors. Braseth also grabbed 11 rebounds and was named the tourney’s most outstanding player.

But it was Grand Valley State’s tenacious defense that was the difference.

“They may be the best defensive team we’ve ever seen,” said American International coach Pete Cinella. “They’re tough, they’re physical and they kept the ball out of our key players’ hands. We had a few open looks, but not many. We didn’t really get the offensive rebounds. Although we were even on the boards at 36-36, we only had eight offensive rebounds. We usually average 14.”

It was the kind of effort that Grand Valley State coach Dawn Plitzuweit has witnessed all season.

“Our players have really just worked and worked and worked,” Plitzuweit said. “I couldn’t be more excited for them, because they earned this honor. American International is just a phenomenal team. To come out on top just speaks volumes of what our players have done and how much time and energy they have put in.”

Grand Valley State, 33-3, concluded the season on a 22-game win streak, a record for the program.

The Lakers are 61-9 over the past two seasons. They set records for most three-point field goals attempted in a season (592), most three-point field goals made (200) and most rebounds (1,436).

Meanwhile, American International players left with the sting of defeat, but also knowing they had accomplished something no other Yellow Jackets men’s or women’s team had done, which is reach a championship game in a team sport.

“I am very proud of my team,” said Cinella, of his 26-8 club. “We had a great season. We made it as far as we could. We played a solid game defensively.”        

Braseth was joined on the all-tournament team by her teammate Niki Reams; Krystal Pressley and Sharmion Selman of American International; and Emporia State’s Michelle Stueve.

Elite Eight

St. Cloud St. 78, Shaw 71; American Int’l 86, Emporia St. 79; Cal St. Chico 67, Henderson St. 66; Grand Valley St. 74, Charleston (W.V.) 59.

Semifinals

American Int’l 70, St. Cloud St. 58

American Int’l: Krystal Pressley 6-13, 10-10, 10, 26; Alissa Rubino 0-3, 3-4, 3, 3; Stacy Boisvert 1-2, 0-0, 3, 2; Sharmion Selman 10-22, 6-7, 13, 26; Tiffany Wooten 1-1, 0-0, 4, 3; Jen Moussette 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Jeanette Johnathan 0-2, 0-0, 0, 0; Jen Nnanna 1-3, 0-0, 4, 2; Monique Lawrence 0-2, 0-0, 2, 0; Debbie Sampson 4-6, 0-0, 0, 8. Totals: 23-54, 19-21, 44 (5 team), 70.

St. Cloud St.: Sascha Hansen 6-10, 7-8, 1, 21; Shannon Francis 0-3, 4-4, 2, 4; April Carlson 2-7, 2-4, 6, 6; Kayla Rengel 3-10, 2-2, 6, 8; Erika Quigley 3-20, 3-3, 9, 9; Krystal Scott 0-1, 1-4, 0, 1; Brianna Nance 1-3, 0-0, 0, 2; Jackie Carlson 3-8, 0-0, 7, 7. Totals: 18-62, 19-25, 35 (4 team), 58.

Halftime: American Int’l 29, St. Cloud St. 29. Three-point field goals: American Int’l 5-14 (Pressley 4-10, Wooten 1-1, Rubino 0-1, Johnathan 0-2); St. Cloud St. 3-20 (Hansen 2-5, J. Carlson 1-4, A. Carlson 0-2, Francis 0-3, Rengel 0-4). Officials: Rob Doss, Taiqua Stewart, Ben Franson.

Grand Valley St. 76, Cal St. Chico 63

Grand Valley St.: Crystal Zick 5-14, 3-4, 5, 14; Erika Ryskamp 4-12, 11-11, 3, 22; Niki Reams 5-12, 4-5, 5, 14; Julia Braseth 5-11, 5-7, 12, 15; Erin Cyplik 2-6, 1-2, 9, 5; Courtney Hammond 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Jenny Steffen 0-4, 0-0, 2, 0; Taushaun Churchwell 1-1, 4-4, 3, 6; Kim Wyngaard 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Nicole Carr 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Dawn Maynard 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Julie Baltmanis 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Jaida Bourke 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. Totals: 22-60, 28-33, 44 (5 team), 76.

Cal St. Chico: Amy Van Hollebeke 5-14, 0-0, 4, 14; Haley Ford 4-10, 0-0, 3, 8; Audriana Spencer 5-12, 0-0, 6, 13; Amber Simmons 7-17, 2-3, 11, 16; Jennifer Borror 4-6, 1-3, 9, 9; Niki Simons 1-6, 0-0, 1, 3; Lauren Himmelspach 0-5, 0-0, 1, 0; Cory Edwards 0-1, 0-0, 2, 0. Totals: 26-71, 3-6, 42 (5 team), 63.

Halftime: Grand Valley St. 40, Chico St. 32. Three-point field goals: Grand Valley St. 4-22 (Ryskamp 3-7, Zick 1-6, Braseth 0-1, Steffen 0-3, Reams 0-4); Chico St. 8-23 (Van Hollebeke 4-10, Spencer 3-8, Simons 1-1, Ford 0-2, Himmelspach 0-2). Officials: Melissa Lewis, Cathy Cronin, Deborah Allen.

Championship game

Grand Valley St. 58, American Int’l 52

Grand Valley St.: Niki Reams 6-16, 1-3, 4, 14; Julia Braseth 7-17, 1-3, 11, 15; Crystal Zick 6-12, 1-2, 2, 15; Erika Ryskamp 3-6, 1-2, 1, 8; Erin Cyplik 2-5, 0-0, 14, 6; Jenny Steffen 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Taushauna Churchwell 0-0, 0-0, 1, 0. Totals: 24-56, 4-10, 36 (3 team), 58.

American Int’l: Stacy Boisvert 0-1, 0-0, 6, 0; Sharmion Selman 7-18, 1-2, 8, 15; Tiffany Wooten 1-3, 0-0, 6, 2; Krystal Pressley 6-15, 2-2, 3, 17; Alissa Rubino 2-9, 0-2, 4, 5; Jen Moussette 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Jeanette Johnathan 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Jen Nnanna 1-2, 0-0, 6, 2; Monique Lawrence 1-2, 1-2, 2, 3; Debbie Sampson 4-5, 0-0, 0, 9. Totals: 22-55, 4-8, 36, 52.

Halftime: Grand Valley St. 34, American Int’l 30. Three-point field goals: Grand Valley St. 6-14 (Cyplik 2-4, Zick 2-6, Reams 1-1, Ryskamp 1-3); American Int’l 4-13 (Pressley 3-8, Sampson 1-1, Rubino 0-2, Wooten 0-2). Officials: Melissa Lewis, Rob Doss, Taiqua Stewart.