By Larry Arreguin | LPL News Wire| March 9, 2026

HOLT, MI (3-9-26) — The Holt Rams defended their home floor Tuesday night, defeating the visiting Kalamazoo Central Lady Giants 65–57 in an MHSAA Girls Basketball Regional Semifinal to advance to the regional championship game.

With the win, Holt moves on to face the DeWitt Panthers on Wednesday (March 11) at 7 p.m. at Holt High School, with the winner continuing their journey on the Road to the Breslin Center.

Holt controlled the tempo for most of the night, building a steady lead behind balanced scoring and defensive pressure. The Rams opened the game with a 17–8 first-quarter advantage, then extended their lead to 26–18 at halftime.

The Rams continued to dictate play in the third quarter, stretching their lead to 50–32 heading into the final period.

Kalamazoo Central mounted a late rally in the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit to single digits. However, a few costly turnovers by the Lady Giants in the closing minutes helped seal the victory for Holt.

Leading the Rams was Olivia Gadson (#11), who scored a game-high 22 points. She was joined in double figures by Grace Gaudard (#2) with 12 points and Maya Barker (#13) who added 10 points.

Kalamazoo Central was led by De’Niyah Colbert (#22) with 19 points, while Javayh Blankes (#1) added 12. Taelyn Stiver-Brooks contributed 9 points, all coming from behind the three-point line during the fourth-quarter rally.

The win improves Holt to (19–5), setting up a highly anticipated regional final matchup against DeWitt (20–4).

The two teams split their regular-season meetings in the Capital Area Activities Conference–Blue, with DeWitt winning the first contest 51–40 on their home floor, while Holt claimed the second matchup 40–37 in Holt.

La Prensa Latina News Wire will be on hand covering the rubber match Wednesday night, as both teams battle for a regional championship and a chance to continue their path toward the MHSAA Finals at Michigan State University’s Breslin Center.

The publication continues to highlight local athletes and teams competing across Mid-Michigan and beyond as part of its community-centered sports coverage.