Posted Tuesday, March 1, 2022
Division 2 No. 1-ranked Detroit Edison Public School Academy Early College of Excellence looks back in championship form heading into the Michigan High School Athletic Association girls basketball district playoffs this week.
The Pioneers will be looking for their fourth straight MHSAA championship “on the court” after the pandemic denied them titles the past two seasons.
Edison is led by six-foot Clemson-bound senior Ruby Whitehorn. She is among the finalists for the 41st annual Mick McCabe Miss Basketball award.
Arguably, Miss Basketball is the most prestigious award a female athlete in Michigan can attain.
Whitehorn has presented a stellar resume for the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan voters.
As a senior, Whitehorn was honored nationally as a McDonald’s All-American (one of only 24 in the nation). She was the only player from Michigan selected to either the prestigious girls or boys McDonald’s All-American Games set for March 29 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. Whitehorn is the first girls basketball player from Michigan to be named a McDonald's All-American since Edison’s Rickea Jackson in 2019.
She is the 15th ranked 2022 recruit by USA Today. Again, no other Michigan player made the list.
Whitehorn is also a favorite to win the prestigious Gatorade Michigan Girls Basketball Player of the Year award to be announced March 9.
The five-star recruit is often forced to play inside because of the lack of size of her young teammates, but she will certainly be a wing player in college. Whitehorn is also a dynamite rebounder, and her perimeter skills shine when she grabs a rebound or gets a steal and takes it the length of the court.
Whitehorn is averaging a double-double (25.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 4.3 steals) and has had her biggest games against the toughest competition.
After being edged on Feb. 15 by Division 1 No. 1-ranked West Bloomfield (65-62) to end a four-year winning streak against Michigan teams, Edison (12-3) started a new streak, winning five straight game over some of the best teams in the state and Indiana in only seven days.
Edison beat Division 3 No. 1-ranked Ypsilanti Arbor Preparatory 60-52, Indiana powerhouse LaPorte La Lumiere 60-42, Division 1 No. 8-ranked Farmington Hills Mercy 67-44, Detroit Public School League powerhouse Detroit Cass Technical 72-22, and Saginaw Valley League’s Saginaw Heritage 79-36.
Whitehorn was dominating in this regular season stretch run. She scored 18 of her 22 points in the second half, nearly bringing Edison back against West Bloomfield. Whitehorn scored 24 points and was commanding in the final minutes against Arbor Prep and fellow Miss Basketball candidate Mya Petticord. The next night, Whitehorn had 20 points, 13
Photo: StudentandAthlete
Detroit Edison Public School Academy Early College of Excellence senior Ruby Whitehorn (2) drives to the basket against West Bloomfield on Feb. 15.
rebounds, three assists, and three steals against La Lumiere. Whitehorn led Edison with 31 points against Mercy. She had 25 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and three steals against Cass Tech. Whitehorn concluded the regular season with 31 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists, and seven steals against Saginaw Heritage.
Whitehorn has been a standout on star-studded group of Edison teams in her four years on the varsity.
Longtime Edison head coach Monique Brown has watched her development both on and off the court.
“Over the years, Ruby had always been the younger sister on the team. It has been a joy to watch her grow and develop as a player and leader of our very young group this season.
“Having great discussions outside of basketball are my favorite talks between us, but knowing that she has a great chance of being Miss Basketball is solely because who she is on the court. Ruby a stat filler. She changes the game in so many different ways outside of being our team’s leading scorer for the past two seasons. She also can pass like a true point guard. Her athletic ability allows her to clog up
the passing lanes to create steals. Lastly, she is an incredible rebounder for a guard. If you put her on any team she will make her teammates better and give you a chance to win,” said Brown.
As a freshman, Whitehorn got significant playing time and had nine points, four rebounds, and three steals playing alongside three future Miss Basketball winners (2019: Rickea Jackson; 2020:
Gabrielle Elliott; 2021: Damiya Hagemann) in Edison’s 77-58 victory over Freeland for its third straight MHSAA championship in 2019.
In Whitehorn’s sophomore season, Edison’s last playoff game was a 67-42 regional semifinal victory over Dearborn Divine Child on March 10, 2020. The remainder of the 2020 playoffs were later canceled due to the pandemic and the 23-0 Pioneers were unable to defend their title. It was the first season in girls basketball state history when a champion was not crowned.
After an abbreviated 2021 regular season, Edison and Whitehorn (then a junior) were 11-0 before players within the program (Edison has both a varsity and a B varsity team and they practice together) were diagnosed
with COVID-19 before the start of district play, forcing the Pioneers to quarantine and not play a playoff game.
Without Edison in the tournament last season, Portland was able to claim the Division 2 championship, beating Newaygo, 52-32.
If it were not for the pandemic, Edison would most likely be winners of five straight championships. But the Pioneers will never know.
Edison begins its new title quest, hosting the Division 2, District 56 tournament beginning Wednesday, March 2, against Detroit Southeastern (11-2) in a semifinal matchup.
Detroit University Preparatory (6-9) faces Detroit University Preparatory Science & Math (3-5) in the other district semifinal.
The district final is Friday, March 4, and Edison is highly favored to advance.
Edison will most likely face its first serious playoff challenge in the Region 14 semifinals on Tuesday, March 8. Edison hosts the regional and should face No. 3-ranked Redford Westfield Preparatory (18-1) who is heavily favored to win its district championship.
