East Lansing Edges Brother Rice 55–52 in State Semifinal Thriller

EAST LANSING, MI — March 13, 2026

By Donovan Fann | Detroit Varsity Sports

Brother Rice fought back from an early deficit but fell just short Friday afternoon at the Breslin Center, as East Lansing defeated the Warriors 55–52 in a dramatic Division 1 State Semifinal.

The game featured big momentum swings, clutch shots, and a standout performance from Jordan McDaniels, who nearly carried Brother Rice to a comeback victory.

First Quarter

East Lansing came out strong early, controlling the first quarter behind a dominant performance from #4.

Brother Rice struggled offensively in the opening minutes and called the game’s first timeout in an attempt to regroup. However, East Lansing continued to control the tempo.

A powerful dunk from East Lansing #11 helped cap the quarter as the Trojans built a 14–7 lead.

East Lansing 14, Brother Rice 7

Second Quarter

The second quarter started much the same, with Brother Rice struggling to find consistent offense.

That changed when Jordan McDaniels caught fire.

McDaniels hit a deep three-pointer after a slick crossover to cut into the deficit and followed it up with another long three on the next possession, bringing the Warriors within 19–16.

Brother Rice’s defense also stepped up, highlighted by a huge block from #3, helping keep the game within reach heading into halftime.

Halftime: East Lansing 23, Brother Rice 19

Third Quarter

East Lansing opened the second half with strong offensive pressure, but Jordan McDaniels continued to carry the Warriors offensively.

McDaniels knocked down an and-one opportunity to pull Brother Rice within a point and later hit a last-second shot at the end of the quarter to give the Warriors their first lead of the game.

Suddenly, the momentum had completely shifted as Brother Rice entered the fourth quarter ahead 37–36.

Brother Rice 37, East Lansing 36

Fourth Quarter

The fourth quarter turned into a back-and-forth battle.

McDaniels continued his incredible performance, knocking down a deep three-pointer to give Brother Rice a 42–40 lead with 5:31 remaining. Moments later, #11 added a basket inside to extend the Warriors’ advantage to 45–40.

East Lansing responded quickly.

A clutch three-pointer from #4 brought the crowd back into the game before #2 tied the game at 45.

With just under a minute remaining, East Lansing took a 50–47 lead following strong defensive possessions.

McDaniels fought back again, earning a trip to the free-throw line and tying the game 52–52 with seconds remaining.

But in the final moments, East Lansing #2 knocked down a clutch three-pointer with just 1.5 seconds left, giving the Trojans a 55–52 lead.

Brother Rice had one final chance to tie the game but was unable to get a shot off as the ball went out of bounds.

East Lansing advanced to the Division 1 State Championship, while Brother Rice’s season came to an end.

Final: East Lansing 55, Brother Rice 52

Final Takeaway

Despite trailing early, Brother Rice showed tremendous resilience behind Jordan McDaniels’ explosive performance.

However, East Lansing’s ability to execute in the closing seconds proved to be the difference in a hard-fought state semifinal battle at the Breslin Center.