GRAND RAPIDS – While the Bowers name is often what people associate with Kent City girls basketball, standout guard Lexie Bowers had plenty of help on Thursday night.

While Bowers led the Eagles with 19 points in the Division 3 regional finals at Grand Rapids NorthPointe High School, foul trouble limited her effectiveness in the second half. But sophomore Madelyn Geers stepped in and filled the void by scoring 16 points, including eight in the fourth quarter.

It all added up to a 46-32 victory over Grand Rapids Covenant Christian and a berth in Tuesday’s state quarterfinals. Kent City, 24-0, which lost in the state title game last year, will face Schoolcraft at 7 p.m. at Edwardsburg High School.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Geers said about stepping up for her team. “I think this year everyone on our team can score, and it’s nice to move the ball and get everyone involved. When Lexie is out, we lose one of our best ball handlers and we all have to step up. That’s just what I had to do.”

Kent City coach Aleah Holcomb wasn’t surprised to see someone else put up points after Bowers got her fourth foul midway through the third quarter.

“Maddie is a great ball-handler,” Holbomb said. “Foul trouble did affect us, but we were able to make the offense work.”

While a 14-point margin of victory seems like a lot, the Eagles struggled out of the gate on Thursday, scoring just six first quarter points and trailing 8-6 after one.

But Bowers took over in the second quarter, showcasing her sharpshooting skills by hitting five triples, including four in a row.

“I just felt good,” Bowers said. “It was one after another. I just kept shooting them, and if they’re not going to guard me, I might as well. After the second one, I was like, ‘All right, I’m on fire. If I’m open, it’s my shot.”

The Bowers shooting show, along with great team defense, allowed Kent City to take a 23-10 halftime lead.

“We started getting more aggressive,” said Holcomb about the defense, which surrendered only two second quarter points. “We challenged their ball-handlers more, and that allowed us to limit them and get some steals.”

In the third quarter, Kent City was outscored 12-9 but still held a 32-22 lead going into the final eight minutes.

Kent City had a 14-10 edge in the final quarter behind the strong free throw shooting of Geers, who scored all eight of her fourth quarter points at the line.

Taryn Preston also had a strong game for the Eagles with eight points.

When Kent City plays Schoolcraft on Tuesday, it will be a rematch of a 2021 state quarterfinal game, which the Eagles win 52-19.

Kent City has now won two regional titles in a row, and Geers couldn’t be more excited.

“Our team was really looking forward to playing today,” she said. “To put this away was really exciting, and it gets us into next week, which is awesome.”