Pictured are (back row from left) coach Carol Gerulis, Bethany Hale, Mary Anlietner, Jenny Malcolm, Emily Gerulis, (front row from left) Kristin Lindberg, Jenna Abraham, Brianna Harris and Karen Windle.

Plymouth Christian Academy
is off to a soaring start

  This season's Plymouth Christian Academy girls basketball team isn't super tall, super experienced or super deep.

  But judging by their first three games, the Eagles are on the verge of having a super season.

  Five of the players on head coach Carol Gerulis's roster are 5-foot-6 or smaller and there are as many freshmen (two) as seniors, but those numbers don't matter when you can play like the Eagles have proven they can play during their 3-0 start.

  "This is a great group of girls to coach," said Gerulis, whose team was just a two-point loss from capturing a Class D regional championship last year. "It's a very unified team. No one cares who scores, as long as we win."

  Four of the eight Eagles have either led the team in scoring in the first three games or tied for scoring honors.

  Jenny Malcolm, a freshman, led the Eagles with 12 points in the season-opening victory over Franklin Road; Karen Windle and Bethany Hale tied for scoring honors with 11 points in the game-two win over Saginaw Buena Vista; and Bri Harris scored 12 to pace the Eagles' 40-34 over Class A Bloomfield Hills Andover.

  "This is a very athletic team," said Gerulis. "Defensively, they're very smart players and this is one of the best shooting teams I've ever had."

  The only two seniors are Harris, a 5-4 guard; and Hale, a 5-6 guard. The pair of upperclassmen bring a potent blend of skill and poise.

  "Bri is very strong defensively and she's a great leader on the floor," Gerulis said of Harris, who averaged 8.0 points and 4.0 assists a game last year. "Bethany is a good rebounder and defender, and she has a good three-point shot."

  The team's lone junior is 5-4 guard Kristin Lindberg, a transfer from Canton who will be able to play the second half of the season.

  "Kristin has a lot of good skills," said Gerulis. "She's a hard-working kid and she has a great attitude."

  The team's sophomore class consists of three talented guards: Windle (5-3) Jenna Abraham (5-3) and Mary Anleitner (5-7).

  "Karen is a slasher/driver type of player," said Gerulis. "She scores well and rebounds well for someone her size. I think she thinks she's 5-9.

  "Jenna is a very good on-the-ball defender. She's very fast and can hit the three.

  "Mary can shoot well and she's a very strong kid."

  The Eagles' roster is rounded out by a pair of fabulous freshmen: the 5-9 Malcolm and 5-8 Emily Gerulis.

  "Jenny and Emily have played basketball with each other since about the fourth grade, so they know each other well," said Gerulis. "They're both good at moving the ball. Jenny can shoot, defend and rebound. Emily can play any position -- from the point to the post -- and her greatest skill is probably her passing."

  The Eagles will put their 3-0 record on the line Tuesday at Lutheran Westland.

  Following are recaps from the Eagles' first three wins:

  PCA 53, Franklin Road 36 - Malcolm scored 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Harris had an all-around solid game, netting eight points, eight rebounds, four steals and four assists. Anleitner and Windle both added eight points, and Gerulis chipped in with seven points and 11 rebounds.

  PCA 51, Saginaw Buena Vista 24 - WIndle led the way with 11 points and five steals. Hale also scored 11 points, while Harris contributed eight points and four assists, and Gerulis was amazing in the paint, registering eight points, four steals and 18 rebounds.

  PCA 40, Andover 34 - Harris scored a team-high 12 points while Windle and Malcolm both scored nine points and yanked down nine boards each. Windle also added five steals and two assists.

  Ed Wright can be reached at (734) 453-1980 or info@plymouthcantonsports.com.

Senior Bri Harris (left) and sophomore Karen Windle will serve as captains for the Eagles this season. (Ed Wright photo)