It is said that rivalries are better when all of the teams involved are good. If that’s so, the Huron, Pioneer and Skyline boys basketball rivalry trifecta is at its young peak.

“The three schools in Ann Arbor this year are just so incredibly close,” said Pioneer coach Rex Stanczak, citing his team’s one-point loss to Huron and one-point win Tuesday over Skyline. “We all have to play each other again, including districts, so it’s going to be fun.”

Huron has the upper hand, having beaten Pioneer 42-41 and Skyline 58-48 this season.

Pioneer's 51-50 win on Tuesday -- sealed with a Jimmy Holman 3-pointer in the final seconds -- was also fueled on payback for last season.

Last season, Skyline beat a Pioneer team that had seven players missing because of academic reasons, injury or illness. The loss cost the Pioneers a chance at the Southeastern Conference Red Division title, and Stanczak said it was on his team’s mind Tuesday.

As Skyline coach Mike Lovelace said of Holman’s winning 3-pointer: “Jimmy’s a senior. He doesn’t want to lose to us again.”

Bowl and buy

The Huron girls basketball team will host a “Bowl and Buy” fundraiser from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 11, at Colonial Lanes in Ann Arbor.

Tickets are $20 and include two hours of bowling, shoes, pizza, unlimited beverages and an auction. Auction items will include Detroit Pistons tickets, driver’s training lessons, sports memorabilia, automotive care, Fatheads, gift cards and baskets and much more. Tickets are available for purchase from players and coaches prior to the event and will be available at the door.

Walking wounded

Ypsilanti is missing senior guard Derrick Richardson with what coach Steve Brooks termed a “serious back injury” that happened in last Friday’s 70-51 win over Adrian. An Adrian player landed on top of him while diving for a loose ball. Brooks said he thinks Richardson is a couple weeks from playing.

"We really missed Richardson, especially defensively," Brooks said after his team’s 60-48 win over Chelsea on Friday.

Meanwhile, Chelsea’s already-thin bench (the Bulldogs had nine varsity players going into Friday’s game) got thinner in the second quarter when Logan Brown rolled his ankle and returned after halftime on crutches. Chelsea coach Robin Raymond said the injury was a high ankle sprain and he hopes Brown will be back in a week.

Cancer donations

When the Huron and Skyline girls and boys teams met last week, the schools came together to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Donations were accepted and some items were auctioned off to support the cause.

According to Huron boys basketball coach Waleed Samaha, the schools were able to raise more than $1,000 for the ACS that night.