Emma Dretke and Massillon Jackson get the best of Breezie Williams and GlenOak to become district champions

Story and photo by Ryan Isley

MASSILLON, Ohio — As the final buzzer sounded Friday night, Emma Dretke sought out Breezie Williams at midcourt of Massillon Perry’s gym, and the two seniors shared a hug.

Dretke and Massillon Jackson had just defeated Williams and GlenOak 44-34 in the district final, but the two competitors have a relationship that goes beyond the high school basketball court.

The embrace wasn’t just between competitors, but friends, as the two also have been teammates on the AAU circuit with Ohio Xtreme for years.

“We keep that relationship,” Williams said. “She will always be my teammate. It doesn’t matter if we are playing against each other in the district final.”

At times during the game, the 6-foot Dretke got switched out on the 5-foot-5 Williams on the defensive end. Having done that in AAU practice, Dretke knew how to guard the diminutive but speedy guard.

“I know Breezie, I know that she likes her step-back,” Dretke said. “I know that I have to give her room so she doesn’t break my ankles.”

Despite the loss, Williams got the best of Dretke on the stat sheet, as she led all scorers with 15 points and showed why the University of New Hampshire signee was second-team All-Ohio last season.

“It’s always a pleasure to play against her,” Dretke said. “She is probably one of the best point guards I have played with. She is just a phenomenal player.”

Dretke scored seven points, but the Walsh University signee contributed defensively and on the glass for the Polar Bears.

“She is a great player,” Williams said. “She gave it her all. I am proud of her.”

The Ohio Xtreme team consists of some of the best players in the area, including CVCA’s Gia Casalinova, Buckeye Central’s Claudia Pifher, Stow’s Kristin Chmielewski and Emily Ervin and Green’s Bri Hunt.

This season, Dretke has played against Chmielewski, Ervin, Hunt and Williams, while Williams has faced off against Hunt and Dretke.

“I would much rather play with them than against them,” Dretke said. “We always go at it against each other. They are usually the best player on their team, and I have to guard them.”

The girls support one another throughout the season, as was evidenced Friday night. Ervin attended the game to support her AAU teammates and remained as neutral as possible. 

She has played AAU with Dretke since they were in sixth grade and with Williams since eighth grade, and she was happy to be there to support her friends, despite Stow's loss in the district semifinals creating her availability.

“They are two of my very good friends I have played with throughout the years,” Ervin said. “It’s tough seeing both of them playing at the same time because I know at the end of the night one of them is going to lose and they are going to be upset, but I am proud of each of them.”

The gesture didn't surprise Dretke, who watched Stow’s win over Lake a couple of weeks ago to see Chmielewski and Ervin in action.

“The best thing about all of us is we support each other,” Dretke said. “We go to each other’s games and text after games. It’s been an honor to play with all of them.”

Playing with one another has helped make each member of Ohio Xtreme better basketball players and more valuable to their high school teams as well. 

It has helped develop Dretke’s game, as she has been a four-year starter for Jackson and first-team all-Federal League in her first three seasons with a fourth nod possibly on the horizon.

“You’re playing with the best players in the area, probably in the state,” Dretke said. “When you play with better players, it just makes you better. It has definitely evolved my game a lot.”

One awkward moment between the AAU teammates on Friday night happened in the middle of the fourth quarter when Dretke was guarding Williams on the sideline near the GlenOak bench. 

Dretke ended up getting too close and knocked Williams to the floor. She then ran over and checked on her friend before helping her up and resuming the game.

“I did not mean to knock her over like that, so I was like, ‘Please don’t be hurt,’ and I helped her up,” Dretke said. “She is a great player to play with and I care about her, and I was just making sure she was OK.”

The AAU teammate tour doesn’t end here for Dretke, as Jackson advances to play Hunt and Green in the regional semifinals.

As for that final hug at midcourt, it might be the last time the two share the floor as competitors.

“She has helped me out, I have helped her out. I am proud of her,” Williams said. “This may be our last time hugging. Just one last time for the road.”