Prepapalooza: Final Countdown Begins

EAST LANSING – There was no panic Saturday on the Muskegon bench.

Not when the Big Reds trailed Detroit Renaissance 15-2 early in the second quarter of the Division 1 Girls Basketball Final. Not when their comeback was beat back and they fell behind by six midway through the fourth.

There was only belief that what they were doing would work, and they’d make plays when it was needed.

That belief was rewarded, as the Big Reds came through with those plays down the stretch, defeating Renaissance 34-29 at the Breslin Center.

“We never stopped playing and believing in each other, and playing hard-nosed defense,” Muskegon coach Bernard Loudermill said. “We had to get some more stops and get some more conversions on the offensive end. It was still just one possession at a time.”

Loudermill’s quiet confidence was in stark contrast to the raucous Muskegon crowd that watched the team win the first Finals title in program history.

“This championship means everything,” Big Reds senior Mariah Sain said. “We just made history. We made history yesterday (by winning a Semifinal for the first time), but we really just left our legacy at Muskegon High School. A lot of our community was out today from all areas of Muskegon, so it’s a really big moment for us and I’m truly blessed that I got to enjoy it with my team. I’m just going to enjoy it.”

Sain had 14 points and eight rebounds for Muskegon (26-2), capping off her career with one last victory and a parting lesson for the kids in the crowd who have looked up to her for years.

“To keep working, to fight through adversity,” Sain said. “I feel like that game we fought through a lot of adversity. There was a lot of highs in that game, but there were a lot of lows. I love the kids. A lot of kids look up to me, and I try to give them as much knowledge as I can and try to be in the community as much as I can.”

Muskegon didn’t score for the first 5½ minutes of the game, and trailed 15-2 early in the second quarter, but then went on a 10-0 run capped by a Sain 3-pointer to bring itself back.

“That was probably like the second time we’ve had a deficit like that,” Loudermill said. “We know with the types of players we have, we knew we had the ability to come back, but it still had to be one stop at a time. You can’t get it all back at once, so we had to be really patient, continue to believe in each other, and do more execution-wise on the offensive end.”

Muskegon did not lead in the game until junior center Dy’nasti Bell hit a layup with 58 seconds remaining in the game to make it 29-27.

The Big Reds wouldn’t trail again, as a defensive stop was followed by a three-point possession, courtesy in large part to Bell. While it was Sain making one free throw and senior Camiyah Bonner hitting the other two, it was a hustle play by Bell in between that kept Muskegon in possession and helped swell a three-point lead to five.

“I think I tried to push myself beyond my limits,” Bell said. “This was potentially the last time I would ever get to do that, so I just went at everything hard. When you give it your all, I think it pays off.”

Bell finished the night with seven points and 12 rebounds, including the final rebound on a desperation 3-point attempt from Renaissance with the clock winding down.

The Phoenix (23-3) were led by senior Jaebri’an Autry, who scored 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds.

It was Autry who stretched the Renaissance lead when Muskegon had first tied the game at 21 in the fourth quarter, finishing off back-to-back possessions to once again give her team control.

The second Big Reds comeback could not be fought off, however. 

“I feel like we should have won that game,” Autry said. “We’ve been doubted all year, and this was the game to prove to everybody that we are capable. I love these girls. I love these girls. This is the best team that I’ve ever been on at this school. I’m just proud of how far we’ve come.”

Autry was the leader on what was an incredibly young Renaissance team, as underclassmen out-numbered upperclassmen 8-4.

That was mostly from a strong sophomore class, which Autry called the best in the state. Those teammates had plenty of good things to say about her, too.

“She’s just, (in) life, off the court, on the court, she’s taught me everything,” sophomore guard Kassidy Cain said. “That’s really my sister. Obviously I plan to keep up what she’s built and done here.”

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PHOTOS (Top) Muskegon’s Mariah Sain (10) drives hard to the basket Saturday with Renaissance’s Maria Walker (1) keeping in step. (Middle) Jaebri’an Autry (22) works to get a shot up over the Big Reds’ Dy’nasti Bell (24). (Photos by Keionna Banks and Lilanie Karunanayake/Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)