NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!! Mesa Women Take NJCAA DII Title With 82-72 Win Over Highland in OT
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - Sweet redemption.
Given a second chance after losing the NJCAA Division II national championship a year ago, the Mesa women, a year older, a year wiser, and using the experience of a year of waiting, captured the NJCAA Division II national championship with an 82-72 win in overtime over second-seeded Highland (Kan.) Saturday night.
The victory capped a fantastic career for the MCC sophomores who posted a 55-12 record over their two years, won two Region I titles, took a second place nationally and capped it all with a national title.
And the coaching staff, head coach Kori Stephenson and assistants Sam Stevens and Ben Nelson, reached the pinnacle after taking teams to fifth, second and first place in the nation over the past three seasons.
For the school itself it was the 17th national crown in now eight different sports, but the first since 1980. Women's basketball is the eighth to join the list.
And, oh yes, the game itself. It was a classic all the way.
As they had in several tournament games, the T-Birds started slowly, scoring only five points in the first four and a half minutes. But that ended quickly facing a crowd of hundreds of Highland fans who had merely an hour and a half drive.
MCC went on a 15-7 run and ignited a game in which there were 15 lead changes and 13 ties.
At halftime, Mesa held a 36-29 margin, and then either led, or were tied, until the Scotties grabbed a 54-52 lead with 3:42 to go.
With the score tied at 60, Mesa had a chance to win in regulation, but a driving layup by Peace Amukamara, pictured right, (So., Goodyear, AZ/Millennium H.S.) bounced several times on the rim at the buzzer, but fell off. If that could be called a mistake, and that is really stretching things, it may have been the only one she made all night.
The Arizona State-bound sophomore carried the T-Birds on her back in the first half, scoring 20 of her game-high 28 points in the opening 20 minutes.
For her efforts, Amukamara was named the tournament MVP and was joined on the all-tournament team by Madi Austin (So., Saginaw, Mich/Horizon (AZ) H.S.) and Leslie Tademy (So., Phoenix, AZ/South Mountain H.S.).
In the closing minutes of regulation, MCC was perfect from the free throw line with eight straight over the last 3:07.
HCC's Anna Deegan made a pair of free throws with 23.2 seconds remaining to tie it, and Amukamara's near-miss after a time out with 3.6 seconds left meant the season would last at least five more minutes.
The Thunderbirds quickly took control of the extra period and never tailed.
Mariah Willadsen (So., Mesa, AZ./Red Mountain H.S.) scored on a driving move, Austin hit a jumper and then added a three to push MCC to a 67-60 margin with 2:22 to play.
The T-Birds still led by nine, 73-64, with 1:09 remaining when Willadsen hit a pair of foul shots, but Highland hit two big shots and fouled immediately each time Mesa got possession of the ball.
A three-pointer by Celine Jolicouer cut Mesa's lead to 74-71 at the 47.2 mark. HCC would score only one more point.
Willadsen made two more from the foul line, Austin added a pair with 37.9 seconds to play and the MCC lead was 78-72. The long-awaited championship seemed almost close enough to grab.
Tademy hit a free throw with 27.7 left and Amukamara made it 80-72 at the 17.8 mark. When Highland missed a three and sent Willadsen to the line again with 9.9 on the clock the MCC bench was celebrating.
Amukamara finished with 28 points and her third consecutive double-double with 12 rebounds. The middle of the three was actually a triple-double in the semi-final win.
Austin had 25 and Willadsen 16 along with a double-double of her own with ten rebounds.
The T-Birds out-rebounded the taller Scotties, 50-39, and hit 35 of 41 free throws.
With the victory Mesa finishes 28-5, a school record for victories, and memories to last a lifetime.