Green 48, Lake 47
NORTH CANTON: Freshman McKenzie Black is not old enough to drive a car yet, but she is old enough to win a key basketball game for Green High School.
Black turned 14 last July and got braces on her teeth in November.
Wednesday night, Black, a 5-foot-6 guard, made a running left-handed floater from about seven feet away with 2.2 seconds to go to lift Green to a dramatic 48-47 victory over state-ranked Lake in a Division I sectional final at Walsh University.
Green 5-foot-10 senior guard Lydia Corle was the first option on the decisive play, but Lake’s defense forced her to pass the ball to Black.
“It was going to Lydia, but they all collapsed [towards her] and I was open,” Black said. “I just prayed and it went in.
“Oh, my God, I don’t even know [the last time I made a left-handed floater]. I heard Coach yell drive to the lane.”
The shot put Green (15-6) into a district semi-final against Wooster at 6 p.m. March 1. Lake, the No. 3-ranked team in the Associated Press Division I poll, ends its season at 20-2 after it was unable to get a shot off before the buzzer following a timeout.
Corle led the Bulldogs with 14 points, 11 rebounds and five steals. Black finished with five points.
“The play broke down,” Green coach Tracy Miller said. “It was intended for Lydia, but she got double- and triple-teamed. She kicked it out to McKenzie and she made a running haymaker. We had some good luck on our side tonight.”
Ironically, Black had blue polish on her nails that clashes with Green’s brown and orange color scheme, but fits Lake’s blue and red colors.
“McKenzie stepped up to the challenge after Lydia passed it to her,” Miller said. “She acts like a 14-year-old sometimes. When we were on the bus coming to the game, she had a blue lollipop. Her tongue was blue and she had blue all over her face from the sucker.”
Freshman Julia Guyton scored 11 points for Green. Junior Erika Rector contributed nine points, junior Lexi Teodosio had six points and senior Alexa Marciniak made a 3-pointer.
“Going into this game we were getting a lot of [stuff],” Black said. “People were saying we were going to lose. We were so fired up for this game. I was so nervous before the game. I was turning purple. The captains calmed me down.”
Lake held a 31-19 halftime lead and seemed to be in control of the game. Green rallied to within 39-38 after three quarters.
Green incorporated a full-court press to stymie Lake in the second half. The Bulldogs forced 22 turnovers and committed 18.
“We’re disappointed, but I told the girls in the locker room the body of work we have done for 23 games stands on its own,” Lake coach Henry Cobb said.
“We lost our poise against their trapping stuff. We just didn’t handle their pressure. Give credit to Green. Tracy did a great job. They changed things up on us.”
Junior forward McKenna Stephens totaled 14 points and nine rebounds for Lake. Junior Miranda Diesz scored 10 points and senior Audrey Myers added eight points.
Corle scored nine points in the second half to key Green’s rally, but she gladly gave way to Black for the game-winner.
“It was a crazy shot that went in for her,” Corle said. “Nobody gave up. This is the most exciting win I have ever been a part of.
“She says silly things at practice that make us laugh, but she handles herself like a varsity starter because that is what she is.”
Wooster 62, wMassillon 56 (OT)
Senior Halle Gallo-Malta scored 20 points and senior Laurencia Walker contributed 18 points and seven rebounds to lead the Generals (17-4) over the Tigers (15-7) in overtime.
Junior Claire Ballard had 14 points and eight rebounds for Wooster.
Senior Nikki Thomas paced Massillon with 19 points, 18 rebounds and four blocks. Seniors Nae Nae McElroy (15 points) and Katie Clark (12 points) also reached double figures for the Tigers.
Michael Beaven can be reached at 330-996-3829 or mbeaven@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the high school blog at www.ohiomm.com/blogs/varsity_letters/. Also follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MBeavenABJ. Follow ABJ sports on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sports.abj.
