Miami High girls’ basketball edges Norland, continues to reign as GMAC champions
Miami High and Miami Norland were at it again on Friday night.
The GMAC final is a familiar setting for a clash between the two longtime girls’ basketball rivals who squared off for the tournament title for the fifth consecutive season.
While the status quo did not change, this latest chapter restored some thrill to the series as the Stingarees had to survive a late comeback in order to hang on for a 40-37 win over the Vikings at Miami Dade College’s Kendall campus gym, and repeat as GMAC champs.
Miami High (18-5) won its ninth GMAC title in the past 12 seasons and beat Norland (16-5) for the fourth time in the past five years. Joelle Wilson led the Stingarees with a game-high 18 points.
“They did a great job slowing us down,” Miami High coach Sam Baumgarten said. “Wilson’s two fouls early hurt us a little bit, but we kept it going and led the whole way. Allowing only 37 points is a phenomenal defensive job, but we need to work on our offense.”
Miami High will look to build momentum heading into the Class 7A postseason as it vies to reach the state final for the sixth consecutive season and try to secure its first state title since 2020. Norland faces a tougher road in Class 5A as it tries to win its first state title since 2010 with reigning five-time state champion Plantation American Heritage in its region.
After leading by 11 points at the half, Norland rallied in the second half behind the tandem of Fenishka Bertho (17 points) and Shania Swan (13 points).
The Vikings pulled within one point at three different points in the second half with the latest coming with 45 seconds when Bertho connected on a driving shot to cut Miami High’s lead to 38-37.
After Miami High’s Hazel Hernandez missed the front end of a 1-and-1 free throw opportunity, Norland regained possession on a jump ball with 13.2 seconds left. But after Swan collected an inbounds pass, she was pressured and bounced a dribble out of bounds, turning it back over to Miami High with 11.7 seconds left.
Wilson connected on two free throws after being fouled with just over four seconds left. Norland would have one last chance to tie, but Swan’s three-point attempt missed the mark.
Swan hit a pair of triples in the fourth quarter including a corner three to cut Miami High’s lead to 36-35 with 1:20 left. While the Vikings jammed the paint to try and deny Wilson an easy look at the rim, Alexia Sanchez made a key jumper to keep the Stingarees ahead.
“We’ve been trying to get her to pull up and take that shot,” Baumgarten said. “She shot it with confidence and we’ll take it.”
This story was originally published January 28, 2023 at 12:04 AM.
