Miami High squanders lead, loses girls’ basketball title game on late three-pointer
Their lead shrank and, eventually, disappeared.
For the second consecutive day, the Miami High girls’ basketball team was going to have to grind out a close game.
The Stingarees did it on Friday to get back to a state championship game for a fifth consecutive year.
They couldn’t do it on Saturday bring the title back to Miami.
Orlando Dr. Phillips’ Asina Govan hit a go-ahead three-pointer with 22 seconds left and neither of Miami High’s two shot attempts on their final possession went into the basket, sinking the Stingarees to a 47-45 defeat in the Class 7A title game at Lakeland’s RP Funding Center.
Senior Cameron Araujo took both of Miami High’s final shot attempts. Her three-point attempt from the corner clanked off the rim with six seconds left. Danajah Peterson corralled the offensive rebound and quickly flicked the ball back out to Araujo. The senior dribbled the ball once and her jumper bounced off the rim and back to the floor.
Game over.
But, as coach Sam Baumgarten points out, his team shouldn’t have been in that position.
While neither team dominated, Miami High (20-9) led by as many as eight points with 5:03 left and felt confident it could hold on for the win.
And then the turnovers happened.
Seven of Dr. Phillips’ final 14 points came off five Miami High turnovers — including the go-ahead three-pointer. Overall, the Panthers scored 29 points off 29 Miami High turnovers.
“We turned the ball over way too much,” Baumgarten said. “It’s unfortunate. ... We gave it to them. We basically gave it to them. Don’t get me wrong. They’re a great team and they fought. They did a hell of a job, but we came up short. We didn’t handle it when we were supposed to.”
It was another unceremonious end for the Stingarees, who have played for a state title every year since 2018 but have only won once in that span (2020).
Senior Janay Quinn led Miami High with 11 points on 4 of 9 shooting, including a three-pointer with 2:18 in regulation that temporarily helped Miami High regain the lead, 44-42. Naire Lucas got the lead to 45-42 when she hit one of two free-throw attempts with 1:06 left to play.
Dr. Phillips then closed the game with five unanswered points.
So it’s back to the drawing board for Baumgarten as he prepares for a chance to get back here for a sixth consecutive year.
He’ll have to do it without some key contributors.
Quinn and Araujo, his top-two scorers this year and two players who have been part of the team all four years, are graduating. As are Peterson, Daimelys Morera and Katheryn Novoa.
“They gave everything that’s asked,” Baumgarten said. “They try to appease me all the time. They’re probably more upset than I am, and I love them. I love them to death. I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
This story was originally published February 26, 2022 at 10:23 PM.
.JPG)