Rosepine managed to scratch and claw its way back even with Holy Savior Menard in final seconds of regulation of a low-scoring, tough-shooting Division-III Select championship rockfight.
Junior forward Marli Jones made a driving basket from the left wing with 11 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, then paced a rejuvinated Eagles bunch to the 42-34 overtime win to claim their third title in four years.
“We just didn’t stop,” Rosepine coach Charles Kiely told the LHSAA Network broadcast postgame. “We struggled there for a long time. Menard had a great gameplan. We’re a fast-paced team. They slowed us down. And we just stayed together. We trusted each other. We changed calls up. We moved some things around. But God’s the glory. He just kept us where we stayed together.”
Jones had started 0-for-5 from the field before the clutch equalizer, but made her last three shots and finish with seven of the team’s final 11 points and of the game’s final 12.
Her tough shooting afternoon overall, but strong finish epitomized Rosepine’s experience as a team.
The No. 2 Eagles (27-7) went 0-for-10 in the first quarter and, even with the late baskets to force overtime, finished regulation 11-for-51 (21.6%) from the floor.
In the extra period, they hit four of their six attempts (66.7%) to outscore No. 4 Holy Savior Menard (23-5) by a 9-1 margin and claim the trophy.
“We had another chance. We had life,” Kiely said. “What you saw in overtime, that’s our basketball: defensive, hard-nosed, scheme a little bit and push the ball and shoot the ball on offense. Five out, dribble-drive and just play basketball.”
Junior guard Case James, the team’s lone double-digit scorer, earned the game’s MVP honors with 14 points on 5-for-17 (29.4%) shooting from the field and 4-for-15 (26.7%) from beyond the arc.
She also grabbed two steals and a rebound.
“I’m feeling great,” James beamed. “Best feeling ever right now… I’ve never been on a stage like this. I mean, I’d been here, but I’d never played in the game before. And I think nerves were there for all of us. But we just trust each other, and we got the job done. We love each other, we’re here for each other and we’re with each other every day. We put in that work, and we did what we had to do.”
Jones had six rebounds, an assist and a steal to go with her seven points.
Sophomore guard Raylen Farris scored five points and grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds and two steals.
“I think it’s good that we’re so young and that we’re still doing this,” Farris said of the team with just one senior winning the title. “I feel amazing. It feels great winning one with my team. When I was in seventh and eighth grade, I didn’t really play that much. I was on the bench, so coming into this, I actually got to do it myself and not just watching people do it for me.”
Senior guard Hayley Calcote had six points, four rebounds and three assists.
And sophomore forward Brooklyn LaCaze and junior guard Allie Wilson scored four points each to go with LaCaze’s six rebounds and Wilson’s three steals and two boards.
While Rosepine shot just 15-for-57 (26.3%) for the game, it committed just five turnovers to give themselves more attempts to keep shooting and also avoid giving Holy Savior Menard many easy looks.
“They understood the value of the ball,” Kiely said. “We talked about every box out and every turnover is a minute off the clock because they were gonna hold it, hold it. (Holy Savior Menard coach Chris Gatlin) had a great gameplan, but we just kept on and kept on. We were never out of the game ever. So we just stayed right there. My girls did a great job.”
Holy Savior Menard finished 9-for-40 (22.5%) from the field and 3-for-20 (15%) from deep and lost 15 turnovers.
Senior center Carly Meynard led her Eagles with 18 points, 20 rebounds and four blocked shots — all game-highs — plus a steal and an assist.
Senior forward Kaylee Methvin added nine points, five rebounds and a blocked shot, and junior guard Mia Rubio had four points, two assists and a board.
