Big second half elevates #2-ranked Phoenix to regional final
March 7, 2023
ROYAL OAK (Mich.) – Marian High School's improbable MHSAA tournament run came to an end Tuesday night at the hands of the #2-ranked Phoenix of Detroit Renaissance.
The opening round of the MHSAA Regional Tournament was hosted at Royal Oak High School and with nothing to lose and everything to gain, Michelle Lindsey's Mustangs (10-14) started the game on all cylinders, trailing Renaissance 11-9 after the first quarter.
Behind the timely shooting of sophomore guard Molly McLeod and the strong inside presence of junior forward Mckenzie Swanson, Marian sunk into a zone defense and continued to frustrate the Phoenix.
Although Marian went into halftime only trailing 24-19, the deeper Renaissance team would demonstrate why they are one of the highest-ranking teams in Michigan among the MHSAA power rankings.
Renaissance harassed the Marian guards after implementing a full court press to open the second half. Additionally, some of the wide-open looks that weren't falling against the Marian zone began to fall early in the third quarter.
The Phoenix outscored Marian 23-4 in the third period and cruised to the 28-point victory.
Renaissance had three players in double figures. Anaya Hardy and Victorya Gambles each had 12 points, while Mackayla Johnson scored 13. Hardy was a force inside, grabbing three rebounds. As a team, Renaissance grabbed an impressive 44 rebounds to Marian's 32.
Most revealing was the fact that Renaissance scored 17 of their points in transition, had 16 second chance points and 18 points off Marian turnovers.
There were several bright spots for the young Mustangs, however. Charlie Bingham dished a game-high six assists while McLeod poured in nine points.
Mckenzie Swanson yet again recorded a double-double. She was often forced out of the paint, but still recorded 18 points on 6-of-18 shooting and pulled down 12 boards – both were game highs.
Catholic League foe Farmington Hills Mercy will be the opponent for Renaissance in the Regional title game Thursday (Mar. 9). The Marlins defeated Utica Ford II in the second regional semifinal at Royal Oak.
Many factors contributed to an unusually subpar Marian campaign in the 2022-23 season. Youth, injuries and varsity inexperience were all factors.
As the team's health improved down the stretch and as many of the young players that were pressed unexpectedly into action played valuable game time minutes, the Marian program won five of their final six games and will be an exciting squad to watch in 2023-24.
