The Whitehaven Tigers took down Denae Fritz (23) and the Maryville Rebels in the TSSAA Class AAA state tournament at Murphy Center in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. (Photo by Danny Parker)
By JESSE SMITHEY
MURFREESBORO – No matter the deficit Wednesday, Maryville junior Denae Fritz believed the game would ultimately end in the Lady Rebels’ favor.
And as 3-pointer after 3-pointer zipped through the net for Maryville in the fourth quarter of a Class AAA state sectional, that belief by Fritz simply swelled.
“The whole time, I thought we were going to win — even when we were down big,” said Fritz. “I mean, not one time in that game did I think we were going to lose.”
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Although Maryville made seven 3s in the final quarter, the ones they needed the most didn’t fall, and Whitehaven escaped, 66-63, after nearly blowing a 16-point lead.
Whitehaven (27-3) led 44-28 heading into the fourth quarter, saw its lead evaporate to just one point four times late in the final 2 minutes, 20 seconds, but was able to advance to Friday’s semifinal against Stone Memorial (30-4).
Fritz led Maryville (30-5) with 22 points and seven rebounds. She hit consecutive 3s early in the fourth to spur the rally.
Aaliyah Vananda (13 points) hit two 3s in the fourth quarter.
Gracie Midkiff hit a pair, as well. The second cut Whitehaven’s lead to 63-62 with 36 seconds left. Whitehaven made just one of two foul shots on the other end, leaving the possibility on the table for Maryville to tie or take the lead.
Midkiff got off a clean look from the corner. Vananda got off a deep 3 from the top of the key.
Both narrowly missed.
“Going back into the fourth quarter, the start of it, I said, ‘How bad do we want it right here? We’re down big and you have to make shots late.'” recalled Fritz, a Class AAA Miss Basketball finalist. “I think we did. We just missed a couple late. That happens.”
5STAR PHOTOS: Maryville basketball vs. Whitehaven (Class AAA state quarterfinals, 2020)
Maryville was making its first state tournament appearance since 1999. So maybe it was nerves or maybe it was Whitehaven’s defensive pressure, but the Lady Rebels didn’t show well early. They had eight turnovers and just three points on 1-for-10 shooting after the first eight minutes.
Still, they trailed only 27-20 at halftime.
“We just didn’t want our season to end. We’ve had a great year,” Maryville coach Scott West said of the near comeback. “We’ve done a lot of really good things. And this team didn’t feel like they were done yet. I think they displayed that. … There was no quit in them. They were playing for each other and to advance. It’s what they’ve done all year.
“There’s never been any shake in this team.”
STONE MEMORIAL ADVANCES
Emma Capps scored 25 points and Belmont commitment Tessa Miller added 14, and Stone Memorial (30-4) knocked off Science Hill 61-46 to win its second state tournament game in program history.
The first came in 2012.
The Lady Panthers’ second semifinal appearance will be at 10 a.m. Central on Friday at MTSU against Whitehaven (28-3) in the Class AAA bracket. They secured that berth with ease against Science Hill (28-8).
Stone led at the break 31-18 and then outscored the Lady Hilltoppers 14-6 in the fourth to clinch. Going 17-for-20 at the foul line only helped Stone Memorial.
Capps, a Gardner-Webb signee, made 10 of 11 at the free-throw line.
5STAR PHOTOS: Stone Memorial vs. Science Hill (2020 Class AAA state quarterfinal)