By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
COOS BAY, Ore.– The Amity Girls Basketball showed a lot of resilience in winning the 3A State Championship Saturday night against Banks.
Despite being without one of their starters due to a season-ending injury, the Braves found a way to hold the Warriors in check throughout the whole game. They brought physicality, good defense and brought the pressure to the feet of the Warriors to make them work for the Championship that Amity sought after coming off of last year’s heartbreaking defeat to Corbett on this same court at Marshfield High School.
And the Warriors responded in just, they fought fire with fire. Their lead didn’t surpass nine as the game became a battle of attrition to see who could wear down the other first.
“Banks bought it,,,and our kids just bought it, they kept battling too,” said Amity Head Coach Jed McMullen. “Thankfully we got the ‘W’.”
Entering the fourth quarter, the Warriors led 35-29. After their strong 16-9 first quarter by Amity, the middle quarters saw both squads pretty even on the scoreboard.
But it was in that fourth quarter where things got real interesting for the 3A State Championship. That was when Banks really buckled down and went to work. Taking advantage of the few opportunities given to them some momentum and slowly that sixth point lead began to dissipate. And with 2:14 left in the game, the Braves were up 41-40 after a Mckenna King lay-in.
The pressure of the moment magnified following the King basket. It looked as if the Amity Curse may be rearing it’s ugly head again for the Warriors as it seemed like they were losing that battle of attrition. Five times getting to the State Championship, no Championship. Around them was a Sea of Blue from Amity in Coos Bay that rivals that of Western Chrisitan’s out in Pendleton.
And on this night, with what felt like the whole town of Amity was in that gym, their fortunes started to change.
“Stressful. It was scary, but we felt good,” said Adie Nisly of the moment.
Adie Nisly hit a pair of free throws with 2:02 left in the game that gave Amity back the lead at 42-41, and Eliza Nisly split a pair to push their lead to 43-41
Adie Nisly led the Warriors with 17 points, and Alyssa McMullen contributed another 11 in the win for Amity.
