Miami High girls win GMAC basketball title

The celebration was a modest one.

The Miami High girls’ basketball team had just put the finishing touches on another GMAC championship Thursday night. After all, it was their seventh title in the past nine years so there was plenty of been there, done that.

They were happy to accept more hardware for their trophy case following a 59-53 win against Norland at Norland High School.

But a team that has entered each of the past two seasons with state-championship aspirations only to fall just short with two heartbreaking losses in the title game knew full well that the real important stretch, one they hope will end hoisting a state championship trophy in Lakeland on Feb. 29, starts next week with the postseason.

Coach Sam Baumgarten watched his Stingarees perform flawlessly in the first half, nearly blowing the Vikings right out of their own gym, taking a 35-18 lead at halftime.

But whatever longtime Norland coach Carla Harris said to her girls at the break worked as the Vikings came out on fire in the third quarter.

Thanks to three threepointers from Tamar Nijhove, Norland went on a 24-14 tear to cut the Stings’ lead to 45-38 going to the fourth.

Miami High’s lead was down to three with two minutes left before Kiara Cruz and Jeanine Scott hit some clutch shots and made their free throws down the stretch to preserve the win as Miami High moved to 20-5 on the season.

Norland, which was looking for its first GMAC title since 2011, fell to 18-6.

“Third quarters have been our Achilles’ heel for a long time and what probably cost us in those two state-championship games,” Baumgarten said. “We struggled again with it against Norland and are going to have to figure out how to be more mentally tough this year if we are going to bring home a state championship.”

Cruz and Scott both finished as high scorers for their team with 18 points apiece, 15 of Cruz’s points coming on five three-pointers.

Darria Whitley also pitched in with eight points and six rebounds. Ronaltha

Marc led the way for Norland with 19 points.

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

Terra 69, Reagan 55: TER – Nelson 19, Santiago 18, Blanco 16, Morales 6, Deas 3, Lopez 3, Sanchez 2. Rebounds: Nelson 5, Morales 5. Assists: Nelson 3. Steals: Santiago 6.

American 90, Monsignor Pace 75: AM– Wade 33, Clark 15, Jackson 10, Cange 6, Williams 5, Figueroa 5, Garcia 5, Corredera 4, Navarro 1. MP – Frazier 21, Rivera 18, Stewart 13, Villea 9, Leon 8, Glosler 3. Half: Pace 37-36. 3-pointers: Wade 5, Rivera 2, Leon 2, Villea 2, Williams,

Figueroa, Frazier. Rebounds: Corredera 12. Assists: Figueroa 8. Steals: Figueroa 3.

GIRLS’ SOCCER

District semifinal: Ransom Everglades 1, Palmer Trinity 0 (OT): The game was scoreless through regulation and then two 10-minute overtime sessions before going to penalty kicks. Converting PKs were Lindsay Gould, Isabella Sosa, Mia Goldberg and, following two great saves in front of the net, goalkeeper Preston Edmunds with the gamewinner.