Miami-Hamilton came back from two double-digit deficits and held off Penn State Schuylkill 53-52 to claim the United States Collegiate Athletic Association Division II title on Saturday.
The Harriers won 12 in a row to finish the season 22-8. MUH has been to the USCAA national tournament four consecutive years and reached the finals two seasons ago.
“The big thing is we were very young this season with only one senior,” Piatt said. “If you’d have asked me at the beginning of the year what our goal was, it was certainly to get back to the national championship.”
Piatt said there was a stretch in late-January and early-February where eight games — four against ranked opponents — could have gone either way.
“We won every one of them,” the coach said. “We were really good defensively. We led the country in team defense, giving up just 61.4 points a game. When you’re good defensively, you can play through things, and you can get stops.”
Piatt said he liked his team’s chances once reaching the national tournament.
“I just knew we could guard anyone,” Piatt said.
Miami-Hamilton had to fight back from two 11-point deficits in the title game. The Harriers eventually took the lead with 3 minutes to go — their first lead of the game.
“We never freaked out,” Piatt said. “We just kept on grinding, got some stops. That’s just attributed to our guys trusting our system — trusting each other and how we needed to play. I’m just so happy for them.”
The Harriers touted the No. 1 strength of schedule in the USCAA, which Piatt said played a key factor in preparing his program for the postseason.
“Our opponents get us ready to play,” Piatt said. “We respect all of our opponents, but we don’t fear any of them.
“I crack up laughing because we’re not openly big,” Piatt added. “Everyone is bigger than us. Maybe everyone is faster than us, too. I don’t know. I don’t coach track. I don’t care. But I do know this, the way we play and when we play our way, we’re pretty hard to play against.
“We’re very unselfish on offense, and we’re going to guard you really hard.”
Miami-Hamilton was only outrebounded twice during its entire season, which “tells you that our guys are really focused on guarding people, rebounding and not turning the ball over,” Piatt said. “That will always give you a chance to win.”
Shaeden Olden hit two free throws with 16 seconds remaining to put the Harriers up by three.
“Chauncey Brashers says, ‘Coach, do we want to foul?’” Piatt recalled. “Our philosophy is that we’re going to foul you if we’re up three during that kind of situation.
Piatt said he just didn’t want his team to foul until under 5 seconds left on the clock. His team fouled with 3.1 seconds showing.
PSU Schuylkill missed the first free throw, and MUH got a hand on the rebound. The ball was tipped out to a PSU Schuylkill player, who stepped inside the 3-point line and made the shot.
“He made it at the buzzer, but it was a two-pointer,” Piatt confirmed. “Then we won. It might have been a little luck with it, but I’ve lost some games on a little luck. So, we’re going to take it. The worst-case scenario is that we were going to go to overtime.
“It was the correct call, and it was very visible. The official was looking right at it.
“They were happy for a split second, then we were very happy — for a very long time.”
Miami-Hamilton’s roster features senior Michael Keehan (Elder); juniors Jason Priah (Villa Angela-St. Joseph), Cory Davis (Mason) and Mark Watson (Bloomfield Hills); sophomores Logan Smith (Talawanda), Ryder Thompson (Fenwick), Shaeden Olden (Troy) and Trevor Norris (Talawanda); and freshmen Carter Yarbrough (Hopewell-Louden), Carter Burg (Northwest), Bryson Curry (Lakota West), Chauncey Brashers (Lutheran East), Hakeem Smith (Lakota West), Aamir Rogers (Fairfield) and Allen Mallory (Lutheran East).
The Harriers are coached by Mike Piatt (fifth season) and assistants Chris Jones, Jamison Bradley and Elijah Jackson.
Christendom 63, Miami-Hamilton 60 (Women’s)
The Miami-Hamilton women’s basketball team fell in the Division II championship game Saturday.
The Harriers finished 19-11, winning nine of their last 10 games to close out the season.
Miami-Hamilton’s roster includes seniors LaMarrie Hawkins (Dunbar) and Laci Reinhart (Dixie Heights); juniors Beri Ngwa (Lakota West), A’Vyonna Kinsey (Winton Woods), Kayla Reeves (Bellfountaine), Que Huffman (Trotwood), Jordyn Ware (Holmes) and Paxton Hunley (Miami East); sophomores Gabby Martin (Summit), Taj Pewett (Colerain), Madalyn Mahoney (Fenwick) and Nija Olagemiro (Walnut Hills), Kristen Cross (Lawrenceburg); and freshmen Jenna Grabans (Lancaster), LaDasia Carter (Mount Healthy) and Jada Reip (Oak Hills).
The Harriers are coached by Ross Tonyan (seventh season) and assistants Sean Korsnak and Bernard Caldwell.
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