MVP honors with her clutch play – including sinking 14-of-19 free throws and dishing out five assists (AHSAA PHOTO | David Holtsford)
By Josh Bean | For the AHSAA
BIRMINGHAM – Once Ider High School built an eight-point lead with approximately two minutes remaining in Friday’s AHSAA Class 2A girls’ state basketball championship game versus defending state champion Mars Hill Bible, the Hornets fed the ball to point guard Makinley Traylor.
Good decision. She delivered, especially at the throw line.
Traylor made 6-of-8 free throws in the final 1:46 and was 14-of-19 for the game as the Hornets (23-11) held off the defending 2A champion Panthers for a 64-58 victory at the BJCC’s Legacy Arena. She finished with 22 points and five assists to earn MVP honors. The state crown earned in the process was the first for the DeKalb County school since 1985.
“When you step up to the free-throw line, you’ve got to put it down,” Traylor said, “because you win with free throws.”
The state crown win was especially sweet for veteran coach Jamie Pruett, who led Ider to a runner-up finish in Class 2A in 2009.
“This is a dream come true,” Pruett said. “I’ve always dreamed of winning one of these things. Very special.”
Mars Hill, coached by Flori Sweat, fell just shy of winning back-to-back state titles.
“Even with the way it ended, we love each other, and we’ll always be champions,” Mars Hill senior Madie Sain said.
Kennzie Smith added 14 points and Cambree Chapman had 11 for the winning Hornets. All five Ider starters scored at least seven points and played at least 25 minutes. Ider was 27-of-35 at the foul line and Mars Hill finished 16-of-20.
Kadence Rolston led Mars Hill (24-6) with 24 points and 12 rebounds, and Belle Hill added 16 points and seven rebounds. Sain added eight points and four assists.
Rolston scored 17 points in the first half but picked up her fourth foul with 1:59 to go in the third quarter. She stayed there until the 4:29 mark of the fourth period.
With Rolston on the bench, Ider built a four-point advantage after trailing by seven points early in the second half.
“Ider did a great job of packing the paint,” Sweat said. “That hurt a lot in the second half.”
The 2024 State Finals continues with more championship games Friday in Classes 3A and 4A, and Classes 5A, 6A and 7A close out the 2024 state tourney on Saturday.
All games are being live streamed over the NFHS Network’s subscriber-based platform and live on the AHSAA TV Network. All 14 state championship games will be aired live over the Alabama Public Television Network and live streamed over the NFHS Network.
CLASS 2A GIRLS’ ALL-TOURNEY TEAM
Makinley Traylor, Ider; Addison Heard, Ider; Kenzie Smith, Ider; Belle Hill, Mars Hill Bible; Madie Sain, Mars Hill Bible; Kadence Rolston, Mara Hill Bible.
