Strong defense can really boost a basketball team’s game. That’s exactly what the Michigan Math & Science Academy (MMSA) has been doing this season. After a solid win against Merritt Academy, with a score of 61-36, coach Chris Williams emphasized, “A lot of our points come from what we do on defense.”
His strategy focuses on applying pressure to the opposing offense until they feel uncomfortable. This pressure often turns into scoring opportunities for the Cougars. Elijah Brown, a standout player on defense, explained his role: “I lead the press and my teammates and coaches help me stay motivated. I really enjoy defense, especially making steals.”
Another player, Elijah Harris, agreed that defense has been a big part of their success. He noted, “It’s all about our defense and staying composed. We focus on doing everything right on every play.”
The Cougars tend to score in bursts. In a standout moment during the second half, they went on an impressive 18-3 run, which secured their victory. Harris mentioned that these game-changing runs have become common this season. “Sometimes we struggle to stay focused, but a score from one of us can inspire everyone else,” he said.
Darin Stitt was key to that game-changing run against Merritt. He scored all his eight points during that stretch, including two 3-pointers. Jacob Carter and Alvin Dillapree Jr. also joined in, hitting three-pointers that pushed the Cougars’ lead to 48-26.
According to Coach Williams, “In the second half, we focused more and played cleaner offense. Our guys were finding the open man and finishing plays.” He enjoys coaching this team, sharing, “I love being around these guys. We work hard to improve every day. Our motto is to get better together, one day at a time.”
Merritt Academy’s coach, Liam Kneer, praised his players for staying competitive until the second-half surge. “I’m proud of my guys. We didn’t know if we could win, but we played hard, and I was happy with how they stayed in the game.”
A highlight for Merritt was Carter Harrison’s basket in the last moments of the game. It was his first varsity points, and his teammates cheered him on joyfully when the shot went in.
For MMSA, Dillapree led in scoring with 13 points, while Brown contributed nine. Stitt and Jayden Clemens each scored eight points. For Merritt, Braylon Robbins was the top scorer with nine points, followed by Finn Kneer with six and Stephen Marks with five.
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