By Noah Dalton
BLOOMFIELD — Mitchell High School opened its season with a win Tuesday night, as senior Asiah Saunders knocked down a three-pointer with about four seconds left to beat Bloomfield 44-43 in the first game of Cari Isom’s tenure as head coach.
Trailing 43-41 with 10 seconds remaining, Mitchell called a timeout, and Isom reversed the team’s press break. “I put my scorers at the half-court line, and I brought up my bigs,” Isom said. “That way, they could come out and set a nice screen.” Raylee Blackwell caught the inbound pass, and Saunders came through the middle to hit the winning shot.
Isom’s message in the huddle was simple. “I told them we just needed two,” she said. “There was no talk about going for a win.” Bloomfield was unable to get a shot off before time expired.
The finish capped a game that was back and forth from the start. Bloomfield held an 11-9 edge after the first quarter, and in the second, Lola Myers got hot for the Cardinals, hitting three straight three-pointers on her way to 13 first-half points. Bloomfield led 23-19 at the break.
Mitchell kept Myers quiet in the third, though, and that proved to be a turning point. Abby Fountain’s basket gave the Bluejackets their first lead at 27-25 with 2:20 left in the quarter, and they took a 32-30 advantage into the fourth.
The lead changed hands several times from there. Myers tied the game at 32-32 and gave Bloomfield a 34-32 lead, but Saunders answered with a three to put Mitchell back in front at 35-34. She scored all 12 of her team’s fourth-quarter points on four three-pointers. “It just makes my heart so happy to see kids just like her have games like this as a senior,” Isom said.
Bloomfield’s Ellie Figg kept the Cardinals in reach with a late three and a basket that cut the deficit to 41-40 with two minutes left. Myers’ corner three with 10 seconds left then put Bloomfield up 43-41, setting up Mitchell’s final possession.
Saunders finished with 15 points, while Fountain added eight. Myers led all scorers with 24 points, and Figg added nine for the Cardinals.
The win was a welcome start for a program coming off some tough seasons. “Something that’s unique about these girls is that they’ve struggled,” Isom said. “I knew coming in that they were ready to compete.”
“But as a team effort, man, all of them, they all did their parts,” Isom said.
Mitchell will next take the court on Thursday, traveling to Salem, as they look to maintain their momentum against the Lions.
