Wayne Memorial girls basketball coach Jarvis Mitchell believes Morgan Smith would be a household name with a stack of accolades if she played somewhere else.
But when you suit up for the Zebras, who have produced Division I recruits annually since Mitchell took over 11 years ago, talent is everywhere, and standing out isn’t easy.
Smith found her moment Jan. 20 at Livonia Stevenson.
The senior led Wayne with 12 points, delivering clutch outside shooting in a 55-40 comeback win that showed just how good she’s become.
Stevenson controlled play early, leading by as many as 17 points behind Haylie Gordon and Delaney Madigan, who each hit three 3-pointers in the first half.
But Smith helped pull Wayne (9-1, 5-1) back into it.
“They came out and punched us hard,” Mitchell said. “They always play well, and they’re not ranked fifth or whatever for no reason. That’s a really good basketball team, so we knew that they’d have some excitement. We knew they’d come out and play hard.
“But not once was I worried because I’ve got a senior-led group. They’ve been through it before. They’ve been to the final four. They’ve been in some tough games, and I trust them. I didn’t get into the (timeout) huddle and get nervous. I knew we’d get back to Wayne basketball at some point, and I had faith in our team.”
That moment came midway through the second quarter.
Down 17, the Zebras ripped off 17 unanswered points heading into halftime. Smith sparked the run with a tough cut to the basket, and Wayne took off from there.
Temple commit Mariah Cross and Micah Darling, who holds an offer from Lansing Community College, began feeding the post, getting 6-foot-3 forward Kaylee King involved. King scored eight points during the run, scoring twice inside, converting an out-of-bounds play and getting to the foul line.
Suddenly, Wayne trailed by just three.
On the final possession before halftime, Wayne slowed it down, content with one last shot. Smith got the ball and buried a 3-pointer just before the buzzer to knot the score at 28.
“I didn’t know I was going to take that shot, but I was reading what the defense was giving me,” said Smith, who holds an offer from Canisius College. “We wanted to go down to the post (back to King again), but the post actually gave me the ball. I saw all the space and felt confident that I’d make the shot, so I took it.”
Smith has earned that confidence.
She’s usually good for two or three 3-pointers a game, and at least one seems to come at the biggest moment.
“She’s a three-year starter,” Mitchell said. “The thing about Morgan is she’s always steady. I never have to worry about a heart issue with her. Whether the ball goes in or not, I know her head is in the game. That’s all we really need. Her leadership is important. She’s gotten better defensively every year. She’s definitely one of the best shooters in the state, by far.”
Smith credits God for her smooth, fluid shooting motion, but the work behind it shows.
“It’s a lot of hard work, and I practice every day, working on that shot,” Smith said. “I work on my craft, being able to show that in a game. I do a lot of shooting work with my dad, too. He was a shooter in high school and at Rochester College, so he really built up my form and helped me.”
Wayne put the game away after halftime, opening the third quarter with a 17-5 run. Smith hit two more 3s during the stretch and added a strong drive to the basket.
“Once Morgan Smith got it going and started making shots, she started playing her game, and then it kind of changed how we played because then we had three threats in Smith, Cross and King,” Mitchell said. “The turning point was when Smith hit the 3 right before the half. We were still trying to get it into the post, but she’s confident enough to make that shot, and that’s a swing. She just works, and Morgan is a gym rat who loves to be in the gym, so those shots aren’t really that big when you realize that’s just what she does.”
King finished with 10 points, Darling added nine, Aaliyah Frost scored eight and Cross and Taichiauna Allen each had four. Bella Sapia led Stevenson (10-2, 4-2) with 11 points.
Smith’s shooting makes Wayne dangerous, which explains why the Zebras are ranked as high as No. 2 in some polls and No. 4 in the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan’s most recent rankings.
Only defending state champion Belleville, which beat Wayne 77-49 on Jan. 16, has looked better. But as Smith showed against Stevenson, counting out the Zebras is a mistake. The Feb. 10 rematch with the Tigers should be must-watch.
“She stays after and works on her craft,” Mitchell said. “What you’re seeing is a daily dose of our practices and habits. Making shots like that ain’t that big to a person who is constantly doing that kind of stuff like that.”
Brandon Folsom covers high school sports in metro Detroit for Hometown Life. Follow him on his new X.com account at @folsomwrites.
This article originally appeared on Hometownlife.com: Smith leads Wayne Memorial girls basketball to a comeback at Stevenson
Reporting by Brandon Folsom, Hometownlife.com / Hometownlife.com
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