With a combined record of 18-58 over the last three seasons, Saint Mary’s basketball is still looking to assemble the right pieces for contention in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA). This past year, the Belles went 5-20 overall and 2-14 in league play, finishing eighth out of nine MIAA teams.
Still, eighth-year head coach Melissa Makielski saw encouraging signs in her squad, including a Crosstown Clash defeat of Holy Cross in December.
“The team continued to play hard and work well together throughout the season. I could really see their growth and teamwork improve,” Makielski said. “We were definitely known as a 3-point shooting team. We did a little bit of it last season, but this year it became more of our offensive production.”
Overall, Saint Mary’s shot exactly 30% from deep, breaking records along the way. The Belles set program-high marks for 3-pointers made in a game (14) and in a single season (176).
The team’s newfound success also helped raise the ceiling of a young roster. Among its 14 players on the roster, Saint Mary’s carried six freshmen. Several of those first-years, namely guards Kate Restovich and Annie Restovich, contributed right away. Not only did the two start a combined 39 games and average more than eight points per game, but Restovich led the team in steals per contest (1.2).
“Kate came in right away and earned a starting spot for us. For a freshman, she really knew how to lead the team as a point guard and we welcomed that mentality,” Makielski said. “Annie took a little more time to get comfortable with what she needed to do on the floor. Once she realized she had a green light to shoot, that opened her up and we saw her production increase.”
“I give a lot of credit to our upperclassmen for the impact our newcomers had on the team this season,” she continued. “The upperclassmen made sure they knew they had a place on the team and welcomed the challenges they presented in practices. The freshmen need to continue to grow and build confidence in themselves and each other as they head into next season.”
Senior forward Athena Samson stepped up as one of those veteran leaders, averaging nearly a double-double with 9.4 points and 11.9 rebounds per game. Senior guard Elle Deardorff (12.9 points per game) joined her as the team’s top 3-point shooter at 36.7%, while junior guard Julia Schutz saw limited action but still contributed 12.2 points on average.
“Athena joined us as a transfer as a junior and stepped in to fill a gap we had right away. She truly understood what her strengths were – rebounding and paint points – and she was committed to those strengths,” Makielski said. “She was the one we could rely on to control the boards for us. She enjoyed rebounding and showed everyone that it could be fun and rewarding.”
Next season, the Belles will look to win double-digit games for the first time since 2019-2020 and snap a two-year streak of absence from the MIAA Tournament.
