Ishpeming’s Jenna Maki, center, goes up for a shot while defended by Kingston’s Zoe van Rijn, left, and Abby Walker during the MHSAA Division 4 state championship girls basketball game played at Michigan State University’s Breslin Center in East Lansing on Saturday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

EAST LANSING — Following Ishpeming’s 73-54 win over Kingston in the Division 4 state championship game on Saturday morning, Ishpeming head coach Ryan Reichel turned to senior Jenna Maki at the postgame press conference and had a question for his senior star.

“How many times this year have you had three fouls in the second quarter for not moving your feet?” Reichel quipped good-naturedly to Maki.

“About half the games,” Maki said.

The Hematites became used to playing without Maki, the school’s all-time leading scorer, plenty this year.

Still, a foul-trouble situation for Maki in the second quarter against Kingston seemed a little more dangerous than usual for Ishpeming.

With 2:34 left in the second quarter, Maki left the game after picking up her third foul. At that point she had 16 of the Hematites’ 21 points and the Hematites were losing 26-21 to Kingston.

As was the case all season, Reichel said there wasn’t any reason to panic.

“We have a very trusted bench,” Reichel said. “Our girls all come in knowing that they have a role where they can compete and do some big things for us. Even when Jenna is out, we knew we had girls who could still put the ball in the basket.”

From that point on, Ishpeming showed why it was the No. 1 team in the state.

Sophomore Jenessa Eagle and senior Kaitlyn Van Deuren each hit 3-pointers to give Ishpeming a 27-26 lead, with the Hematites going into the locker room at halftime ahead 31-30.

With momentum in hand and Maki back out on the floor to start the second half, Ishpeming came out and blitzed Kingston.

Ishpeming started the third quarter on an 8-0 run, ultimately outscoring Kingston 27-16 in the period to take a 58-46 lead going into the fourth.

The Hematites built their lead to as many as 23 points to end up cruising to victory, although it certainly didn’t appear as if it was going to be that easy when Maki went out with her third foul and the team trailing by five late in the opening half.

But championship teams find a way to overcome adversity, and the Hematites certainly did that.

“We were struggling to score,” Reichel said. “Obviously we have some girls that take all of the focus.

“But this doesn’t happen without all of the other girls coming up and hitting timely shots throughout the postseason.”

Keith Dunlap also writes for the Michigan High School Athletic Association and several media and social media websites, and is a past sports writer for the Oakland Press. He wrote stories for The Mining Journal a year ago when the Munising High School boys basketball team played in the MHSAA Division 4 semifinals and finals in East Lansing.