FEATURE: Junior Post Mya Hiram Comes Up Big As Bulldogs Advance To GLIAC Tourney Semifinals
By Sandy Gholston
BIG RAPIDS, Mich. – Seeking its 20th win of the season, the Ferris State women's basketball team put the ball in the hands of junior forward Mya Hiram down the stretch of Wednesday (March 5) night's Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament quarterfinals game.
Hiram delivered by scoring a game-high 22 points with eight rebounds as the No. 3 seed Bulldogs earned a 67-58 win over sixth-seeded Roosevelt University to earn a trip to Allendale for the tournament's semifinal round.
Ferris State split the season series with the Lakers as each team won on the road – the Bulldogs winning in Chicago, 96-43, on Dec. 7, and Roosevelt winning 83-73 on Feb. 3 in Big Rapids. So, the 6-foot Bulldog post player knew what to expect from the Lakers in the rubber match.
"Coming into the game that it was kind of going to be a dog fight, you know?" Hiram said. "It's not easy for them coming into a new conference, but they've played good basketball, and we knew what they could do. They beat us earlier in the season."
Hiram added, "We knew that if we just stick to our principles, believe in each other, and have confidence in each other, then we would be OK. We played gritty the whole game, and, in the end, it got us the win."
Hiram loves the growth she sees from the Bulldogs' younger posts, particularly 6-foot sophomore Claire Erickson and 6-foot-5 first-year player Alyssa Wirth.
"We call ourselves 'Big Money,' ... we're loud, and we're big and proud. So that is something for us to feel good about," Hiram said. "Sometimes our threes are falling for us, and sometimes they're not, but we always want to work on finishing down in the paint, and that's one of the reasons I'm so proud of our bigs."
During the win, Hiram had a moment of pride that didn't directly involve her. Senior guard Kenzie Bowers, who Mya has had a close relationship with as far back as their middle school days, registered her 1,000th career point in Wednesday's win.
"Hey, I have been with Kenzie since the 7th grade. So, it's very, very special to be able to experience this with her," Hiram said of Bowers, who finished with 13 points, seven rebounds, four steals and three assists. "We kind of grew up playing basketball together, and so by being able to close this chapter together and to see her recognized for 1,000 points, is so special."
Family, friends and fans held congratulatory signs up through the arena and a graphic later popped up on the video boards of Wink Arena highlighting Bowers' achievement.
Hiram, a Dental Hygiene major, added, "I just love that girl so much. I'm so happy that we can do this together and we're not done. So, I just can't wait to continue."
Hiram, averaging a career-high 13.2 points this season, is sitting at 759 career points.
The No. 3 seed Bulldogs (20-10) will face the No. 2 seed Northern Michigan University Wildcats at 4:30 p.m. at Grand Valley State University on Saturday, March 8. In the first semifinal, host and No. 1 seed GVSU will face No. 4 Wayne State at 2 p.m.
The GLIAC Tournament championship game is Sunday, March 9 at 3 p.m. in Allendale.