STANDISH, MI – They were proud to sing the praises of Macey Fegan.
They were glad to celebrate her whirlwind four-year career.
But they were sad to say goodbye.
Senior Night brought a victory, a celebration and tears to the eyes of the most prolific scorer Standish-Sterling girls basketball has ever seen.
“There is nothing like high school basketball,” Fegan said after her final game on the homecourt she’s electrified since her freshman debut. “Even though I’m going to be playing in college, there’s nothing like that feeling of playing for your community and with the people you grew up with.”
The University of Toledo signee scored 23 points to propel the Panthers to a 42-33 victory over Millington in the Tri-Valley Conference 10-1 and regular season finale.
Then the Panthers (19-3, 6-2) read farewell speeches to salute Fegan and fellow senior Tiffany Hozeska, providing an emotional ending to a memorable evening.
Fegan’s place in program history is secure – and spectacular.
The 5-foot-10 guard has been a special talent from her first game, giving Standish-Sterling one of the state’s top high school players for four stellar seasons. She is a two-time first-team all-stater who has powered the Panthers to a 71-18 mark in her tenure.
Fegan has scored more than 2,193 points in her career – most in school history and trailing only Whittemore-Prescott’s Jessie Miller for most ever in the Bay City Times area – and has pulled down more than 1,000 rebounds. But Fegan said she doesn’t want her legacy tied to any of those eye-popping statistics.
“Just how hard I played,” she said. “It’s not the points or anything like that, just how I played my hardest.”
That indeed has left an impression on her current team. The Panthers have had a two-pronged objective this season: To succeed as much as possible with their one-of-a-kind star and to prepare the players who are inheriting her mantel.
Standish-Sterling features five freshmen on the varsity roster in Ava Walker, Keeley Peace, Jensyn Machala, Addison Walker and Jaylynn Yenna. And while none of them are expected to be the next Macey Fegan, together they form the next generation of the program’s fortunes.
“That freshman core has some pretty good talent, and they’ve grown along the way,” SSC coach Denny Wendel said. “Every night it seems a couple of them are close to double digits. They’re playing better, not turning the ball over as much and really coming along.
“Being on the court and in practice every day with Mace is so valuable for them. She’s teaching them the right way to do things. She wants everything done at 110 percent every minute out there, and they’ve gotten into that.”
Fegan embraces her unique role this season. As a veteran player – and pretty much an icon within the program – she knows the importance of being a role model. And that goes beyond scoring 27.7 points per game.
“If you get down, they get down. If you stay up, they stay up,” she said. “So it’s important to stay positive all the time and lead by example.”
Her teammates left no doubt about how they feel about their leader, as they took turns reading speeches after the Senior Night victory.
“When it comes down to it, Macey is what makes our whole team,” junior Jerzy Peak read. “She’s one of the best leaders on and off the court. She is so dedicated to this sport, always in the gym, shooting, working off season…
“Macey will always make sure I’m the best version of myself, along with the rest of the team. I just want you to know that every girl at Toledo is so lucky to have you.”
Fegan’s final home game turned into a challenge, as Millington scrapped and battled to keep it a ballgame throughout.
Fegan hit a shot at the first-quarter buzzer, giving her 10 points as SSC built an 18-5 advantage. But the Panthers would hit just one shot from the field in the second quarter and saw its lead dwindle to 22-20 at the half.
Fegan turned a steal into a basket midway through the fourth quarter and Hozeska – who came through with a clutch nine-point performance in her homecourt finale – hit an inside bucket to virtually clinch the win at 40-27. Millington scored six quick points to draw back within seven before Fegan sank two icing free throws with 28 seconds to play.
Bri Brady hit five 3-pointers to lead Millington with 15 points while Lily Sherman scored nine and Mariah Ellis added seven.
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