The story of coach Michael Allen and Maranatha Excessive women’ basketball staff is nothing in need of superb.
He joined this system as an assistant coach this yr to assist out a buddy. When the top coach resigned two weeks earlier than the season started, he took over because the fourth head coach in 4 years.
“I’ve by no means coached in my life,” he stated.
The staff went 0-8 in league play final season and hasn’t been to the playoffs for the reason that 2018-19 season.
The Eaton hearth occurred on Jan. 7 and Allen’s home was destroyed, together with that of his assistant.
“The night time I misplaced our home was a breakthrough recreation for us,” he stated. “We beat Whittier Christian for our first league win. A pair hours later, my home went down.”
Then got here a collection of occasions that indicated somebody was trying over Maranatha. Whittier Christian misplaced a buzzer beater, forcing a play-in recreation towards Maranatha to determine third place within the Olympic League and a playoff spot. Maranatha gained the coin toss to host. Then Maranatha gained the sport in double extra time and can go to the playoffs with a 9-16 file.
“We had undoubtedly divine intervention,” stated Allen, who’s 28 and runs a enterprise that helps colleges with after-school applications.
Afterward, there was a joyous celebration, with boys’ basketball gamers, coaches, women’ gamers all letting free to have a good time the journey the women staff has taken.
“Seeing it in our seniors’ eyes, you may see how a lot this women’ program has been by means of,” Allen stated. “It was good to have a constructive consequence.”
Requested about coping with all of the households displaced within the Altadena/Pasadena space, together with his personal, whereas teaching basketball, Allen stated, “It’s been one thing to distract us. It speaks to the center of our neighborhood. Altadena/Pasadena have a few of the most resilient folks. The streets are flooded with folks giving and serving to.”
On Saturday morning, Allen will wait to search out out what staff he must put together to play within the Southern Part women basketball playoffs.
A cheerful second for a staff and coach that has gone by means of a lot.
It is a every day have a look at the constructive happenings in highschool sports activities. To submit any information, please electronic mail eric.sondheimer@latimes.com