By BRIAN TORTELLA

Correspondent

DEPTFORD — The Mustangs never seemed to find their groove.

Uncharacteristic to say the least, Mainland Regional missed shot after shot. Layups weren’t falling, and the Mustangs’ signature three-ball was non-existent. 

They trailed Ewing — ranked No. 5 in the state by nj.com — by eight points, 33-25, with 5:24 remaining in regulation.

However you shape it, it just didn’t appear to be the Mustangs’ night.

Then they woke up. 

Mainland erased Ewing’s lead and climbed all the way back to even up the score, 43-43, with 5.6 seconds left in regulation. Senior Kasey Bretones put up a shot that was blocked and landed right into the hands of fellow senior Sydney Stokes, who laid in the game-winning bucket.

“Honestly, I wasn’t expecting us to come back that far when we were down by 12 at one point,” Stokes said. “It is just amazing to come back and it feels great to be able to be the one who did that (made the game-winning shot) for us.”

Although Stokes’ shot was the most significant, Bretones tacked on 18 points, while fellow senior twins Ava and Bella Mazur added a combined 19 points and 15 rebounds (Ava 11 points, 15 rebounds; Bella eight points). Ava had a critical five straight points late in the fourth quarter, sinking a three and a layup to close the gap in the final minutes.

“It was high school sports,” Mainland coach Scott Betson said. “It’s been crazy all across the state the last couple of days. I was just really proud of our kids’ poise and grit. To overcome a tough foul situation and being down big early, they just kept fighting, fighting, and fighting, like they always do. 

“I’m just so proud of Sydney,” Betson added. “She struggled on offense at times today. We couldn’t really find her to get a look. For the ball to end up in her hands at the end there, I’m just so happy for her.”

Mainland (30-1, 12-0 Cape-Atlantic American) will play Chatham (28-3) in the NJSIAA Group 3 championship game at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday at RWJ Barnabas Health Arena on the campus of Toms River North High. Chatham knocked off Teaneck, 46-44, in the N1/N2 semifinal. Mainland beat Chatham, 42-35, to win its only state championship five years ago. That team was led by Kylee Watson, who now is a key player for the University of Notre Dame after spending a couple of seasons at Oregon.

When asked if she was a little bit nervous to see if the shot counted after seeing the viral controversial ending to the Manasquan-Camden boys Group 2 semifinal game on Tuesday night, Sydney Stokes replied; 

“I just knew it was good, like last night.”

Brian Tortella is a correspondent for South Jersey Glory Days. Follow him on Twitter @tortreports.