Mia Gage has quickly found a girls basketball home at Nazareth Academy. The 5-foot-11 starting freshman forward from Oak Park is establishing her area of the court as an active wing in the Roadrunners’ stingy 2-3 matchup zone defense.
“I think: that spot is my spot and anybody who gets the ball there, it’s going the other way,” she said.
Gage also is already a state champion. She played a big role in the Roadrunners’ 55-23 Class 4A championship victory over Loyola Academy Saturday at Illinois State University in Normal with 11 points, five rebounds and five steals.
“Oh my gosh, it’s so fun. It’s such a surreal moment. I’m just so proud of my team and what we’ve accomplished,” Gage said. “I think our coaches have prepared us so much that we knew anything was possible. Winning state, this game, it’s so wonderful. I’m happy that we and our seniors ended with a bang.”
Nazareth (35-3) added to its first state title in 2023 in 3A with its sixth downstate trip in the past eight postseasons. Gage was among the Roadrunners’ four Illinois Basketball Coaches Association 4A all-staters, receiving special mention. She is ranked the No. 2 Illinois player for the 2029 graduating class and already has received offers from DePaul, Marshall and Sacramento State.
“She’s just such a raw talent and she’s going to be one of our all-time greats,” Nazareth coach Eddie Stritzel said.
In the final, Gage made arguably the defensive play of the game early in the third quarter to extend a 26-13 halftime lead. Her steal and layup opened a 31-13 margin and completed a 16-0 run from early in the second quarter. The Roadrunners led 42-17 entering the fourth quarter.
“After I made that layup, we knew what we were going to do. We were going to continue to peck and peck and peck until we won state,” Gage said.
The Roadrunners set marks for largest margin of victory and fewest points allowed in a 4A final since four-class play began in 2009. Loyola (34-3) had won 25 straight.
“That literally was our mentality going in. We were not going to lose,” Gage said. “At halftime we set a goal, let’s hold them to 20 [points]. Then they got a little higher so at least we held them to a low.”
Gage finished third for Nazareth in scoring (10.6 points per game) and second in rebounds (6.8 per game) with 93 steals. Senior 4A first-team all-stater and BYU recruit Stella Sakalas, like Gage, won the 2023 state title as a freshman.
“[Gage is] awesome. She has absolutely no fear and that’s exactly what you want from a freshman,” Sakalas said during sectionals. “She’s confident and we’re providing her the confidence to do exactly what she’s doing. We just want to help her get better and she’s doing an amazing job.”
Gage’s Nazareth connections began with her aunt, Anaya Peoples, who starred at Notre Dame and then DePaul and was a two-time 1A state champion in 2018-19 with Schlarman in Danville.
Peoples played Midwest Elite traveling basketball with Annie Stritzel, Eddie’s daughter and a Nazareth assistant coach. Gage plays traveling basketball for Mac Irvin Lady Fire and previously was on Midwest Elite Meanstreets.
“My team, and especially Stella and [senior starter Lyla Shelton], have helped me so much,” Gage said. “The season went great for me and just having Coach Eddie, he’s been such a mentor. This is going to help me continue to grow the next three years I have at Naz.”
