On Senior Night at Archbishop Mitty on Friday, a sophomore led the Monarchs to a share of the West Catholic Athletic League championship.
Maddy Holland scored 21 points as Mitty edged St. Ignatius 58-53 in a game that was tightly contested from the opening tip to the final minute.
Mitty and St. Ignatius finish as co-WCAL champions because the teams split their two league games.
“It”s awesome,” Holland said of the championship. “As a sophomore, that”s all I dream of. It”s a team effort. It”s amazing.”
The Monarchs led 29-26 at halftime and stretched the lead to nine when Holland buried a 3-pointer from the top of the key to start the fourth quarter.
But St. Ignatius fought back, pulling to within 50-49 with 2:34 left.
Mitty”s lead was still one when another Monarchs sophomore, Daniella Guglielmo, buried a 3-pointer from the corner with 1:49 to go. That pretty much sealed it as St. Ignatius was forced to foul the rest of the way. “This is definitely the main goal we had for our team,” said Mitty senior Taylor Todd, who had eight points. “We”re just looking to go forward in our season.”
Sophomore Heleyna Hill had 11 points for the Monarchs, who were coming off a loss at Sacred Heart Cathedral on Tuesday night.
But Mitty (19-5, 10-2) was able to put that defeat in the rearview mirror in getting ready for S.I.
Joleen Yang and Erin Hanley each scored 11 points for St. Ignatius (20-4, 10-2), which beat Mitty 60-53 on Jan. 9.
“It”s a tremendous rivalry between the two schools,” Mitty coach Sue Phillips said, noting her respect for the S.I. program. “I can”t say enough about our seniors. Everybody understands their role, and it”s really about just trying to get the ”W.” Both teams played very physical. Both teams played some real lockdown, stellar defense.”
Boys basketball
Fremont 65, Palo Alto 57: Mo Abdulrasul scored 42 points in his final home game at the Fremont gym, leading the SCVAL De Anza Division champions.
“I was feeling it,”” Abdulrasul said. “My last game, got to go out with a bang.””
It was the second 40-point outing for the 6-1 guard in the past two weeks. He had 44 against Wilcox last week.
“That was a quiet 42,”” Fremont coach Jason Townsend said. “His level of efficiency is so fantastic.””
Abdulrasul made 14 of 21 field-goal attempts and was 7 of 11 from 3-point range.
“He works so hard,”” Townsend said. “He leaves here and goes to 24-hour Fitness. I worry about him going too hard, but he wants to get his 200 free throws in. They say practice makes perfect. He puts in an awful lot of practice and tonight was darn near perfect.””
Abdulrasul had 14 in the first half, 15 in the third quarter and 13 in the fourth quarter. Palo Alto (17-7, 7-5) had a six-point lead late in the third quarter at 40-34 before Abdulrasul scored the last 10 points of the quarter for Fremont (18-5, 9-2). Palo Alto rallied from a seven-point deficit in the fourth quarter to tie 57-57 on a fastbreak layup with 1:47 left by Kevin Mullin, who paced the Vikings with 20 points.
But Fremont scored the final eight points — four by Abdulrasul as he eclipsed the 40-point barrier.
Abdulrasul had 43 3-pointers in 22 games this season before Friday”s game, relying mostly on a midrange game and 87 percent foul shooting for his 23 points per game scoring average. Then he got a season-high seven 3-pointers against Palo Alto. “The diversification of his game is what makes him so good,”” Townsend said.
Mills 58, Burlingame 55: Brandon Matsuno scored 23 points to lead Mills into the championship game of the Peninsula Athletic League tournament. Mills will play Sequoia, which upset Half Moon Bay 48-40.
Pioneer 52, Andrew Hill 45: Jelani Marsh had 18 points to lead Pioneer (21-3, 12-2), which won the Blossom Valley Athletic League”s Santa Teresa Division title.
Branham 53, Del Mar 51: Charles O”Blea scored 14 points and Jordan Sakamoto had 13 to lead Branham to the BVAL”s West Valley Division championship.
