Story by Kimberly Hsueh
Staff Writer
Photo by Sarah Lee
Associate Photo Editor
Girls basketball narrowly clinched a victory against Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Mary (CSHM) High School, on Friday, April 23, with a 51-50 score.
From the get-go, CSHM utilized their height advantage, gaining momentum with easy baskets inside the paint. In response, captains junior Allysan Tse and senior Jenna Okohira led the Tiger offense, slipping through the Cardinal’s tight defense and blocking steals. Uplifted, sophomore Ruth Schimdt and Okohira each drained a three pointer and freshman Jamie Kim ended the first quarter with two free throws — CSHM led, 11-8.
In the second quarter, the tide changed. The Tigers began scoring a burst of points. Reaching the middle of the quarter, CSHM retaliated right before SPHS called for a time out after being taken off guard. After a strategic talk with the coach, the Tigers maintained ball possession, enabling Tse to conclude the first half with a score of 17-16.
Kim led the Tigers throughout the third quarter from the perimeter, scoring 10 points. Junior Isabella Alfonso joined in with another trey and with a strong flow of ball movement, Schmidt and Tse both piled on the points. In the last 58 seconds, the pace quickened and the Cardinals seized the last few seconds to their advantage, snatching the lead back to 39-36.
The last quarter of the game saw six different timeouts, as the lead consistently switched between the teams. With an assist from Tse, Kim knocked down another three, and Chan sunk a clean shot right in the middle of the court. Three minutes left, Alfonso made a rebound on the offensive end and tied the score at 49-49.
With multiple steals, Tse fortified the Tigers’ defense and prevented the Cardinals from grabbing a comfortable lead. 16 seconds remained on the clock, and Tse drew a foul, sank two free throws, and put South Pas on top for the win, 51-50.
SPHS will play a home game against Glendale on Tuesday, April 27, at 6:00 p.m.
