Girls’ Basketball: Sage tops rival

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — It’s hard to beat a team three times in the same season, especially a rival.

But the Sage Hill girls’ basketball team used tough defense and timely shots on Friday night to complete the trifecta.

The Lightning pulled away in the fourth quarter to earn a 53-46 win at rival St. Margaret’s and stay alone in first place in the Academy League.

“It’s really big,” said sophomore Kenna Knollenberg, who contributed nine points, 13 rebounds and five steals. “After last year not beating them, this year if I lost to them one more time, I wouldn’t know what to do with myself ... [The three wins this season] just proves, any time, any place, we’re down [to play them].”

Sage Hill (13-6, 6-2 in league) also beat St. Margaret’s, 51-45, in a tournament game on Dec. 5 and by another close score, 40-37, in the first league meeting on Jan. 8.

The Tartans (10-9, 4-4 in league) could have tied Sage for second place in league with a win on Friday night. And, consistent with the rivalry, they hung tough on their home court.

“It’s really tough to beat a team three times in a row, unless you’re crazy better than them,” Sage Hill Coach Kerwin Walters said. “When you’re close, it’s really tough. I felt like the girls dug deep and played good defense. When we play good, solid defense, the offense takes care of itself.”

The Lightning, specifically freshman point guard Heather Park, were hot offensively in the first half. Park scored 20 of her game-high 27 points before halftime as Sage Hill grabbed a 32-23 lead at the intermission.

Less than four minutes later, that lead was gone. A steal and layup by St. Margaret’s junior guard Kylie Kowalske gave the Tartans their first lead, 33-32.

“We started playing a little one-on-one basketball,” Walters said. “When we go to that style, it gets hard for us to control the game. But the girls were resilient and decided they wanted it bad enough. They turned the corner and really picked it up in the fourth quarter, which will add a few years on my life. It was good.”

Senior guard Natalia Ohanesian, who finished with a team-high 22 points, got hot late for the Tartans. The lead went back and forth in the fourth quarter. Sage had its lead trimmed to 45-43 on a pair of free throws by Ohanesian with under three minutes left, but then had an answer.

Park scored on a drive in the lane where she somehow banked in a tough shot, and the Lightning also got some help from an unexpected source in junior center Emily Hublitz. She scored five straight points, on a jumper and a put-back that turned into a three-point play, to give the Lightning a 52-43 lead with 1:30 left to play. They were on their way to, yes, their third win of the season against their rival.

“It was cool,” Hublitz said with a laugh. “I like scoring. My role on the team is more rebounding and defense ... but it’s cool to shoot sometimes. Those [put-backs] are the best. Kerwin likes it when I do that.”

Kate Knollenberg, finished with seven points, four rebounds and three steals for the Lightning. Senior Melissa Iglesias also had a pair of steals.

Sage Hill has four league games remaining, and beat all of those teams by at least by at least 16 points in the first league meeting. But Walters doesn’t expect his team to get complacent.

“We still have Whitney coming up [on Feb. 6], and they’re really tough at home,” he said. “Crean [Lutheran], based on our first meeting, I expect a really solid performance from them [on Feb. 11] ... we’ve got to take care of these little steps in order to secure second. Hopefully we can go into the playoffs on a run, and then make a run in playoffs.”

Winning a key league game at your rival’s house is a good way to start. The Lightning did not get flustered in the second half.

“Games we win, it’s because we’re feeding off each other and because we’re positive,” Hublitz said. “If we’re yelling at each other, guarantee we’re going to lose.”

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Academy League

Sage Hill 53, St. Margaret’s 46

SCORE BY QUARTERS

SH 17 – 15 – 5 – 16 — 53

SM 11 – 12 – 14 – 9 — 46

SH – Park 27, Ke. Knollenberg 9, Hublitz 8, Ka. Knollenberg 7, Akbari 2.

3-pt. goals – Park 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

SM – N. Ohanesian 22, Kowalske 9, A. Ohanesian 6, Fintland 5, McQuaide 4.

3-pt. goals – Ohanesian 2.

Fouled out – McQuaide.

Technicals – None.