MORAGA – In an early season battle of two teams with unblemished records it was St. Francis-Mountain View holding off short-handed host Campolindo in a solid 64-51 victory.
St. Francis (7-0) was led by 5-9 senior forward Jenesis Merriman with a game-high 19 points. Freshman guard Paige Uyehara and 6-1 junior center Adriana Frazier added 11 points apiece.
The visiting Lancers trailed 20-13 after one quarter but Coach Brian Harrigan switched up defenses to a man-to-man and his girls took control and led 36-28 at the half.
The defending CIF Central Coast Section Division II champions opened a 45-30 lead in the third quarter but Campolindo made a run to cut it to 49-45 with 6:35 left in the game, but the Cougars ran out of gas down the stretch.
Campolindo (7-1) was playing without 6-foot sophomore wing and leading scorer and rebounder Haley Van Dyke (18.1 ppg, 13.1 rpg) who was sick according to Coach Art Thoms.
With Van Dyke sidelined it was 5-11 senior post Emily Lyall leading the way with 18 points and the coaches daughter Ashley Thoms that chipped in with 10 points.
“We’re not a top echelon team but the great thing about this team is I go to work every day and love coaching this team,” said Harrigan, who lives in San Francisco and teaches pre-school in the city before heading to Mountain View to coach St. Francis.
The Lancers don’t have any big-time stars but have jelled under the leadership of Harrigan. The former Sacred Heart Cathedral coach that won four CIF state championships at the helm of the Irish now has 676 career wins to place him No. 4 on the Cal-Hi Sports all-time list for girls basketball coaching victories.
Harrigan is right behind Mater Dei-Santa Ana Coach Kevin Kiernan who got career coaching win No. 684 in his team’s 60-55 win on Tuesday over Dillard of Fort Lauderdale-Florida in the consolation championship of the top division of the Nike TOC in Phoenix.
“The key so far has been good team chemistry and our guards Paige Uyehara and Kiana Tom have been leading the way for us,” continued Harrigan. “The girls all work hard and do the little things to be successful, but in this league (West Catholic Athletic League) (Archbishop) Mitty is super, Sacred Heart Cathedral is really good and Valley Christian and Presentation are playing really good. We just want to win at home and try to steal one on the road.”
St. Francis now faces Skyline-Oakland in the Joe Schram Holiday Classic where the Lancers will be a favorite to win the title.
