SAN FRANCISCO — With a losing record in nonleague play, the Sacred Heart Cathedral girls basketball team was in an absolutely must-win game on Tuesday night at rival St. Ignatius. The Fightin’ Irish needed three wins in their final four games, and with one of those against nationally-ranked Mitty, losing was not an option.
Fortunately, they were able to turn to Talo Li-Uperesa, who hit two go-ahead baskets in the final 30 seconds, including the game-winner with 4.4 left.
“It’s always a battle,” said head coach LyRyan Russell. “Any time Sacred Heart Cathedral and St. Ignatius play, it’s going to be a gritty game, no matter what sport. If it’s a checkers game, it might turn into a wrestling match.”
That physicality had helped St. Ignatius (14-7, 3-4 WCAL) climb out of a 16-point hole, but ultimately took Maddie Ennis out of the game as she fouled out going for a rebound on an eerily similar play to the one that prematurely ended her night when the two teams met on January 8 at Haas Pavilion.
“Maddie gave maximum effort, and when you have a kid that plays that hard all the time, they’re going to get in foul trouble,” SI head coach Mike Mulkerrins said. “We did some great things to tie it up, but we didn’t have that person who could stop Talo at the end.”
Ennis had a 12 rebounds and a game-high 20 points to help dig the Wildcats out of a 31-15 hole, as they scored just five points in a lackluster second quarter and allowed the first six of the third to give Sacred Heart Cathedral (8-11, 3-4) the largest lead of the night. The hosts responded by closing the third on an 18-3 run, with 10 of Ennis’ points in that stretch. A Sabrina Ma putback brought SI within one to close the quarter.
The Irish would get the lead back up to 46-36 on two of Da’Myiah Lewis’ 12 points, but St. Ignatius would charge again, despite Ennis fouling out with 1:49 left. A basket by Angie McAdams and a Jalene Gee 3-pointer with 34 seconds left tied the game before Li-Uperesa drove unabated to the hoop to put SHC in front.
Freshman Jackie Acosta would draw a foul and hit two free throws to re-tie the game at 53 with 13.6 left, but once again, Li-Uperesa, who had 19 points and a game-high 13 rebounds, rose to the occasion, taking the inbound pass out of the timeout and driving the entire length of the court to score the game-winner.
“I just had to take leadership,” Li-Uperesa said. “With my teammates all looking to me, I have to lead them at the end of the game.”
Carmela Marquez, who scored 11, would intercept the following inbound heave at midcourt and dribble out the clock to keep SHC’s playoff hopes alive.
Rachel Harvey scored 11 for St. Ignatius, but the Wildcats made just 17 of 28 free throws. The Irish were 24-of-30 from the charity stripe, with Li-Uperesa making nine of her 10.