Girls’ Basketball: Sage Hill stunned by Calvary Chapel Downey

All season long, the Sage Hill School girls’ basketball team had journeyed afar.

Coach Kerwin Walters had his team taking the road less traveled, stacking the team’s nonleague schedule to prepare for a serious run at a league title.

The Lightning came home on Friday night, but their gym must have felt more like the Heartbreak Hotel.

Sarah Welch scored off her own rebound with 3.8 seconds remaining, and Downey Calvary Chapel stunned Sage Hill, 44-43, in the Lightning’s home opener.

The Grizzlies won their eighth straight game. They improved to 12-2 overall, 2-0 in the Academy League.

“Sage Hill is supposed to be the team to beat besides Oxford,” an excited Welch said. “A lot of people didn’t see us coming. We kind of came out of nowhere.”

So it was that no one expected to see the start that played out in Friday night’s game. Calvary Chapel was up, 16-4, after the first quarter. A pair of Welch free throws at the 6:06 mark of the second quarter gave the Grizzlies their biggest lead of the game.

Welch, who tore her ACL in the second game last year, finished with 22 points, eight rebounds, and five steals. The last of those rebounds was the most important.

Calvary Chapel Coach Jeff Welch called a timeout with his team trailing, 43-42, with 17 seconds remaining. His daughter, Sarah, popped out near the left elbow, received a pass, and drove toward the basket.

The senior’s initial shot was short, but she gathered the rebound and banked it in.

After advancing the ball to half court, Sage Hill (9-7, 1-1) tried a give-and-go with Kate Knollenberg and Heather Park, who was inbounding. Park received the return pass, but she traveled before she could get a shot up.

The long faces ensued after Sage Hill’s remarkable rally was squelched in the final seconds.

“We came out as flat as we could possibly come out,” Walters said. “As the coach of the team, I have to take responsibility for that.”

The Lightning had been thirsting for an upcoming shot at defending league champion Oxford Academy, but Calvary Chapel drew first blood and is now the early recipient of that opportunity.

Sage Hill’s home game against Oxford next Thursday is even more important now, as it will play a big part in how long the Lightning can remain in the league race.

“That’s going to be a huge game for us,” Walters said. “Now, it looks like all the games are huge. You cannot take any team for granted. You can’t sleep on any team.”

After falling behind, 20-6, Sage Hill went on an 11-0 run that was spearheaded by Park and Nadia Akbari.

Freshman forward Joyce Jogwe made major contributions late in the second, scoring all seven of her points in the period. She added six rebounds in the contest.

“I just had to start boxing out,” Jogwe said. “We started sharing the ball so that we could get our shots up.”

The Lightning closed the deficit to 28-24 by halftime, and the teams were tied, 35-35, entering the fourth quarter.

Both teams got off to a slow start offensively in the fourth. The Grizzlies jumped out to a 39-35 lead, but Sage Hill came storming back.

Park found Trinity Cha in the left corner for a go-ahead three-pointer with 1:31 remaining. It was the team’s first lead since the last minute of the third quarter.

The Lightning would not score again after taking the one-point lead, and Welch broke hearts on her team’s final possession.

“We needed the one stop, and we just couldn’t get it,” Walters said. “Hats off to Calvary Chapel of Downey for continuing to work hard. They made a game out of it, and they came home with the win.”

Cha and Akbari each had nine points to lead Sage Hill, with Kenna Knollenberg adding six points and nine rebounds.

Alma Campos had 15 points, nine rebounds, and five steals for Calvary Chapel.

Academy League

Downey Calvary Chapel 44, Sage Hill 43

SCORE BY QUARTERS

CC/Downey – 16 - 12 - 7 - 9 – 44

Sage Hill – 4 - 20 - 11 - 8 – 43

CC/D – Welch 22, Campos 15, Zipperian 4, Consuegra 3.

3-pt. goals – Consuegra 1, Campos 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

SH – Cha 9, Akbari 9, Park 8, Jogwe 7, Ke. Knollenberg 6, Ka. Knollenberg 2, Shayan-Smith 2.

3-pt. goals – Cha 2, Ke. Knollenberg 2.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.