Kelsi English scored her 21st point on a free throw with 7.3 seconds left in overtime, and St. Joseph held off Buena 67-66 to win the Tournament of Champions Gold Division on Thursday at Santa Barbara High.
Tournament MVP Alyson Beebe also scored 21 for the Knights (4-3), who had a 62-61 lead with eight seconds to go in regulation before Buena’s Keani Albanez made one of two free throws to tie things up. Albanez, a Gonzaga-bound senior, poured in 33 points in the game.
“I haven’t won it my freshman or sophomore years, so it’s the first year we’ve won it with me here so I’m really excited,” said Beebe, a 6-3 junior. “It’s been heartbreaking coming home freshman and sophomore year without winning it.”
The Bulldogs (10-3) nearly sent St. Joe home broken-hearted once again after surging back from a 58-50 deficit with 3:32 to play. Xayna Anderson hit a trey from the corner with 50 ticks on the clock to give Buena a 61-60 advantage, but St. Joe’s Tatiana Dunlap responded with a baseline jumper on the next possession. Albanez’s free throw sent it into overtime.
Buena struck first in overtime with a shot from the elbow by Taylor McGuire, but English responded with a make of her own to make it 64-64 with 1:30 left. Beebe missed two free throws with 1:13 left, but ended up with the offensive rebound and put-back. McGuire hit another big shot from the baseline to tie the score with 55 seconds on the clock. Albanez missed the front end of a one-and-one before English nailed the game-winner from the charity stripe.
“I just told the kids that sometimes you’re gonna come out on top and sometimes you’re not,” said Bulldogs coach David Guenther. “Whether two points puts you ahead or behind right there, losing by one is tough.”
GREEN DIVISION FINAL – DANA HILLS 67, PENINSULA 48
Olivia Winoker scored all 16 of her points in the second half and Green Division MVP Kristi Nishihara added 11 for the Dolphins (8-4). Sharp-shooting Peninsula (8-6) never found the rhythm from beyond the arc that it did in a big comeback against Dos Pueblos earlier in the tournament, and despite taking a lead early in the third quarter the Dolphins had them outmatched.
“We really just tried to box out on every rebound and work our height advantage inside,” said Nishihara, addind that Christmas is going to be “10 times” better after winning the championship.
GOLD DIVISION THIRD-PLACE GAME – ARROYO GRANDE 55, SANTA BARBARA 35
Despite 16 points from Tess Emerson, the Dons (8-4) struggled defensively and were never able to come all the way back from an early deficit.
“We didn’t play 32 minutes of defense, our intensity was poor and our decision making on offense was poor. I don’t think any of us are happy about the game,” said coach Andrew Butcher, who tirelessly directed the tournament along with Aaron Solis.
Lindsey Wolf led Arroyo Grande (10-2) with 16 points.
“There were times in the game where we looked really good, and now we just have to do that consistently,” added Butcher.
GOLD DIVISION RESULTS – ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
GREEN DIVISION RESULTS – ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
What an exciting final game & satisfying win for the Knights. Way to go Alyson, and congrats to the whole team!!