Sage Hill girls’ basketball falls in final minute of Division I state final

The Sage Hill girls’ basketball team was on the precipice Friday evening of bringing home the program’s second state championship.

But four free throws in the final minute quelled a late rally by Sage Hill, which fell to Concord Carondelet 51-48 in the CIF State Division I final at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.

Sophomore guard Kamdyn Klamberg’s layup, the product of a steal and assist from junior guard Amalia Holguin, with 64 seconds remaining lifted the Lightning to a 48-47 advantage.

It marked Sage Hill’s first lead since late in the third quarter, when freshman wing Addison Uphoff drove left to give the Lightning a 34-31 edge. Carondelet took a 42-34 lead in the opening minute of the fourth quarter on a basket by sophomore wing Janel Nevares, as the Cougars capitalized on multiple offensive rebounds on the possession.

Junior forward Layla Dixon sunk a pair of free throws with 45 seconds left in the game to retake the lead for Carondelet (30-6). Junior forward Olivia Smith also made two free throws with 13 seconds to go, leaving the Lightning in need of a three-pointer on the last possession.

Leah O’Toner received the ball on a dribble hand-off from Uphoff. The freshman point guard took the shot from the top of the arc with three seconds left. The potential game-tying three went long.

“They fight all the way through, and that’s why we’re able to erase the eight-point lead,” Sage Hill coach Kerwin Walters said in a phone interview. “... We were one stop and one rebound away from, I think, sealing the game, but unfortunately, we didn’t get that. Carondelet hit big-time shots, and unfortunately, that’s how it went. Tough way to lose, but it happens. I think they’re going to be resilient.”

Carondelet claimed its second state title in five appearances. The Cougars won their initial state championship game appearance against Troy in 2004, before dropping the next three - to Troy (2006), Brea Olinda (2009) and Mater Dei (2010). Carondelet competed in Division II in its previous four state finals.

“It’s been a long time since this school’s been back,” Carondelet coach Kelly Sopak said in an on-court interview after the game. “I told them eight minutes for the rest of their life. It’s just really fun.”

Holguin had a game-high 21 points to go with five rebounds, four steals and three assists. Klamberg added 13 points and five rebounds. The backcourt duo, which accounted for all of the Lightning’s scoring in the first half, also combined to make six of 12 attempts from the three-point line.

Sage Hill (23-12) struggled from the free-throw stripe, however, making an abysmal four of 14 foul shots (28.6%).

When the Lightning made runs, the Cougars had the answers, particularly as sharpshooters. Junior guard Sophia Ross, sophomore wing Phoebe Weaver and senior forward Ryan Rodriguez each made two three-point shots, part of a nine-for-24 shooting performance (37.5%) for Carondelet from distance.

Notably, the Cougars also closed quarters. They scored the last four points of the first quarter, the final five points before halftime, and eight unanswered points to end the third quarter. Clutch free throws in the final 45 seconds swung the result in Carondelet’s favor.

“This is what I put my energy towards, this is what I really put my life towards,” said sophomore forward Celeste Alvarez, who had a team-leading 11 points and 14 rebounds for Carondelet. “This means everything to me. … We couldn’t ask for a better end to the season. This is our last game. I came on this court, I wasn’t going to lose.”

Freshman center Eve Fowler had four points, nine rebounds, four blocked shots and two steals for Sage Hill. Uphoff chipped in with eight points, six rebounds and a block. Junior forward Alyssa Cuff provided two points, four rebounds and three assists.

Sage Hill, the Pacific Coast League champion and a CIF Southern Section Open Division qualifier, was seeking its second state title in four years. The Lightning beat Fresno San Joaquin Memorial to capture the Division II crown in 2022.

“Carondelet hit shots at the right time, at the right moment, especially when we stormed back,” Walters said. “They hit good shots. We didn’t finish a couple putbacks, we didn’t finish our free throws, and that’s the way the game goes.

“I think this was a big, huge step for [our team] in terms of being here and getting here. Just talking with them, they’re eager to try to get back here next year. They’re very determined to right the wrong that they feel right now.”

Carondelet 51, Sage Hill 48

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Sage Hill 12 - 6 - 16 - 14 — 48

Carondelet 14 - 10 - 15 - 12 — 51

SH — Holguin 21, Klamberg 13, Uphoff 8, Fowler 4, Cuff 2.

3-pt. goals — Holguin 4, Klamberg 2.

Fouled out — None.

Technicals — None.

C — Alvarez 11, Ross 8, Dixon 6, Rodriguez 6, Weaver 6, Nevares 5, Smith 5, Christopher 4.

3-pt. goals — Rodriguez 2, Ross 2, Weaver 2, Alvarez 1, Christopher 1, Nevares 1.

Fouled out — None.

Technicals — None.