San Ramon Valley secured a hard-fought victory over Carondelet with a score of 51-44, effectively avenging their earlier defeat in the NCS Open Division championship. This quarterfinal matchup took place at Carondelet High School in Concord, California, marking the fourth encounter between the two teams this season.
John Cristiano, the head coach of SRV, expressed the team”s motivation, stating, “Very, very, very, very, very.” The Wolves were driven by the desire to rectify their previous loss, which they felt had slipped away in their last game.
The game was intensely competitive, with Carondelet making it difficult for San Ramon Valley to take control. However, with this victory, SRV not only advanced to the CIF NorCal Open Division semifinals but also clinched the season series with a 3-1 record against Carondelet.
Freshman forward Presley Uchikura played a pivotal role in the win, contributing with a crucial block in the final moments that thwarted Carondelet”s last significant scoring opportunity. “We had to get it done,” Uchikura remarked, emphasizing her passion for defense. “I love defense. It”s like my favorite thing to do ever.” Her block came with just 15 seconds left on the clock, followed by Hania Bowes grabbing the rebound with 13.7 seconds remaining.
Bowes, who had struggled to find open shots throughout the game, made a critical three-pointer that extended SRV”s lead to 49-42 with under a minute left. She then calmly converted both of her free throws to solidify the lead. “I was super pumped,” Bowes said. “I knew that once I had the opportunity, I wouldn”t let myself miss. I had full confidence.” Coach Cristiano labeled this win as the Wolves” “get-back” in Concord.
Despite losing a close game on Saturday, Carondelet (25-6) came out strong, matching the intensity of SRV. The Cougars managed to trim a 10-point deficit down to just two points multiple times, threatening to turn the tide. However, in the critical final moments, it was San Ramon Valley that executed better, finishing the game with a 7-2 run.
Carondelet head coach Kelly Sopak acknowledged the fierce competition, stating, “On Saturday, we made big shots. They missed big shots. Today, we missed big shots, they made big shots.” He noted that the game started with SRV taking an early lead and concluded with them maintaining a seven-point margin.
With this victory, SRV (26-4) is set to face top seed Archbishop Mitty in the semifinals. For Uchikura, this matchup is especially exciting as she looks up to five-star forward McKenna Woliczko from Mitty. “She”s amazing,” Uchikura said. “I”m so happy that she”s back and that I”m able to play her in her senior season.” The two players previously encountered each other under different circumstances when Woliczko suffered an injury on the same floor last year.
This time, it was San Ramon Valley that celebrated triumphantly, solidifying their status as the top team in the East Bay this season. “One of our goals since the beginning of the season was just to even get to this point,” Uchikura reflected. “So to be able to come out there and play them, it”s just insane. We”re so grateful and excited.” Uchikura led all scorers with 16 points, while teammates Ella Gunderson and Alyssa Rudd each added 13 points. Layla Dixon, a senior and UC Davis signee, led Carondelet with 10 points in her final high school game.
