Talaro’s big effort propels Holy Family basketball to league win
GLENDALE — Charisse Talaro didn’t make a significant impact in the first half of her Holy Family basketball team’s Horizon League opener Tuesday against Los Angeles Sacred Heart of Jesus.
In fact, the senior guard had just four points in the first two quarters.
But Talaro caught fire in the third quarter, putting on a shooting clinic in a perfect performance. The senior was eight of eight shooting in the stanza and tallied 17 of her game-high 23 points in the third to help the Gaels pull away in an eventual 56-27 win against the Comets at the Pacific Park Community Center.
PHOTOS: Talaro scores 23 points to lead Holy Family to 56-27 victory over LA Sacred Heart
“That was pretty amazing,” said Holy Family Coach Ernest Siy of Talaro’s third-quarter exploits. “I called a timeout in the quarter and I didn’t know what to say to her. It was kind of like when a pitcher has a perfect game going you don’t want to say anything. I just didn’t want to jinx it.
“To score 23 points is a very good accomplishment and she was just on in that quarter.”
With Holy Family (5-6) holding a 24-12 lead at the half, Talaro went to work early in the third quarter. She hit a mid-range jumper on the Gaels’ first possession and ended her 17-point effort with a bucket with 16 seconds remaining. The senior showed off an array of shots during the effort, hitting a long three-pointer from the top of the key, pulling up for mid-range jumpers and even converting on a dribble-drive layup.
“This is the first time this season that I’ve shot like that,” said Talaro, who also had nine rebounds. “It happens sometimes in practice, so I guess sometimes that helps with the real games.
“I really started feeling it after I made the second shot. But I have to give credit to my teammates for getting me the ball.”
With Talaro scoring 17 of Holy Family’s 21 points in the third, the Gaels went into the fourth with a comfortable 45-19 lead against the Comets (1-5).
The Gaels also received their share of fine efforts from a group of players. Liyah Lewis had 14 points and three steals, Tabitha Ruiz contributed 12 points, eight rebounds and six steals and Gabby Perez chipped in with six points and 10 rebounds.
While the Holy Family offense thrived, it was its defense that set the tone of the game, helping to create 36 turnovers.
“We run that 1-3-1 trap and that’s their favorite,” Siy said. “They are always asking to run it and they do very well out of it. If we are maintaining our discipline and we’re not reaching for the ball but instead making the other team make the bad pass, then that defense works well for us.”
Being the opening game of the Horizon League, Siy said he thought his team was a bit nervous in the early going against Sacred Heart. That might have led to Holy Family clinging to an 8-7 advantage after one quarter.
However, the Gaels held the Comets to just five points in the second quarter, scoring 17 points of their own, to take a 12-point lead into the break.
“This is my seventh year and we haven’t won a league title yet,” Siy said. “We feel we have a good team this year and we talk about getting that title this year. That’s what we’re striving for.”
