Joens Gets Help Down Stretch, Eagles Win

Cathy Joens didn’t carry Calvary Chapel to its first state final all by herself. It might just look that way.

Sure, Joens tallied 29 points and 12 rebounds to help Calvary Chapel defeat La Jolla The Bishop’s, 46-43, in the Southern California Division IV girls’ basketball championship game Saturday at San Diego State’s Cox Arena.

The 5-foot-11 senior, who will play at George Washington next season, also scored 18 second-half points to help Calvary Chapel (28-5) rally past The Bishop’s (21-7).

But in the final 2 1/2 minutes, her teammates delivered the clutch shots to help the Eagles win their 23rd consecutive game and advance to next weekend’s Division IV state championship game against Atherton Sacred Heart Prep at ARCO Arena in Sacramento.

Senior point guard Marcene Guerrero, sophomore Shayna Fabre and freshman center Lindsey Richelli all made key plays down the stretch for the Eagles.

With 24 seconds remaining and the score tied, 43-43, Joens missed an 18-foot jumper at the right baseline.

But Richelli grabbed the offensive rebound and was fouled. She made one of two free throws with 20 seconds remaining to give Calvary Chapel a 44-43 lead.

The Bishop’s Brianna Winn slashed to the basket but missed a shot in the lane and Joens grabbed the rebound with 4.7 seconds remaining and was fouled. Joens made both free throws, then Guerrero stole the inbounds pass to seal the victory.

“There’s no time to be nervous,” Joens said. “Maybe the people on the bench were nervous.”

Joens scored eight of Calvary Chapel’s first nine points of the fourth quarter to help the Eagles draw even, 39-39, with 2 1/2 minutes remaining.

Then Guerrero drove to the basket, drew a foul and made two free throws for a 41-39 lead with 2 minutes 10 seconds remaining.

“In the fourth quarter, we wanted Marcene and Cathy to run the show,” Calvary Chapel Coach Russ McClurg said. “They did a great job.”

So did Fabre.

After Brianna Winn scored on a rebound to pull The Bishop’s even, 41-41, with 1:47 remaining, Fabre answered with a 12-footer to put Calvary Chapel in front again, 43-41.

The Bishop’s pulled even one last time when Kirsten Grimm, who had 19 points, made a pair of free throws with 49 seconds to make it, 43-43, setting the stage for Richelli and Joens.

Joens, who made eight of eight free throws, made 10 of 24 from the field (seven of 13 in the second half). The rest of the Eagles only attempted 15 shots.

“We contained her,” The Bishop’s Coach Fentriss Winn said. “She just stepped it up to another level in the second half.

“And we just didn’t shoot well.”

The Bishop’s starting guards--Brianna Winn and Angela Ortega--made a combined seven of 34 field goals and three of 17 from three-point range.

The Knights made only one of their last 17 three-pointers and made only 10 of 49 from the field in the last three quarters.

“Our cold spells never last that long,” Fentriss Winn said. “We got good looks, we just missed the shots.”