The Bishop’s Rolls Past the Eagles

La Jolla The Bishop’s defense smothered Calvary Chapel, and the Knights went on to defeat the Eagles, 53-38, in the first round of the Division IV Southern California girls’ basketball regional at the Bishops.

Top-seeded The Bishop’s (26-1) the top-ranked team in San Diego County, set a record in the San Diego Section championship, giving up only 20 points to Coronado. Tuesday night, the Knights held the Eagles to 24 points through three quarters, before allowing the Eagles 14 fourth-quarter points in garbage time.

It was a rematch of last season’s Southern California final, which Calvary Chapel won, 46-43.

“We knew they had some good players,” The Bishop’s Coach Fentriss Winn said. “But, we think we are one of the top teams in the state. And our defense is one of the best.”

The Eagles (18-9), the Division IV-A runner-up, were in the game until the closing seconds of the first half. Down, 19-16, with less than a minute remaining, junior guard Lindsay Killus blocked a shot by Calvary Chapel’s Shayna Fabre and threw the ball the length of the court to Mallorie Winn , who put the Knights up by five. On the following two possessions, the Eagles turned over the ball and The Bishop’s capitalized with two three-pointers, taking a 27-16 lead into the locker room.

“Those two bank-shot three-pointers hurt us,” Calvary Chapel Coach Russ McClurg said. “If they didn’t hit those, we probably end the half tied.”

The Eagles were unable to get anything inside on the Knights’ defense, which forced 22 Eagle turnovers, and had to rely on over-the-top passes. But the Knights, who have only one senior starter, Kirsten Grimm, kept the ball out of Lindsey Richelli’s hands, holding the Eagles leading scorer to four points. Richelli averages 11.5 a game.

“It was really tough on our guards,” McClurg said. “And we didn’t shoot well from outside, which of course, is what good defense does to you.”

The Bishop’s plays the Morro Bay-Taft winner in the next round.