Charlotte Catholic girls’ basketball heading to the NCHSAA 4A state championship game
Charlotte Catholic, finally, is going to the NCHSAA 4A girls’ basketball state championship game.
After losing in the past two regional championship games, the Cougars held off Watauga, 61-55, on Thursday at Joel Coliseum in the state semifinals.
For the seven seniors on the Catholic team, this was a chance they were determined not to let slip away.
“It feels really great,” said Catholic senior Blanca Thomas, a North Carolina recruit who had 27 points and 18 rebounds. “We’ve been working really hard to get to this moment and it feels good that it’s finally going to happen. It feels amazing.”
But it wasn’t easy.
Watauga got a thrilling performance from junior guard Kate Sears, who had 38 points, eight rebounds and five assists, and withstood every knockout punch Catholic tried to throw.
And in the final two minutes of a close game, Catholic made 5 of 10 free throws. The Cougars — who didn’t score a field goal in the final 3:44 — didn’t exactly close the way they were planning.
“I don’t want to say the moment was too big,” Thomas said. “We were definitely prepared for it. I think that we were thinking about what was on the line and how badly we wanted it, and sometimes that can affect how we shoot it.”
Catholic controlled the regional final for most of the afternoon, mainly because Thomas and Gracynn Gough dominated the middle. Catholic out-rebounded Watauga 38-20, and other than Sears, who shot 12 for 21, the Pioneers were 5 for 24.
Catholic, though, could never get a double-digit lead. Every time the Cougars looked to really stretch out the lead and get comfortable, Sears came through with a whirling dervish layup, a step-back jumper or a tough bucket through contact.
“I thought today was incredibly hard-fought game,” said Catholic coach Bobby Conrad, who is stepping down as coach after the season. “It was people stepping up, making play after play after play. Defensively, we were gritty and that gives us a chance, especially the way Sears played. She was unbelievable. It took all of us to slow her down, if we did at all.”
In the end, Conrad and Catholic (27-4) won their fifth straight game. Watauga (25-6) had a six-game win streak snapped after reaching its first regional championship game in school history.
Catholic will play in Saturday’s 4A state championship game against Wake Forest’s Rolesville High. Rolesville beat Wilmington Hoggard 47-34 to reach its first state championship game.
And Gough said the Cougars’ experience was a big reason they’ve finally made it to the last game to face Rolesville.
“I think being in this position three years in a row and this being our last chance at this moment, we were very determined,” she said. “Being an older team, we understand what it’s like to be in this position and all of us came together and played together out on the court.”
NOTES
▪ Watauga had beaten three Mecklenburg County teams in a row to reach the regional round, taking down North Mecklenburg, Mallard Creek and Myers Park, each with a barrage of Sears and a barrage of 3-pointers. Thursday, the Pioneers were 4 for 22 from deep.
▪ Sears made 14 of 17 free throws. Catholic made 12 of 20 as a team.
▪ Watauga forced 16 turnovers, while committing only eight, and scored 21 points off those turnovers. Catholic had 10 points off turnovers.
THREE WHO MATTERED
Blanca Thomas, Charlotte Catholic: UNC recruit had 27 points on 11-for-18 shooting to go with 18 rebounds, two steals and a block, playing in front of North Carolina coach Courtney Banghart.
Kate Sears, Watauga: Junior guard had 38 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four steals. Sears averaged 30.6 points in the postseason.
Gracynn Gough: The Cougars’ 6-1 post had nine rebounds and eight rebounds and made several big baskets down the stretch.
SUMMARY
Charlotte Catholic 11 19 10 21 — 61
Watauga 8 15 15 17 — 55
CHARLOTTE CATHOLIC 61 — McArdle 6, Fava 9, Blanca Thomas 27, Gough 9, Kernodle 9, Tucker 1
WATAUGA 55 — Matheson 5, Kate Sears 38, Shook 2, Torgeson 4, Haines 6
