Two of the more storied programs and rivalries in Arizona high school girls' sports belongs to the two schools of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix, Xavier and St. Mary's. Basketball in particular draws special attention this year because currently St. Mary's is nationally ranked #14 by ESPN/Powerade. St. Mary's opened the season #7 by ESPN/Powerade but recently lost their footing losing to a very talented Monarchs (Louisville,CO), which features Eliza Norman (ASU commit) as their top player. Also because two current Gators once played with the Az Warriors AAU National championship team, which is comprised of 8 Knights and coached also by Curtis Ekmark. Don't get me wrong, off the court these girls are great friends and acquaintances, but every year this date is marked on the calendar and highly anticipated by players and fans alike. The game is naturally attended well by boosters, alumni, and students. This nights game had the potential of being a block buster if it wasn't for the BCS Bowl Championship game being played in Arizona on the same night, but still a packed house. The game was scheduled on a Monday night when most other valley basketball teams had off.
As if the 15-1 St.Mary's Knights weren't imposing enough by each player's physical build, talent, and well known relentless full-court press, the game was on their court, in their house, on their floor. St. Marys is coached by Curtis Ekmark, who is in his fourth year as head coach. Xavier is coached by first year head coach of the Gators Mary Hauser who had previous stops at Jesuit (OR) and Mater Dei (CA).
Tip off went to St. Mary's and they attacked first but Shilpa Tummala's shot fell short. A quick outlet and push up the floor put Xavier on the board first with a Erin Tucker lay-up. Xavier imploring a nice aggresive man/man switch off defense was locking up SM and causing a little delay and confusion in their offense, not to mention the always feisty defense by Aubrey Lincoln, the most under-rated senior pg in Az. And just like that, Xavier went on a 12-4 run to open up the game and Courtney Ekmark on the bench with foul trouble. The young freshman phenom Ekmark seamed baffled by the speed and intensity of the game. St.Mary's would have to do without the sharp shooter for almost the entire second quarter. Ekmark wasn't the only one struggling, super soph Jasmine Hotchkins, whom Xavier was going to need to counter the press in the back-court, seemed a little shaky in her time on the court in the first half. SM turned on the pressure behind the powerful defensive game of Dominique and Daniel Williams. SM started to relax on offense and with Cortnee Walton's ability to shoot and attack off the dribble from the high post area, went on a 21-5 run of their own. SM was up 25-17 before Rikki Mulloy knocked down one of her patented three's to cut the lead 25-20 with one minute remaining in the half. And just when Xavier thought they had themselves in good position to end the half, the Shilpa Tummala show begin. Shilpa hit two of her game total six three's in the first half's final minute to put St. Mary's up 31-20 before the teams headed to the locker room.
The third quarter saw SM extend their lead by as much as 16, as Xavier struggled to put points up on the board. Although the Gator's defense was still stifling SM's opportunities on offense. The third quarter belonged to Tummala, who was hitting big shots, and Walton, who was cleaning the glass like a street corner bum. As the game moved into the fourth quarter, obvious fatigue was settling in but so was super soph Hotchkins, who owns one of the quickest first steps and used it to get by her defender to knock down a timely fifteen footer to get Xavier within eleven (44-33). Then sensational sophomore Katie Werner, who was having a great game, knocked down two big shots, the first cutting the lead 46-38, the second putting Xavier within four 48-44. With just three minutes remaining, that was as close as Xavier got, as Shilpa Tummala would catch fire again. Coming off a down screen Tummala caught the ball beyond the arc turned and knocked down her final of six three's to put SM up 58-46. Xavier would claw back in the final minutes of the game, but out of time, losing by nine 59-50.
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