In a game that went down to the wire, the Bishop Diego girls lost a state CIF Division 5 playoff game at South Hills Thursday, 49-48.
In the climactic moments of a back-and-forth game, Lily Simolon ran the length of the court and pulled up to hit a 10-footer with 17 seconds left to give the Cardinals a 48-46 lead.
Bishop Diego managed to deflect the ball out of bounds on the South Hills next possession, but on in inbound, the Huskies converted on a 3-point play to take the lead, 49-48. The Cardinals got a good look in the final 11 seconds but could not convert.
“The girls left it all on the court,” Bishop Diego coach Jeff Burich said. “Lily and Siena (Urzua) played especially great tonight. They were not afraid of the moment and made some big shots inside. It was fun to watch them play like you want your seniors to play in a big game.
Urzua and Simolon scored 12 points apiece to lead the Cardinals. Galilea De La Cruz added 10 points and Jiali Coronado nine.
Bishop Diego fell behind early, trailing 18-11 at the end of the first quarter.
After defensive adjustments, the Cardinals recovered to take a 25-22 lead in the second quarter, before a four-point play gave South Hills a 26-25 halftime lead.
The game was tied at 33 going into the fourth quarter, when Bishop Diego took a 41-35 lead with the help of a 3-pointer by Coronado. However, the Huskies found momentum of their own to narrow the gap to two, 46-44, with 33 seconds left.
The Cardinals missed two shots near the basket, and on the next possession South Hills drew a foul, Urzua’s fifth, sinking both free throws to tie the game. Simolon then made her coast-to-coast score to take a temporary lead.
“South Hills took advantage and converted off our mistakes late,” Burich said. “We had our chances to take control of the game tonight, so there’s a bitter taste, but it was still a memorable season.
“We can’t let one game take away what we accomplished this season. I will miss our seniors and I thank them for their commitment the last four years.”
The Cardinals finish with a 24-5 season record.