Meeting expectations
Mitty girls, among nation’s best all season, have onemore test
SAN JOSE — One of the most talented girls basketball teams in the history of the Central Coast Section has reached the finish line, the state Open Division championship game that figured to be its destination all season.
Archbishop Mitty has worn the proverbial bull’s eye for four months and — except for two hiccups at a national tournament in December — has done nothing but win.
The final test arrives Saturday night at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento against Clovis West, a worthy opponent that pushed Mitty to overtime in December in Hawaii before losing by a point.
“They present a lot of challenges,” Mitty coach Sue Phillips said. “They are extremely talented. They are well-coached. They present an offensive challenge at all five positions. Every kid can shoot the three. They play well together and unselfishly. They are going to make the extra pass to get the higher percentage shot. Defensively they are relentless for 32 minutes.”
In other words, Clovis West (33-2) sounds a lot like Mitty. No wonder Mitty is No. 1 and Clovis West is No. 2 in MaxPreps’ national computer rankings.
As Mitty (28-2) showed en route to its first regional Open Division title Saturday against Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa, a 78-54 victory, skill and depth are not an issue. Mitty, a relatively young team, has 10 players who are likely to play in college at various levels. When Phillips turns to her bench, which happens often, there really is no drop off with this group.
“We’re playing well as a team,” Saint Mary’s College-bound Madeline Holland said Saturday after she scored 20 points. “But there is always room to im- prove. That’s what we’re going to do at practice next week — improve and get after it.”
To hear Phillips describe it, this team is a coaching staff’s dream. The players are extremely talented, yes, but they enjoy being around one another and are determined to keep working to raise their level of play, which they have steadily done throughout this playoff run.
“It’s truly a group that has a strong fabric in which the character of this team is exceptional,” said Phillips, who has coached the Mitty program every season but one since 1992-93. “They push me to be better. When I don’t want to wake up in the morning and watch game film, I remember how much these kids have sacrificed and dedicated to get where they are today.
“It’s an incredible group. They truly inspire the coaching staff to be our very best.”
Saturday, it’ll probably take their very best again to return home with the state’s biggest prize.