Seton girls basketball takes runner-up after hard final loss

By Alex Zener

After a slow start, down by as much as 10 points in the fi rst quarter, Seton’s girls basketball team pulled within one point twice but failed to overcome turnovers and missed free throws ultimately losing 49-52 to the No. 12 seed, Maricopa, in the finals March 2 at Gila River Arena. Seton’s young team—no one starts who is not a freshman or sophomore— no doubt gained experience that will serve them well next year. However, it had to be a bitter pill to swallow as the No. 2 seed failed to secure coach Karen Self a record-tying 8th girls state title. Twin towers Jenn and LeeAnne Wirth, at 6-foot-3 and 6-foot-2, usually dominate the paint, but Maricopa’s speed and athleticism forced Seton to turn the ball over 11 times, leading to 16 fastbreak points for Maricopa by early in the third quarter. Sarah Barcello, Corona’s Alex Barcello’s freshman sister, struggled early on but still managed to score 15 points in the loss. Other players in the starting lineup for the Sentinels were sophomore Liz Holter and freshman Kendall Krick.