Highlights: Crean Lutheran girls basketball beats Alemany in comeback at H.O.P.E. Showcase

The Saints came back from a nine-point fourth quarter hole to defeat Alemany 34-29 in a preseason battle

Author:
Lance Smith, SBLive Sports
Publish date:
Oct 19, 2023 10:21 AM EDT

CYPRESS, Calif. - Down 21-13 after three quarters, Crean Lutheran was nearly dead in the water against Alemany at the 2023 H.O.P.E. Showcase.

Both teams were playing unwavering defense but struggling to hit shots in the preseason matchup. The game-high nine-point lead Alemany opened up early in the fourth quarter felt much larger than three possessions.

However, it only took a couple shots dropping for the Saints to quickly change the tide of the game. After scoring just 13 points through three quarters, Crean Lutheran scored 21 points in the final frame to pull out a 34-29 victory.

Jane Hewitt scored all nine of her points in the second half, and Sydnee Norwood also led Crean Lutheran with nine points despite dealing with a minor injury all weekend.

Other than having an off night from the perimeter, Crean Lutheran looked promising, appearing ready to build on the successes of recent seasons.

For three seasons in a span of four years – 2018-19, 2019-20 (the first year under co-head coaches Bianca and Rachael Ziemann), and 2021-22 – it was safe to say the Saints had their strongest year in program history. In 2021-22, when some of their current stars were impact freshman and sophomores, Crean Lutheran went 22-5, swept the Empire League, and made the CIFSS 2-AA semifinals.

Last season, the Saints dealt with injuries to key players but still went 18-11 en-route to their first-ever CIFSS Division 1 playoff birth.

In 2023-24, look out for Crean Lutheran to once again be not only the favorite in the Empire League but in the running for a 2-AA title and top-five ranking in Orange County. Hewitt and sophomore Quinsey Bryan, who missed much of her freshman year to injury, form one of the top underclassmen backcourts in the area and beyond. Bryan is already generating D-1 interest despite not yet playing a full season of high school ball, and both could both be on the verge of big individual leaps this season. Between them and Norwood, a particularly athletic six-foot forward/center, Crean Lutheran may have one of the better two-way trios in the Southern Section.

Despite taking a tough loss on an underwhelming scoring night, Alemany had some serious bright spots to build on. Its defensive rotations and gang rebounding were very impressive for a young, undersized squad missing key players in a preseason game. Senior wing Kate Hackney led all scorers with 10 points, and looks primed to build on her All-Mission League junior year.