CONCORD — A routine practice regimen at Carondelet High includes something called “Point Cougar” where players keep shooting free throws until they miss.
The drill came through in big way Saturday night, when senior point guard Keshia Vatalicio buried eight consecutive free throws in overtime as fourth-seeded and host Carondelet beat McClatchy of Sacramento 62-54 in a Northern California Division I girls semifinal.
The win put the Cougars (29-6) into next Tuesday’s title game on the road against No. 2 Bishop O’Dowd, which beat Oak Ridge 58-50 in the other semifinal. McClatchy, which came in as the No. 16 seed but had wins over No. 1 Pinewood and Whitney, ends its season at 26-7.
The winner advances to the CIF state title game against a still-to-be-determined representative from Southern California.
Carondelet was never short on effort, but execution was another matter for much of the night. It wasn’t much different for the visitors, as turnovers and missed shots were plentiful in a game where defensive effort was unquestioned even if smooth offensive play was often absent.
Layla Dixon led Carondelet with 19 points, with Vitalicio adding 18 and Sophie Ross nine. The Cougars, who spent much of the evening collapsing on 6-foot-2 post Nina Cain, held the McClatchy post to 17 points with Norret Lewis leading the way with 18 despite missing some time with foul trouble.
“It’s how we ‘ve played all year, ” Carondelet coach Kelly Sopak said. “Up and down, right? When we had a chance to put away the game, we didn’t. We let a team back in it especially late, but were able to win in overtime.”
Carondelet trailed 12-8 after a quarter and 22-16 at halftime. The Cougars’ pressure defense forced myriad turnovers, but neither team could get going offensively.
In the second half, there the Cougars began to find some range from 3-point land, hitting five of the eventual seven they would make in the game. McClatchy, meanwhile, made just one 3-point basket — and that one came on a prayer bank shot when the game was out of reach in overtime.
It looked like a gut punch when Carondelet missed a pair of free throws that could have won the game in regulation, scrambled to get the offensive rebound, then had an inbounds play to Dixon from Vitalicio roll off the im with 1.1 seconds remaining and the score tied 48-48.
The game was tied 50-50 in overtime when Vitalicio took over.
First, she scored on a left-handed drive for a 52-50 lead, and with 1:06 left fed Katie Kostolansky for a layup and a four-point lead with 1:06 left.
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From then on, it was up to Vitalicio to convert from the free throw line — which she did eight times without a miss down the stretch to put the game away.
“We do this drill in practice where you try and make as many free throws as you can in a row,” Vitalicio said. “I treat that drill like a game. I got 79 free throws in a row one practice, and every time, you’ve got to say, Point Cougar.’ After those free throws in overtime and he said, Point Cougar.’ And I said back to him, `Point Cougar.’ “
Carondelet faced Bishop O’Dowd on Feb. 23 in a North Coast Section open division game, losing 51-37.
“We’ll be ready,” Sopak said.