Sage closing on title

Barry Faulkner

There are myriad reasons why the Sage Hill School girls basketball

team is closing in on its first Academy League championship.

But, perhaps, there is none greater than the fact that the

Lightning has the “Wright” stuff.

Haywood Wright, a 6-foot-2 junior, amassed 15 points, 18 rebounds,

five blocks and five assists to pace a 42-26 thumping of St.

Margaret’s Friday night on the Tartans’ floor.

Wright, who along with 6-2 senior teammate Katie Puishys towers

over the competition, had a double-double by halftime for the

Lightning (11-7, 7-1 in league, in sole possession of first with just

two league games remaining).

Puishys chipped in nine rebounds, three blocks and four points,

while 5-9 sophomore Kaitlin Tyre had 11 rebounds and six points to

help the visitors earn a 55-36 rebounding advantage.

Sage’s defense was also strong, limiting the hosts to 1 of 17

field-goal shooting in the first quarter, including an 0-for-13

start.

St. Margaret’s (10-6, 4-4) finished just 10 of 57 from the field

(17.5%), as Wright’s active man-to-man coverage helped Tartan All-CIF

standout Stephanie Davis connect on just 4 of 15 shots en route to

her team-high nine points.

Sage finishes the regular season with last-place Capistrano Valley

Christian (Tuesday) and third-place Whitney (Thursday).

Academy League

Sage Hill 42,

St. Margaret’s 26

Score by Quarters

*--*

Sage Hill 7 11 12 12 -- 42

St. Margaret’s 3 8 6 9 -- 26

*--*

Sage Hill -- Puishys 4, Tyre 6, Wright 15, Gutierrez 5, McKeon 4,

Hembarsky 4, Schaefer 4, Raschti 0.

St. Margaret’s -- Davis 9, Smith 0, Yassai 8, Grayden 4, Dunlop 0,

Edwards 3, Wade-West 2.