2022KHSAAGG15

2022 Mingua Beef Jerky Girls’ Sweet 16® State Basketball Tournament

Sacred Heart Academy (36-3) vs. Bullitt East (33-5) (Championship)

Rupp Arena

Lexington, KY

March 12, 2022

Sacred Heart Academy coach Donna Moir started the following lineup: 6-0 Fr. ZaKiyah Johnson, 5-11 Sr. Josie Gilvin, 6-0 Sr. Alex Wolff, 5-7 Jr. Triniti Ralston, and 5-10 So. Reagan Bender.  Bullitt East coach Chris Stallings countered with 5-10 So. Anna Rodgers, 5-8 Sr. Emma Egan, 6-6 Sr. Gracie Merkle, 5-8 Jr. Lilly Reid, and 5-9 So. Jada Hughes. 

Sacred Heart Academy dialed up an excellent defensive performance tonight to earn the championship with a 64-46 victory over Bullitt East.  Sacred Heart shot 47.4% from the field including two of nine from the three point line.  The Valkyries connected on 26 of 36 free throws, pulled down 22 rebounds, and scored 31 points off 27 Bullitt East turnovers.  Bullitt East shot 36.7% from the field including one of eight from beyond the arc.  The Lady Chargers connected on 23 of 33 free throws, pulled down 26 rebounds, and scored 20 points off 17 Sacred Heart turnovers.

Reagan Bender led Sacred Heart Academy with 16 points including five of six free throws and two rebounds.  Josie Gilvin added 15 points including seven of eight free throws, nine rebounds, six assists, two blocked shots, and four steals.  ZaKiyah Johnson recorded 12 points including seven of eight free throws, three rebounds, and two assists.  6-3 So. Angelina Pelalayo chipped in with 10 points, two rebounds, two blocked shots, and two steals.  Triniti Ralston recorded nine points and two assists.

Gracie Merkle led Bullitt East with 24 points including 12 of 16 free throws, eight rebounds, two blocked shots, and four steals.  Jada Hughes added 11 points including five of six free throws, three rebounds, and two steals.  Emma Egan recorded five points, four rebounds, two assists, and two steals.

Sacred Heart Academy,20,18,12,14,64

Bullitt East,10,13,12,11,46

Sacred Heart Academy (64) – Johnson 12, Gilvin 15, Wolff 2, Ralston 9, Bender 16, Pelayo 10.

Bullitt East (46) – Rodgers 3, Egan 5, Merkle 24, Reid 0, Hughes 11, Ortega 1, Mason 2.

All-Tournament Teams and Awards – Sweet Sixteen® Academic Scholarship 1,000  Lauren Boggs (Letcher County Central), JB Mansfield Award 1,000 Olivia Lovan (Sacred Heart Academy) All-Tournament Team – Patience Laster (Franklin County), Peyton Bradley (Meade County), Saniyah Shelton (Bowling Green), Ciara Byars (George Rogers Clark), Kinsley Molden (Southwestern), Makayla Noritis (Southwestern), Liz Freihofer (Cooper), Whitney Lind (Cooper), Emma Egan (Bullitt East), Gracie Merkle (Bullitt East), Lilly Reid (Bullitt East), Josie Gilvin (Sacred Heart Academy), Triniti Ralston (Sacred Heart Academy), and Most Valuable Player ZaKiyah Johnson (Sacred Heart Academy).

A special thanks to WL Stats and the KHSAA for providing comprehensive statistics, coverage, and updated for this event.