Christian Academy tops Central in Seventh Region quarterfinals, and more postseason scores

Playing for a chance at rare air for their program, the No. 8 Christian Academy Centurions got off to an inauspicious start Monday night against the Central Yellowjackets.

But CAL's two future Division-I seniors, Shelby Calhoun and Mia Beam, combined for 45 points to help the Centurions to a postseason level they haven't appeared at in a while.

Virginia Tech-bound Calhoun scored 25 of her game-high 27 points in the final 26 minutes and the Cornell-signed Beam buried four 3-pointers en route to 18 points as CAL topped Central, 67-59 in a Seventh Region Tournament quarterfinal.

"I think the nerves got to us, because we haven't been in this position in a long time," said Beam, whose team earned its first region tournament victory since 2012. "Once we finally got here, I think everyone was antsy to begin."

Sophomore guard Amaya Asher, who finished with a team-high 19, scored five of the first seven points of the game as Central (17-11) forced CAL (23-7) to call a early timeout to regroup.

However, Central coach Deshawn Pendleton had seen this play out before.

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"That's the story of our season. We come out ready to play, but sometimes our youth kind of gets us. They don't know for sure if we're even supposed to be here. But at the beginning of the game, they're ready," said Pendleton, whose team had seven underclassmen score and did not have a senior make a field goal.

CAL didn't take its first lead until 24-22 with 2:26 left in the first half on the first of two back-to-back 3-pointers by Beam in a 71-second span.

"Mia heats up. And if she hits one, I'm like, 'All right, here we go, because she's going to hit another and then another," said Calhoun, a state Miss Basketball finalist who added 18 rebounds, five assists, five blocks and two steals. "When Mia's hitting, I get hyped, the team gets hyped and we just feed off each other's energy. When she starts hitting, it's over."

CAL went on a 10-3 run over the final 2:36 of the second quarter to take a six-point lead into the half. Calhoun with had four quick points and  sophomore guard Jaya McClure had two points and an assist as CAL opened the second half with 6-4 run.

"The defense, from the start, we were kind of laid back when we're normally up. So going into the second half, we pushed it more," said McClure, who had 10 points, four steals, three rebounds and three assists.

CAL capped off a 10-0 run with 3:33 left in the third quarter to take the first of two 14-point leads.

"All the top teams, we gave everyone a scare early," Pendleton said. "But in the third and fourth quarter, we struggle with that."

Trailing 45-31, Central was able to chip away and get within four points at 63-59 with 1:16 left in the game on a 3-pointer by junior guard Navaria Green. But CAL reserve senior forward Lindsey Thomas scored all five of her points in the final minutes to keep Central at bay as the Yellowjackets never got back within one possession.

"The hardest part was there in the beginning and the message wasn't anything specific, but it was a wake-up message," said CAL coach Cameron Pridemore, whose team is one win away from its first region tournament final appearance since 2010 and two victories away from its first region tournament title since 2009. "I don't know if shellshocked's the word, but there probably were a little bit of nerves. It's the first time these girls and these seniors have ever been past this round. ... Up until this point, this was the biggest high-school game they have played in."

The next big game for CAL comes at 6 p.m. Wednesday against Assumption in the region tournament semifinals at Valley.

In Monday's other Seventh Region quarterfinals: 

* Assumption 60, Atherton 20: Reese Sexton scored 12 points to lead the host Rockets (20-11) over the Rebels (10-16).

Assumption led 27-6 at the end of the first quarter and 47-10 at halftime.

Lauren Burks led Atherton with seven points.

* Sacred Heart 71, Male 53: University of Kentucky signee Erin Toller had 20 points, seven rebounds and seven assists to lead the No. 2 Valkyries (30-2) over the visiting Bulldogs (16-15).

Olivia Kaufman, Kristen Clemons and Josie Gilvin added 12 points apiece for the Valkyries. Kaufman was 4 for 5 from 3-point range, and Clemons pitched in 11 rebounds and two blocks.

Sacred Heart advanced to face Manual in Wednesday’s 7:30 p.m. regional semifinal at Valley.

Makya Grinter had 14 points and six assists to lead Male.

* Manual 66, Ballard 37: Kennedy Lee scored 14 points and Jeanay Riley added 13 to lead the host Crimsons (25-7) over the Bruins (10-19).

Manual jumped to a 21-5 lead after the first quarter and never looked back.

Claire Simmons scored 12 points to lead Ballard.

CENTRAL    17        8       17     17  - 59

CAL             13       18       20     16 - 67

Central (17-11) -- Amaya Asher 19, Navaria Green 13, Taylor Price 12, Dejah Armstrong 5, JaLa Douglas 3, Briontanay Marshall 2, Montrice Ryland 2, Wanda Stevenson 1.

CAL (23-7)--Shelby Calhoun 27, Mia Beam 18, Jaya McClure 10, Abigail Embry 6, Lindsey Thomas 5, Alexa Breedlove 1.

ATHERTON         6            4            4            6 - 20

ASSUMPTION    27          20          0            13 - 60

Atherton (10-16) – Sadaria Rucker Jerman 3, Lauren Burks 7, Dakota Emerson 2, Nina Martinez 4, Ruby Martinez 4.

Assumption (20-11) – Nia Gandolfo 5, Reese Sexton 12, Maddie Nalley 6, Logan Ortega 4, Maddie Reed 8, Jacqueline Raque 6, Camryn Poole 2, Megan Willinghurst 6, Payton Cronen 9, Maya Mandy 2.

MALE                    7            10          15          21 – 53

SACRED HEART  16          21          23          11 – 71

Male (16-15) – Nylaia Carter 5, Desaine Mhango 2, Makya Grinter 14, Makya West 6, KaNiah Edelen 5, Alexis Carr 11, Darian Griggs 3, Jayla Martin 3, Ramiya White 4.

Sacred Heart (30-2) – Trinity Ralston 9, Olivia Kaufman 12, Erin Toller 20, Kristen Clemons 12, Josie Gilvin 12, Alex Wolff 6.

BALLARD           5            13          9            10 - 37

MANUAL            21          14          18          13 - 66

Ballard (10-19) – Diamond Roach 4, Samari Taylor 4, Claire Simmons 12, Kiarah Carney 8, McKenna Rice 6, Jasmine Johnson 3.

Manual (25-7) – Jakayla Thompson 2, Sydne Tolbert 9, Kennedy Lee 14, Jeanay Riley 13, Ayanna Stroud 1, Daisha White 8, Payton Bush 5, Dejah Chatman 7, Madison Brittle 5, Jazmine Chatman 2.

Courier Journal reporter Jason Frakes contributed to this report.