SANTA CLARA – Archbishop Mitty called a timeout with two minutes remaining in a close Central Coast Section Open Division girls basketball title game, its once 23-point lead having evaporated to just six after Pinewood guard Vallory Kuelker dropped in a 3-pointer.

The Monarchs desperately needed a spark … and they found it in sophomore guard Tee McCarthy.

She slalomed into the lane for a nifty mid-range jumper on the first play out of the break, causing Pinewood coach Doc Scheppler to call a timeout of his own.

She then proceeded to score six more points in the final 100 seconds to help keep Pinewood at bay.

“I was not nervous at all,” said McCarthy, who scored 16 points. “In practice, we work hard so in that moment, we can execute.”

When the final buzzer sounded and signaled the end of Mitty’s wild 59-51 victory, McCarthy and her teammates lifted the program’s 10th Open Division title and 33rd section championship trophy overall.

Archbishop Mitty’s Tiera McCarthy (12) is all smiles after defeating Pinewood during their CCS Open Division girls basketball championship game at Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, Calif., on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. Archbishop Mitty defeated Pinewood 59-51. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) 

“It just feels amazing to celebrate these moments with my teammates,” McCarthy said.

Despite battling illness, Mitty’s Hall of Fame coach, Sue Phillips, couldn’t help but smile when talking about her team’s resilience en route to yet another CCS crown.