“Not yet,” Walker told them. “Not time for that yet.”
No. 3 St. John’s is not a program that aims for a win in the semifinals. Over the past 14 seasons, the Cadets have made the WCAC championship game 12 times. On Monday at AU, they will aim for three consecutive conference titles when they face No. 2 Bishop McNamara at 6 p.m.
“It’s a lot of the same group as last year, but this team is a year older and they just make smarter plays,” Cadets Coach Jonathan Scribner said. “We’re out there running the same concepts, but the players are growing and changing every year.”
The Cadets (22-5) led for much of Sunday’s game, but Bishop Ireton (21-9) made things uncomfortable down the stretch. Coming off their strongest regular season in some time, the Cardinals cut the St. John’s lead to two points with a minute remaining.
But Walker, who is well-versed in playoff pressure, showed no fear. She caught a pass on the wing and looked for space in Ireton’s zone. She slipped into the lane and finished with her right hand through pressure, giving her team the cushion it needed. The senior, who is bound for Maryland, finished with a team-high 13 points.
“There’s no nerves at this point in my high school career — just excitement,” she said. “There’s never a moment that I feel like I have to shy away from. Better to embrace it.”
In the first game of the semifinal doubleheader, Bishop McNamara stifled No. 8 Paul VI, 48-33. The top-seeded Mustangs, who dropped just one conference game in the regular season, will play in the WCAC championship game for the fourth time in five seasons. The Prince George’s County school last won the title in 2020.
Dominant for much of the regular season, McNamara was forced to retool its approach for the postseason when senior star Madisen McDaniel went down with a meniscus injury in the final week. In the last season of a celebrated high school career, McDaniel earned a McDonald’s all-American nod and signed with top-ranked South Carolina.
In her absence, the Mustangs’ defensive approach became even more important. McNamara (24-4) excelled on that end Sunday, holding the Panthers (17-14) to three single-digit quarters, including just two points in the fourth.
“Our message all year long is that if we’re going to win a WCAC championship, it’s going to be with our defense,” Mustangs Coach Ron James said. “The ball isn’t always going to fall, but defense is always going to be there. If we can’t score, neither should they.”
On the offensive end, freshman Qandace Samuels led a balanced attack with 14 points. Junior forward Zhen Craft and junior guard Vanessa Harris chipped in 10 apiece.
“I know everyone at school is going to be talking about the championship tomorrow,” Craft said. “The community is hyped. But we’re going to stay focused, eat good, get our rest and be ready to go.”