Changes, changes and changes were in store for the Christopher girls basketball program in 2024-25. Departure of a crew of seniors who elevated the program the previous two seasons resulted in a new look and new leaders. A new coaching staff. And new basketball strategies that fit this team’s strengths.
But one thing did not change. Success.
After two Central Coast Section playoff finals and NorCal competition, the Cougars reached that elite level again. Additionally, a closing 9-1 rush in league play produced the first league title since the 2011-12 season.
And it was the Blossom Valley Athletic League’s highest division, the Mt. Hamilton.
“Alyssa Lopez and Nat Javier left last year as two huge scoring engines for the four previous years,” coach Sean Brown said. “Frenchy Falvey also left as a great defender/rebounder. With those three leaving and all the success they had, it was a big question mark whether the program could continue the success it had losing all that quickness and points.
“Luckily, there was Shiloh Vallejos, Kaycee Carrasco, and Ember Navarro who had great senior seasons. Brooklyn Sax really stepped into her role as a deadly outside shooter, often leading us in scoring.
“Madelyn Tamone and Cassandra Durrand were two juniors this year who we felt gave us a long, athletic post presence, and we wanted to take advantage of that. The players allowed themselves to buy in and it helped make the transition as smooth as it could possibly be.”
Before this three-year run, Christopher had never once reached a CCS final. The Cougars are now one of only two CCS public schools with a three-year run of championship game appearances, the other being Mills of Millbrae.
Given all the changes, the continued success of 2024-25 was perhaps a bit of a surprise to outsiders. Not so much to the players.
“We had high expectations because of what we had returning and some good young ones coming up,” Sax said. “We just worked on execution, running our plays, making the extra pass and most of all, playing for each other.”
In the playoffs, CHS rallied to beat Willow Glen 41-38 and then drilled Lynbrook 53-35 to return to the title match. The Cougars dropped that game to Prospect 50-30.
In the NorCal Division III first round on March 4, Christopher lost to Marin Catholic 61-44. That MCHS team went on to win the NorCal title and then the CIF State championship.
Coincidentally, last year’s Cougars lost their NorCal opener to a team (Caruthers) that captured the NorCal title and the CIF State title.
Coach Brown reflected on the progress during the season.
“The girls did a great job adjusting to a new coaching staff and way of doing things after old coach Jim Falvey—who did a standout job—stepped down,” Brown said. “There were big changes tactically. We chose not to press, put in some different zones and tried to become more post-oriented on offense.
“Kaycee became fulltime ball handler and she thrived. When we went man on defense, Shiloh wholeheartedly took on the role of defensive stopper. Ember played an undersized big with ferocity and aggression, and that allowed us to play more versatile lineups.”
After an 0-2 start in league play, the Cougars rolled. A crucial demarcation point came on Jan. 21 as Christopher fought from behind to defeat Prospect 41-37. CHS trailed 24-19 at halftime, but turned up the defense and rebounding. Christopher surged on top, holding the Panthers to 1-for-8 shooting with seven turnovers in the third quarter.
Vallejos shackled Prospect star Sadie Slaughter all game, holding her to 12 points on just two buckets and a passel of free throws, just after Slaughter scored 30 against Evergreen Valley. With the game on the line in the final 90 seconds and CHS down by one, Carrasco sank a three-pointer for the go-ahead basket.
Sax added two late free throws and Christopher had the victory.
The Prospect victory was their third straight and part of a 9-1 finish to produce a 9-3 league record. That mark matched EV and Prospect, with Christopher earning the league crown based on tiebreakers.
“We came together as a group really well,” Sax said. “Our seniors really led us and made sure we stayed positive. I think those two early losses woke us up. We pushed each other more during practices, locked in more and started playing better and with a sense of urgency.”
More fortitude and grit was on display in the playoff opener on Feb. 25. Willow Glen led 31-25 after three quarters in their quest for a big upset. But the Cougars came storming back.
“It was win or go home,” Vallejos said. “It took a lot of heart.”
In a 13-5 run, Carrasco scored three baskets to bring the Cougars within two points. In a dramatic final two minutes, down 38-36, Christopher came through with four big plays. Navarro blocked a Natalia Valerio shot and Vallejos tied the contest with a power move at the other end. Navarro followed by stuffing 5-foot-9 Lucia Diaz on the subsequent possession and Vallejos put Christopher on top to stay with a layup off a Carrasco feed.
“We played smart,” Carrasco said. “We’ve been down to them before in the regular season and we came back and have that confidence to come back.”
In the final quarter, the Rams shot just 1-for-10 and committed three turnovers.
“I sort of recognized her move,” said Navarro, about the block on Diaz. “She turns and goes back to the middle. It was amazing to win but we’re not done yet.”
In the semifinal at Lynbrook, Kalani Brown had three treys in a competitive first half, ending with CHS up 26-24. After the break, defensive changes shut down Viking guard penetration and they scored just 11 points in the remaining two quarters as CHS pulled away to win by 18.
Carrasco scored 13 points, including 6-for-6 on late-game free throws, and Sax scored 12.
In the final on March 1, Prospect came out red-hot from the perimeter with four first-quarter treys and the Cougars were cold. CHS fought back but could not get close.
Against Marin Catholic, Christopher started strong. Sax had four three-pointers and the Cougars led 6-0 and 26-21. However, the Wildcats closed the second quarter with a 10-point run for a 31-26 margin, and maintained their lead thereafter.
The outlook remains bright. Brown envisions another year of changes, and figures it comes with promise for continued success.
“Next year will be a fantastic opportunity for a lot of players to step up into the roles that Nat, Alyssa, Kaycee, etc. have occupied in the past,” Brown said. “We have some young players who I believe are more than capable of filling that role.
“Kalani Brown came off the bench last year, and she would have started for 90% of schools. Next year I envision Kalani and Brooklyn being our Shiloh/Kaycee or Nat/Alyssa. Marin Lewis is a freshman we had as a backup point guard, and her court vision is top notch.
“I have Cadence Carreon from JV who is quick as lightning. We have four to five bigs that we think can all be big time hoopers. The program is going to turn up the intensity next year, in hopes of getting back to the CCS championship for a fourth straight year.”
