Kitty White (30) of Redwood takes a shot over Samantha Myhr (13) of Northgate while Brooke Denler (24) of Redwood and Amelia Schrag (33) of Northgate look on during the North Coast Section Division II girls basketball championship at Dominican University in San Rafael, Calif. on Feb. 23, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Kitty White (30) of Redwood attempts to drive past Jada Mayse (1) of Northgate while Ava Nicolas (22) of Northgate looks on during the North Coast Section Division II girls basketball championship at Dominican University in San Rafael, Calif. on Feb. 23, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Ainsley Gallagher (2) of Redwood drives past Hana Neuman (4) of Northgate during the North Coast Section Division II girls basketball championship at Dominican University in San Rafael, Calif. on Feb. 23, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
The Redwood girls basketball team poses for a photo after defeating Northgate in the North Coast Section Division II girls basketball championship at Dominican University in San Rafael, Calif. on Feb. 23, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Maya Saibel (15) of Redwood drives past the defense of Amelia Schrag (33) of Northgate during the North Coast Section Division II girls basketball championship at Dominican University in San Rafael, Calif. on Feb. 23, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Maya Saibel (15) of Redwood and Anaru Todd (11) of Redwood start to celebrate their victory late in the fourth quarter while Ava Nicolas (22) of Northgate looks on during the North Coast Section Division II girls basketball championship at Dominican University in San Rafael, Calif. on Feb. 23, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Maya Saibel (15) of Redwood takes a shot over the defense of Samantha Myhr (13) of Northgate and Hana Neuman (4) of Northgate during the North Coast Section Division II girls basketball championship at Dominican University in San Rafael, Calif. on Feb. 23, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
The Redwood girls basketball team celebrates after receiving the championship plaque after defeating Northgate in the North Coast Section Division II girls basketball championship at Dominican University in San Rafael, Calif. on Feb. 23, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Redwood head coach Zach Borello talks with his team during a timeout during the North Coast Section Division II girls basketball championship against Northgate at Dominican University in San Rafael, Calif. on Feb. 23, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Brooke Denler (24) of Redwood drives for a basket during a break away while Kelsey Shaffer (25) of Northgate attempts to catch up during the North Coast Section Division II girls basketball championship at Dominican University in San Rafael, Calif. on Feb. 23, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Maya Saibel (15) of Redwood is congratulated by teammates in a timeout after making a shot late in the fourth quarter during the North Coast Section Division II girls basketball championship at Dominican University in San Rafael, Calif. on Feb. 23, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
The Redwood girls basketball team poses for a photo after defeating Northgate in the North Coast Section Division II girls basketball championship at Dominican University in San Rafael, Calif. on Feb. 23, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Jaden Vongordan (21) of Redwood and Molly Gallagher (5) of Redwood hug as the Redwood girls basketball team celebrates defeating Northgate after the North Coast Section Division II girls basketball championship at Dominican University in San Rafael, Calif. on Feb. 23, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
The Redwood team celebrates their victory at the final buzzer while the Northgate team huddles after the North Coast Section Division II girls basketball championship at Dominican University in San Rafael, Calif. on Feb. 23, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
The Redwood girls basketball team storms the court to celebrate defeating Northgate in the North Coast Section Division II girls basketball championship at Dominican University in San Rafael, Calif. on Feb. 23, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Brooke Denler (24) of Redwood takes a shot over the defense of Samantha Myhr (13) of Northgate and Jada Mayse (1) of Northgate during the North Coast Section Division II girls basketball championship at Dominican University in San Rafael, Calif. on Feb. 23, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Ava Nicolas (22) of Northgate and Molly Gallagher (5) of Redwood attempt to grab a loose ball during the North Coast Section Division II girls basketball championship at Dominican University in San Rafael, Calif. on Feb. 23, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Kitty White (30) of Redwood and Kelsey Shaffer (25) of Northgate attempt to grab a loose ball while Amelia Schrag (33) of Northgate looks on during the North Coast Section Division II girls basketball championship at Dominican University in San Rafael, Calif. on Feb. 23, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
The Redwood bench cheers a play during the North Coast Section Division II girls basketball championship against Northgate at Dominican University in San Rafael, Calif. on Feb. 23, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Maya Saibel (15) of Redwood carries the championship banner to her teammates after defeating Northgate in the North Coast Section Division II girls basketball championship at Dominican University in San Rafael, Calif. on Feb. 23, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Maya Saibel (15) of Redwood makes a basket late in the fourth quarter while defended by Samantha Myhr (13) of Northgate during the North Coast Section Division II girls basketball championship at Dominican University in San Rafael, Calif. on Feb. 23, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Kitty White (30) of Redwood goes up for a shot while defended by Samantha Myhr (13) of Northgate during the North Coast Section Division II girls basketball championship at Dominican University in San Rafael, Calif. on Feb. 23, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Anaru Todd (11) of Redwood drives past Amelia Schrag (33) of Northgate during the North Coast Section Division II girls basketball championship at Dominican University in San Rafael, Calif. on Feb. 23, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
The Redwood girls basketball team poses for a photo after defeating Northgate in the North Coast Section Division II girls basketball championship at Dominican University in San Rafael, Calif. on Feb. 23, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
The Redwood High girls basketball seemed intent on leaving no doubts about the eventual winner of Friday night’s North Coast Section Division II championship game at the Dominican University gymnasium in San Rafael.
The Giants (24-8) led from first whistle to final buzzer en route to a solid 50-41 victory against Northgate (Walnut Creek) and hoisted the school’s first girls basketball section title pennant.
“It feels amazing,” said Redwood forward Kitty White, who scored a game-high 23 points and pulled down seven rebounds. “Coach just told us to go out and be champs – to play as a team and win this title as a team.”
The top-seed Giants personified the team concept.
“At one point this season we won 12 straight games,” Redwood coach Zach Borello said. “That got our confidence up and got everybody going. That’s when I told the girls let’s put this season together. And we did. We got the top-ranking in Division II – and that’s what we were shooting for so we wouldn’t have to get on a bus. And we never got on a bus.”
Redwood, however, drove the vehicles of success Friday night, namely rebounding and free-throw shooting. The Giants converted 17-of-28 free throws — Northgate was 3 of 12 from the stripe — and outrebounded the Broncos nearly two-to-one (38-20).
Redwood center Brooke Denler was a rebounding tour de force, sweeping the boards for 22 rebounds and blocking three shots.
“In my mind, every rebound was mine tonight,” Denler said. “Rebounding really doesn’t take skill. It takes effort. I tried hard to get as many as I possibly could.”
White, who scored a number of her buckets after Denler rebounds, could not say enough about her teammate’s strength in the paint.
“She just came out with crazy energy,” White said. “It seemed like she found a way to get all the rebounds. She makes all the hustle plays.”
Nearly all the Redwood players had a hand in the success at the free-throw line, but two of the biggest makes came with three minutes remaining in the game and the Giants clinging to a 45-41 lead.
Maya Saibel stepped to the line and swished a pair.
Northgate didn’t score another point.
“Maya could probably go 10 for 10,” White said. “I’d trust my life with her on the free-throw line.”
White started the show by knocking down a three-point shot and the Giants raced off to a 14-6 first-period lead.
“We usually get off to quick starts playing an outside-in style,” Borello said. “But we had some luck early the other way and changed our strategy and ended up playing a lot of inside-out.”
Northgate, the sixth-seed, took advantage of a bit of cold shooting in the second quarter by the Giants and narrowed its deficit to 24-19 at intermission.
Redwood built a 35-27 lead with 22 seconds remaining in the third period, but a turnover and a driving layup by Emilia Shrag (22 points) at the buzzer made it a six-point game entering the final eight minutes.
Northgate scored first in the final period, but Redwood guard Ainsley Gallagher countered with her first of two three-pointers in the final stanza.
Midway through the period, Northgate went on a 6-0 run to close to within a field goal but the Giants sank five free throws in the final three minutes to seal the victory.