By Don Ketchum

The girls’ basketball team from Phoenix St. Mary’s defeated Chandler by six points on Jan. 6, but it might as well have been a loss.

The Lady Knights were used to blowing people away, and that didn’t happen.

“They took it like a loss and they showed up on Saturday and had a fantastic practice,’’ said St. Mary’s coach Curtis Ekmark of the team that returned most of the players who helped earn the Class 5A Division I championship last season.

Wednesday night (Jan. 11) was St. Mary’s first game since playing Chandler, and host Catholic rival Phoenix Xavier Prep paid the price.

St. Mary’s used a 21-4 run in the second quarter to take control and never looked back, pulling away for a 61-33 victory.

Whenever a Xavier player attemped to dribble the ball, one or two St. Mary’s players were there. When a Xavier player attempted a shot, it usually was contested.

For all of its productivity on offense, it is defense that makes St. Mary’s go.

“Everything starts with defense. We want to defend every possession,’’ Ekmark said.

The Xavier turnovers more often than not resulted in St. Mary’s fast-break baskets at the other end.

“We wanted to make sure that it (a similar effort as the Chandler game) wasn’t a trend,’’ Ekmark said.

St. Mary’s (13-0) was down to seven players, although Ekmark brought a few players up from the junior-varsity as an insurance policy. Guard Chloe Johnson sat out the contest after rolling her ankle in practice.

Ekmark’s daughter, Courtney, scored 24 points from her guard spot to lead St. Mary’s, and forward Cortnee Walton scored 17.

Xavier (11-6) had lost at Gilbert Highland on Monday night (Jan. 9). Forward Katie Werner scored 12 to lead the Gators on Wednesday night.

St. Mary’s brought along a large contingent of fans, many of whom chanted, “Our house, our house’’ as the game was winding down. Because the St. Mary’s lead had reached 30 points, the fourth quarter was played with a running clock.

Asked if it means more to defeat Xavier on its own floor, Ekmark said, “It’s good to win anywhere. Everywhere we go, it’s going to be a big game for the opponent, and we embrace that.’’