Seton Catholic was at the top of its game for the better part of the first half Monday afternoon. That burst and some late stops and baskets proved the difference as the Lady Sentinels knocked off St. Francis (GA), 48-43, in the elite bracket of the Nike TOC at Mesquite High School.

"I think when other teams see us, we don't look the part," Seton coach Karen Self said of the team that's now 12-0 for the season. "We're more like Barbie and Friends. I think in some way that helps us."

Seton guard Sarah Barcello was the impetus to the fast start offensively. The 5-foot-11 junior scored 15 points in the first half, 10 in the first period as Seton opened up an 18-6 lead over the No. 19 team in the nation according to MaxPreps Xcellent 25 rankings.

Seton made five 3-point field goals in the first half and was able to contain the inside power game of St, Francis. Barcello made 3 of the 3s and Kendall Krick the other two.

Bigger and stronger players Maya Dodson and Kasiyahna Kushikituah were able to force their way to the basket against Seton's leaner 6-2 twins Jenn Wirth and Leeanne Wirth. But in the opening half Dodson and Kushikitua's shots weren't falling. Dodson, a Stanford signee, was 0-for-7 with one point in the first half..Dodson averages 17 ppg for the year. She made her first basket with just over three minutes left in the third period.

Dodson got more proficient in the second half and that's when St. Francis continued to reduce what was a 21-point first half lead. Dodson finished with 13 points on 5 of 19 shooting from the field. Kushikituah, a Tennessee signee, also finished with 13 points. St. Francis didn't help itself from the free-throw line. It connected on 2 of 11 in the first half.
 

Seton's 29-8 lead with 429 left in the second quarter dropped to 31-17 at halftime. It was down to 37-30 after three quarters. Seton 's perimeter shooting fell off to almost nothing after the first half. Along with that the lead was down to 42-40 with 2:34 to play after two free throws by Dodson.

A pair of layups by Barcello in the final two minutes and a steal she made on a double-team in the post helped propped the lead back to six with a minute left.

"Holding them to eight points in the first 12 minutes was big," Seton coach Karen Self said. "I kind of knew then how much energy we'd used. They scored nine points in the next four minutes. It was going to be hard to keep up what we did early."