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Jade Ramirez scored 19 points in Pinewood’s win on Wednesday. Photo taken Nov. 18, 2021 by Karen Ambrose Hickey.

After a somewhat lackluster first half, the Pinewood girls basketball team got it going in the second half and pulled away from Marin Catholic for a 70-43 victory in the semifinals of the Joe Schram Holiday Classic at St. Francis High School.

Pinewood (4-1) will play host St. Francis, a 59-42 winner over Aragon, in the tournament championship game Thursday at 6:15 p.m.

Pinewood had a 25-11 lead after a 3-pointer by Emily Lee in the second quarter, but Marin Catholic (8-4) finished the half on an 11-1 run to draw to within 26-22.

Point guard Jade Ramirez kick-started the Pinewood offense in the second half, making four 3-pointers on her way to a game-high 19 points.

“It was a good game for her,” Pinewood coach Doc Scheppler said. “When she misses shots she loses the desire to shoot. We had her put up a bunch of shots 30 minutes before the game.”

Elle Ladine played her typical all-around game and finished with 14 points, 13 rebounds and six assists. She’d be racking up triple-doubles most every time out if high school girls played NBA-style 48-minute games, rather than their 32-minute affairs.

“Elle realized the defense was trying to take her away,” Scheppler said. “She set up her teammates for so many easy baskets. And Skylar Chui did a great job on the offensive boards.”

Chui, Pinewood’s primary inside player with Gabby Harris sidelined with a stress fracture, scored 10 points and pulled down eight rebounds, five offensively.

Lee scored 11 points with three 3-pointers and Kaile Cruz added another 11 points, making two 3s. Sophomore Alex Facelo came off the bench late and nailed the team’s 10th 3-pointer. Pinewood was 10 of 37 on 3-pointers and shot 40 percent overall for the game, 27 of 68.

“This was a good win for us,” Scheppler said. “This is not a typical Pinewood team. We’re in the process of getting there in terms of ball movement and realizing what a good shot is. But these are great girls. I know we’ll get there.”

St. Francis (10-0) was led by Natalija Grizelj, who scored 27 points in the win over Aragon. Jess Oakland added 17

Los Altos (7-2), a 34-26 winner over Capuchino, will play Riordan at 4 p.m. Thursday in the fifth-place game.

Abby Lu scored 11 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer, for the Eagles. Tara Davari added nine points.

Capuchino was ahead 18-15 early in the third quarter before Mira Sundar hit a basket and Lu dropped in her 3-pointer.

Mills 42, Menlo-Atherton 33

Fiona Steinmetz scored 14 points in M-A’s loss to Mills at the Newark Memorial Tournament.

Mills scored the first nine points of the game and never trailed, though Tess Statkiewicz hit a basket that tied the game at 16.

At the Santa Clara Tournament, Mountain View downed Wilcox 47-23.

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