Hillsdale routs host Notre Dame Belmont in opener of Steve Geramoni tourney

Senior standouts Makena Nitao and Kira Wilmurt scored a combined 43 points for the Lady Knights, with Nitao going for a game-high 26 to go with seven rebounds. Nitao and Wilmurt, along with returning senior forward Camryn Low, have been tasked with leadership roles as Hillsdale enters the season with seven first-year varsity players.

“It’s kind of hard with a bunch of new players,” Nitao said. “We have a lot of freshmen on the team. But with the amount of games we’ve played, we’ve had a lot of time to work together. We’re still building it up, but I think we’re at a place where we can definitely play with each other.”

Hillsdale, coming off a Peninsula Athletic League South Division championship, also has a new head coach in Dan Mori, who last coached at Carlmont from 2014-20. Mori took over this year for Dave Ichiki, and has preached aggressive defensive tactics since day one.

“We played a little bit softer defense,” Mori said. “People were a little afraid to get beat. So, what I’m really trying to get them to do is challenge the offensive players a lot more, get up in their face, make them try to beat you off the dribble. And we don’t have a ton of size … so we really have to play faster and make the other team play quicker too. And I think they’re doing a good job with that.”

The swarming defense sure created problems for NDB (5-1), as head coach Samantha Rossi’s crew needed nearly six minutes simply to set up its half-court set and generate a field goal. The Knights jumped out to an 8-0 lead — highlighted by three fast-break buckets from Nitao — before Tigers forward Julia Oliveira-Killmon finally converted a layup with two minutes remaining in the first quarter.

Hillsdale kept adding on in the second, opening up the long-range game for a pair of uncontested 3s by Wilmurt. The senior went on to total 17 points, a team-high seven rebounds, and two of her team’s eight steals.

“I would definitely say this was one of our better games,” Wilmurt said. “But throughout the course of the games we’ve played so far, we’ve definitely had a fair share of steals and fast-break layups, and fast-break offense.”

The Tigers emerged from halftime with more sizzle in their shots, as senior point guard Abby Co knocked down a pair of early 3s, including a four-point play as she drew a foul from beyond the arc. But 32-16 was as close as NDB would get as Hillsdale always had an answer. And, in the third period, that answer consistently came from Nitao, who totaled 14 points in the quarter.

Nitao’s highlight of the night, however, was on a sweet dime to start the fourth quarter. The senior was coasting with a dribble at the top of the key when she exacted a daylight play to Wilmurt underneath. Nitao whipped a sidearm pass to her longtime teammate, and put it on the fingertips with the precision of a Brock Purdy touchdown pass for Wilmurt to convert a quick layup.

Having played together since their sixth-grade days at Bowditch Middle School, Nitao and Wilmurt have run quite a few of these plays over the years.

“Lots,” Nitao said. “Me and Kira have really great chemistry on the court. I always see her, and she always sees me. And we’re always able to work together to get the open shot.”

Low, Lexi Carson and Makena Nitao’s kid sister, freshman Kiara Nitao, all contributed to the steals tally with tenacious defense. Freshman Daniella Sierra was a force in the post with two early blocked shots, both setting the transition in motion for Makena Nitao to score points on the fast break.

The loss is NDB’s first of the year, snapping a five-game winning streak.

Rossi praised her team’s defensive effort as well, acknowledging Hillsdale’s defense was simply better.

“In the half court, I actually do think we played really good defense,” Rossi said. “But it was our turnovers into their transition. Hillsdale is great at that, and they were hitting shots, so that hurt us. We have gotten off to a good start, but I think Hillsdale picked it up defensively, and I think it was the first team that has pressured us, probably that much, just on entry passes, and kind of everything we’ve done.”

Co led the Tigers with 11 points. Sophomore Sofia Kwan added four points, two steals, two blocked shots and a game-high eight rebounds.

“I kind of say my toughest decision every day is just where I’m going to put [Kwan], because I want her to inbound the ball, shoot the ball … she’s been awesome for us,” Rossi said. “She just competes, and that’s every day at practice, and she comes out here and she’s ready to go.”

The three-day Steve Geramoni Invitational extends through Saturday. Hillsdale takes on Lick-Wilmerding-SF in the winner’s bracket semifinals Friday at 6 p.m. Carlmont also advanced into the winner’s bracket with a 52-12 blowout of Summit Denali-Sunnyvale in Thursday’s opener. The Scots will take on Cadondelet-Concord Friday at 7:30 p.m.

Rounding out the tournament field is NDB, Summit Denali, Sacred Heart Prep and Soquel, who all fall to the consolation bracket.