St. Marys sophomore Brynnley Bulluck (32) breaks down into tears walking off the court following St. Marys’ 59-50 loss to Charleston Catholic in the Class AA semifinals of Thursday’s state basketball tournament in Charleston. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

CHARLESTON — Too many open looks for the coaching staff’s liking and a last-second circus shot from just inside halfcourt to end the third quarter by Charleston Catholic were among the variables working against St. Marys in a Class AA semifinal.

Thursday afternoon inside the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center, the Blue Devils led a total of three minutes as the Irish defense put the clamps down and defeated the Blue Devils, 59-50.

Despite 19 points from Brynnley Bulluck and another 16 points from Addie Davis, St. Marys closes out the campaign at 20-5.

“We played a very athletic basketball team today, which had a lot of length that we had to deal with,” St. Marys coach Fred King said. “They were lean, they stretched and they denied. They deflected. That team executed very well.

“Our girls gave it all they could. They left it on the floor. We would like to stay in Charleston two more days, but it’s not going to happen this year. Once we get back in town, we will evaluate and think about what we did this season and how well we did at times.”

St. Marys’ Addie Davis drives baseline against Charleston Catholic during Thursday’s Class AA state semifinal game in Charleston. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Callie Powell’s 3-pointer put St. Marys in front at 12-10. Just before the first quarter came to a close, consecutive buckets from Aurelia Kirby and Nora Aliff put the Irish in front at 14-12.

Davis, who constantly battled triple teams and finished the game shooting 4-of-16, knocked down her only 3-pointer as St. Marys took its last lead of the game at 18-17.

For the entire first half, it was a trying time for St. Marys shooters as the team shot 24% (6-of-25) from the field. Defense was a staple for Charleston Catholic (19-6) throughout the season and Thursday was no different.

“I thought we were pretty locked in,” Charleston Catholic coach Wes Hevener said. “When St. Marys went to zone in the first half, we did a really good job at ball movement and were able to get the looks that we wanted.”

On the flip side, Charleston Catholic – primarily senior Molly Messer – connected from the outset. Messer scored a team-high 22 points on the strength of 4-for-7 shooting from beyond the arc.

St. Marys’ starting five gather for one last pregame huddle before the start of Thursday’s Class AA state semifinal basketball game against Charleston Catholic in Charleston. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

“For some reason I feel like I shoot well here,” Messer said. “I don’t know if that’s controversial, but it just goes in my favor playing here.”

Despite falling behind by as many as nine points in the first half, St. Marys manufactured an offense from the free-throw line – making its first nine attempts and 11-of-13 by halftime.

Charleston Catholic took a 31-26 into intermission.

As the third quarter opened, St. Marys’ offense started to fall in sync. Trailing 40-32, Davis ignited a 7-0 surge with a pair of buckets and Bulluck followed with a 3-pointer to close the gap to 40-39.

“In the second half, we started to move the ball better,” King said. “Also, our defense – we went from a matchup zone to a man. We weren’t covering Messer early. We just lost her. She moved very well without the ball, but I think with the man defense and a little more pressure on the ball, we forced them to shoot some shots that were out of character for them.

St. Marys’ Anna Bennett, middle, dribbles the ball through two Charleston Catholic defenders during Thursday’s Class AA state semifinals in Charleston. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

“As a result, we got some runouts and got some good deflections. Good things happened.”

Nursing a 42-39 lead, the Irish discovered their four-leaf clover when freshman Ali Wilcox heaved what she described as “a hook shot” as time was winding down in the period from just inside half court. The ball banked in and increased the Charleston Catholic advantage to 45-39.

“I think it was a great drawn up play,” Hevener joked. “Every now and then in the game of basketball, luck is sometimes on your side. It was a big momentum shift.”

Wilcox gave her thoughts on the shot which brought everyone out of their seats.

“I wasn’t really thinking – I saw I could drive, so I tried to drive,” Wilcox said. “The girls guarding me stayed with me so I just shot it at the last second.”

While being guarded by St. Marys’ Callie Powell, right, Charleston Catholic’s Molly Messer dishes off to a teammate during Thursday’s Class AA state semifinal game in Charleston. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

As St. Marys maintained its uphill climb in the fourth quarter, foul trouble started to mount. Both Davis and teammate Laney Watkins played the final four minutes with four personal fouls. Bulluck, who picked up two quick personals midway in the first quarter, had three personals.

No worries, especially for Bulluck who continued to produce on offense and scored 13 points after halftime.

St. Marys closed to within two on several occasions near the midway point of the fourth quarter. Down 49-45 and the clock under four minutes, Bulluck was whistled for a charge – her fourth foul – on the offensive end of the floor.

On the next series, Aliff – a freshman and first person off the bench who finished with 13 points – hit a short jumper along the baseline for a 51-45 Irish lead at the three-minute mark.

“Aliff has been playing great basketball down the stretch – we have the utmost confidence that she is going to step up and make the shots,” Hevener said. “She probably doesn’t shoot enough on the perimeter – she stays around the post, but she does have a good mid-range game.”

St. Marys’ Laney Watkins (11) stays tight on defense against Charleston Catholic ballhandler Aurelia Kirby during Thursday’s Class AA state semifinal game in Charleston. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

The Blue Devils never got closer than four points and Wilcox, who scored 18 points, made all four of her free throw attempts in the final 28 seconds to secure the win for the Irish.

“We just didn’t get the ball to fall for us today,” Powell said.

Just as she did during the regular season, Bennett played much larger than her 5-foot-8 frame against the Irish and led all rebounders with 14, including 11 in the first half.

“Anna draws all the hard assignments – she has to cover the block almost by herself,” King said. “She is the best rebounder I have ever had, boys or girls, in my life and coaching for 50 years. She is our garbage girl. She does the little things. We don’t have her, we’re not here. Period.”

St. Marys graduates three seniors (Davis, Powell and Linsie Asher) but returns three starters (Bulluck, Watkins and Anna Bennett) along with its first person off the bench (Landrey Riggs).

“For four years, Callie and I have given it our all,” Davis said. “We just give glory to God – He’s the reason we are here. I’m so thankful for the team we had this year. We would not be here if not for them. We are a very special group.

“I’m the lucky one sitting here with these people. I thank them for the nice ride they’ve given me as well.”

Contact Kerry Patrick at kpatrick@newsandsentinel.com