ELK GROVE, Calif. – Senior post Chidera Okoye scored a career-best 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, but St. Francis shot just 34 percent from the floor including 0-for-5 from beyond the three-point arc in falling by a 54-53 final in a Delta League girls' basketball doubleheader at Franklin Friday night.

The Troubadours slip to 8-9 for the year and 3-1 in league play. This creates a tie for second place in the league standings between St. Francis and Franklin, with Cosumnes Oaks taking a half-game lead after its win over Elk Grove.

Okoye, whose previous best was her 19 against Elk Grove as a junior, shot 9-for-19 from the floor and a perfect 5-for-5 from the free-throw line. In fact, the Troubies largely handled their business at the stripe, sinking 15 of 17 as a team. Okoye also had four steals.

Senior Brianna McGahan added 12 points, six boards and five steals; while junior Laila Mendoza chipped in another eight points, six boards and four steals. Freshman Tayli Paeu-Lindgren almost cracked double digits in rebounds, finishing with a 3-6-9 line in that department.

The varsity contest also provided a rare opportunity to play in a televised game, as Access Sacramento channel 17 (a.k.a. "The Sacramento Channel) aired the action. The game will re-broadcast several times in the upcoming dates, with a schedule available here: https://access-sacramento.cablecast.tv/CablecastPublicSite/show/69442?site=1.

The varsity setback followed a 37-29 win for St. Francis in the junior varsity opener. Freshman Layla Hernandez posted her sixth double-double of her career, this time with 13 pounds and 16 rebounds. Five of those performances have come in a seven-game span dating back to December 15, with a near miss against Chico (9 and 18) at the Oak Ridge Trojan Toss-Up tourney. Sophomore Nevaeh Gavino added another nine points, all from long range.

All three St. Francis teams return to action in one of the most anticipated events on the schedule, Saturday's "Holy Hoops" rivalry meeting against Christian Brothers. JV Red kicks off the day with a 2 p.m. game against Pleasant Valley, then JV Gold and varsity each take on the area's other major Catholic high school at 4 and 6 p.m., respectively.

Tickets for Holy Hoops are still available, with only the 200 free SF student tickets sold out. All fans (including students) may purchase tickets at GoFan at https://gofan.co/event/1227612?schoolId=CA8032.