SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Just 3.1 miles apart in Sacramento, St. Francis and Sac High met 634 miles away in Phoenix Tuesday in the second round of the Nike Tournament of Champions with the Dragons winning 54-36.

“We did not match their physicality in the first half and their quickness got to us,” said Head Coach Vic Pitton. “There was a part of the game in the second quarter where we played pretty good. Certainly in the second half we picked it up but offensively we hit just two threes and we have to hit more threes than that.”

St. Francis fell behind early with an 8-0 deficit and trailed 15-4 at the end of the first quarter. The Troubadours scored 11 in the second as senior Julia Razo notched seven of her nine points in the quarter. Sophomore Jackie Koerwitz scored two of her five baskets as SF stayed in the game. She finished with a team-best 12 points.

The Dragons (3-4) extended the lead in the third despite four points by Megan Austin and five from Koerwitz.

“Giving up 54 points to Sac High is nothing to be ashamed of,” said Pitton. “Defensively, including holding them to eight in the fourth, we kept it within a reasonable score. But we were unable to generate the offense and get in any flow.”

Senior guard Janae Fairbrook was slowed by an injury suffered in the opener. Junior guard Marlee Nicolos finished with six points.

The Troubadours move into the loser’s bracket of the KIPP bracket. They play Gilbert (Ariz.) on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at the Kroc Center.

SF – Koerwitz 12, Razo 9, Nicolos 6, Austin 5, Bagatelos 3, McDaniel 1. SAC – Walters 12, Lawrence 11, Gomez 9, Avent 9, Blount 6, McMillan 3, Toler 2, Harris 2.