Laura Bagwell-Katalinich has evolved from a role player to a premier scorer during her four years on the Academy of Holy Angels girls' basketball team.

She displayed that scoring prowess in a dominant second-half performance Monday night at Minneapolis Southwest High School.

Bagwell-Katalinich scored 17 of her 27 points after halftime as the Stars defeated the Lakers 61-56 for their ninth straight win and 16th in the past 17 games.

“If you had seen Laura three years ago as a freshman, she was not doing any of that,” Holy Angles coach Dan Woods said. “Now it’s a point where she’s a senior. ... She knows that it’s closing time. I just say, ‘Laura, it’s time.’ She knows what she has to do.”

Freshman Destinee Oberg added 18 points for the Stars (19-4), who went on a 7-0 run late in the second half to seal the victory.

Bagwell-Katalinich, who committed to the University of Pennsylvania, has improved her scoring average from just under seven points per game as a freshman to more than 25 a game this year. She entered Monday’s game seventh in the state in scoring while also averaging 12.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game.

She was especially strong in the first 10 minutes after halftime Monday, scoring 13 of Holy Angels’ first 22 points of the half. Her scoring helped the Stars, ranked sixth in Class 3A by Minnesota Basketball News, on a night during which Southwest (18-6) played gritty and physical basketball, remaining close despite missing multiple layups.

Senior Sophia Holien led the Lakers with 25 points, and seniors Keyia Parker and Khalilah Holloway added 12 and 11, respectively.

Holy Angels took a seven-point lead early in the first half, but Southwest tied the game going into halftime, in part by successfully breaking down the Stars' full-court press and generating quality shot attempts in its half-court offense. The Lakers also appeared to frustrate the Stars with their length and size on defense, tipping passes and forcing tough shots.

“In the beginning, we were making passes that maybe we’ve been getting away with,” Bagwell-Katalinich said.

Holy Angels adjusted after halftime, focusing on boxing out and making smarter passes. That proved especially critical in the game’s final eight minutes, as the Stars broke open a two-possession lead with a pair of free throws by Oberg with 5:29 remaining.

Oberg scored seven of Holy Angels' final 11 points, as the team built its lead by making free throws in the final minutes.

The game was a reunion of sorts for Bagwell-Katalinich and Southwest's Holloway, Holien and senior Sophie Tonander. Bagwell-Katalinich went to kindergarten with Holien and played traveling basketball in middle school with all three.

“It’s nice to see everyone again,” Bagwell-Katalinich said. “We usually pick up where we left off.”

The Lakers honored their six seniors before the game. The group has helped Southwest win 69 games in the past four years and led the team to a share of its first Minneapolis City Conference title since 1980.

“We came a long way since freshman year together,” Holloway said. “I think we’ve learned to work together well.”

Senior forward Laura Bagwell-Katalinich scored 17 of her game-high 27 points in the second half, as the Academy of Holy Angels defeated host Minneapolis Southwest 61-56 on Monday night.

Freshman Destinee Oberg added 18 points for the Stars (19-4), who are ranked No. 6 in Class 3A by Minnesota Basketball News. Holy Angels has won nine straight games and 15 of its past 16.

Senior Sophia Holien led Southwest (18-6) with 25 points. Seniors Keyia Parker and Khalilah Holloway added 12 and 11 points, respectively, for the Lakers, who wrapped up a share of the Minneapolis City Conference title last week for the first time since 1980.

Southwest honored its six seniors before the game, including Tera-Nay Lee, Sophie Tonander and Joyce Valencia.

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