By Dean Zulkofske Newsday jan 14th

Alexis Mitas’ biggest game of the season gave the St. Anthony’s girls basketball team a big lead, and she wouldn’t let the Friars lose it.

The sophomore guard scored 16 of her career-high 33 points in the first quarter in a 67-38 CHSAA win over host Sacred Heart on Friday night. The Friars (6-2, 3-1) never trailed.

“I feel great, my shot feels great, and I hope it stays like that,” Mitas said. “After this win, we’ll be confident, and I feel like we’ll continue to play like this.”

Mitas scored seven points in St. Anthony’s win over Holy Trinity earlier this week. She didn’t score in the Friars’ Jan. 6 loss to Our Lady of Mercy and scored four points against St. Dominic on Jan. 3.

With a revived shooting touch, Mitas hit eight three-pointers on Friday.

“She’s been in a little slump the last couple of games,” St. Anthony’s coach Hugh Flaherty said. “But I told her we had plenty of work the last couple days, we did a lot of shooting, and she can correct it. And she’s good at what she does.”

Mitas helped to build a 20-6 first-quarter lead for St. Anthony’s, but Annie Kiernan, who finished with 22 points, helped get Sacred Heart back in the game.

Kiernan scored all 14 Sacred Heart points in the second quarter, including the first eight points of the period to pull the Spartans within 20-14.

Mitas hit a three-pointer with 3:34 left in the half to stop Kiernan’s run. Mitas added another three-pointer before the end of the second quarter, expanding St. Anthony’s lead to 31-20 before the break.

Mitas scored 22 first-half points and Kiernan netted 18.

“[Mitas] can shoot the ball probably as good as anyone in this league,” Flaherty said. “It’s off the charts.”

Other Friars became more involved in the offense in the third quarter as St. Anthony’s stuffed Sacred Heart on the defensive end. St. Anthony’s Emma Toner scored the first four points of the quarter and Amanda Paci scored five points.

“We all just had the flow of it,” Mitas said. “Defense creates offense.”

Mitas sank a three-pointer from near midcourt as the third-quarter buzzer sounded.

“I love taking deep shots. They’re my favorite,” she said with a smile.

The Friars took a 56-30 lead with six minutes to play and Flaherty cycled through players from the bench.