Without two starters and your first-off-the bench? Can be a problem, but it wasn't Tuesday night for Seton Catholic's girls basketball team.

Veteran point guard Sasha Daniel bore a heavy load but handled it well guiding Seton's offense in a 53-33 victory over St. Mary's in a 4A game at Seton's McMahon Gymnasium.

Seton (5-3 overall, 4-0 in power-ranking games) got back in action after a visit to California for the La Jolla Country Day Sweet 16 Invitational. The Sentinels lost three of four games in the tournament that features top-flight competition.

Daniel, one of two  primary holdovers and returning starter from last year's state championship team, netted a game-high 19 points, 13 in the first half. Seton gradually added to its lead as the game progressed.

"Sasha is so steady," Seton coach Karen Self said. "She's doing so much for us right now. We're doing so much teaching and training with our younger players. It's nice to have her."

Sophomore Caitlyn Benally, a reserve last season, checked in with 13 points. Eight of those came in the second half. Seton played without Amelie Cartagena, Sophie Morales and Jordan Herrera due to injury or illness.

The teams sparred the first quarter with Seton leading 12-11. Daniel helped put some distance between the teams in the second period scoring nine of her points. Benally tallied five of her points in the period that ended with Seton up, 28-19.

Seton managed to neutralize St. Mary's freshman post Alondra Reyes, limiting her to six points in the first half and 12 for the game. Reyes entered the game averaging 18 per outing.

St. Mary's Alondra Reyes (dark jersey) tries to score in the paint against Seton's defense (AZpreps365 photo)

St. Mary's is 1-1 with the loss. The Knights hadn't played since opening with a victory over Mohave on Nov. 22, the first day of the 2021-2022 season. Helping out Reyes offensively for St. Mary's were sophomore Francis Moreno (8 points) and freshman Cynthia Tewksbury (7 points).

Both teams are on the road for their next game. Seton takes on Notre Dame Prep on Wednesday at Chaparral HS as part of Hoop Hall West. St. Mary's is at Saguaro on Thursday.