As the postseason approaches and the pressure mounts, Reagan Bender knows some are waiting to see if the Sacred Heart Academy basketball team finally will crack.

“Everybody wants to watch us lose,” the Valkyries senior guard said with a smile.

But when it comes to Kentucky competition, Sacred Heart just keeps on winning.

ZaKiyah Johnson posted 19 points, Bender added 16 and the Valkyries had a big fourth quarter to beat George Rogers Clark, 61-49, on Friday in a battle of girls basketball powers at St. Xavier.

No. 1-ranked Sacred Heart (18-7) has now won 60 straight games against Kentucky competition. Its last loss to an in-state foe came to Mercy — 98-96 in double overtime — on Feb. 13, 2022.

“It’s incredible … just the consistency we’ve showed each night,” said Sacred Heart coach Donna Moir, whose team is chasing its fourth straight state title this season. “We don’t look ahead. We just try to keep them in the moment.”

Angelina Pelayo pitched in 11 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks for the Valkyries.

Jailenn Green scored 15 points to lead No. 3 GRC (23-3), which lost star junior Ciara Byars to a season-ending knee injury last month.

If there were any doubts about the Cardinals being title contenders after the loss of Byars, they answered them Friday.

“There’s no moral victories in that locker room,” GRC coach Robbie Graham said. “We’re not very happy that we didn’t win. But that’s a heck of a team, well-coached. We knew it was going to be a war, and we’ll pick up the pieces.”

For three quarters, the Cardinals played even with the Valkyries. Anaya Chestnut’s 3-pointer tied the score at 38 entering the fourth.

But the Valkyries surged in the fourth behind a 15-3 run. Bender’s basket with 1:54 remaining gave Sacred Heart a 53-41 lead.

Bender credited her team’s defense.

“We were kind of standing around and letting them do what they wanted to do,” Bender said. “So we wanted to control more on the defensive end to create our offense.”

The Valkyries were able to get a handful of layups after beating GRC’s defense down the court.

“We didn’t get back and protect the rim, and they got some easy ones,” Graham said. “Top-five player in the country (Johnson) gets it and drives right down the middle of the lane and shoots a layup. That’s tough.”

The matchup was part of a doubleheader at St. X that also included the Tigers hosting DeSales.

Moir credited St. X coach Kevin Klein with the idea and said Sacred Heart’s gym couldn’t have held the crowd that showed.

“It’s awesome to play in this kind of environment,” Moir said. “Even when you go to Rupp Arena, it’s not like this with everybody so close to the floor. … To play under this kind of pressure is going to do nothing but help us.”

GEORGE ROGERS CLARK 10     14      14     11 - 49

SACRED HEART                14      11     13      23 – 61

George Rogers Clark (23-3) — Kennedy Stamper 7, Kyleigh Chestnut 3, Teigh Yeast 9, Jailenn Green 15, Khania Jones 2, Makili Tabor 3, Anaya Chestnut 8, Annette Miller 2.

Sacred Heart (18-7) — Tootie Jordan 10, Addison Kincaid 2, ZaKiyah Johnson 19, Claire Russell 1, Reagan Bender 16, Angelina Pelayo 11, Emi-Lee Howe 2.

More: Oldham County's Max Green is state's leading scorer, but many think he'll only get better

Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Follow on X @kyhighs.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: KHSAA basketball: No. 1 Sacred Heart defeats No. 3 George Rogers Clark