Girls basketball: Corona del Mar hammers Laguna Beach

Tony Altobelli

LAGUNA BEACH - Attention to all teams of the Pacific Coast League:

The road to the girls basketball crown still runs through Corona del Mar

High.

After going through three weeks of injuries and illnesses, the Sea

Kings are alive and well following Tuesday night’s 76-32 PCL win over

host Laguna Beach.

“We’re coming around,” CdM Coach Elbert Davis said. “Tonight, the

intensity was there and I liked the way we executed on offense. It was

probably the best game we’ve played as a team this season.”

Senior Kristin McCoy led the Sea Kings (6-10) with 19 points, while junior Andrea Gruber chipped in 14 points and nine steals.

“Andrea is coming off being sick and she had a very solid night,”

Davis said of Gruber. “She’s one of our best defensive players and she

sets the tempo with her tenacious style.”

Having to use everyone in uniform the past three-plus weeks, just

might become a huge plus for CdM. Ten different players scored, including

eight points each from senior Mijanou Pham and sophomore Jackie McCoy, as

well as seven from sophomore Kelly Luu.

“It’s a blessing in disguise,” Davis said. “The younger players don’t

have the jitters anymore. They are playing with confidence and they are

all playing at a high level, which is important with some of the top

teams in our league coming up on our schedule.”

For Laguna Beach (2-7) it wasn’t a matter of getting baskets early in

the game. It was a matter of just getting past the half-court stripe.

CdM’s full-court press forced 14 turnovers in the first quarter and

forced the Artists into more turnovers (34) than points. Maritza Morales

led the Artists with 12 points, 10 of those coming from the free-throw

line.

CdM will host Northwood Thursday night at 7.

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Corona del Mar 76, Laguna Beach 32

Corona del Mar 14 22 24 16 - 76

Laguna Beach 6 16 3 7 - 32

Corona del Mar - K. McCoy 19, Gruber 14, J. McCoy 8, Pham 8, Luu 7,

Marks 6, Kawata 6, Alathea 4, Hawkins 2, Klien 2, Otterbien 0.

3 pt. goals - Kawata 1.

Fouled out - none.

Laguna Beach - Morales 12, Jones 9, Schamalzreid 6, Kirkpatrick 2,

Shmag 2, Friedman 1.

3 pt. goals - none.

Fouled out - Morales.