High School Basketball: Laguna girls poised for second-half run
Ending the first half of its Orange Coast League schedule on a two-game win streak has set up the Laguna Beach girls’ basketball team nicely for the second round of league play.
Laguna closed out first-round action on Tuesday and scored a 42-31 victory over visiting Godinez at Dugger Gym. Junior guard Jackie Cenan led the Breakers’ scoring with 14 points. Sophomore guard Nicole Davidson had nine points, junior forwards Sydney DeCarlo and Alexandra Lewis seven and six points, respectively, sophomore guard Rachel Kenney four points, and freshman guard Jasmine Banks two points.
Laguna led throughout in improving to 4-1 in league and 12-9 overall.
The Breakers headed into the second round of league play on Thursday in second place behind Estancia (5-0 league).
Davidson’s early scoring gave Laguna its “initial offensive spark,” Coach Mark Lewis said. Cenan provided balanced scoring throughout the game, DeCarlo scored key baskets in the fourth quarter, Kenney hit a pair of big free throws to keep the game out of reach, and Alexandra Lewis, held under double-digits in scoring for the first time since Laguna’s season opener, contributed on the defensive glass, was solid on the Breakers’ interior defense, and assisted several baskets on offense. One assist set up a layup by Banks at the end of the third quarter that stretched the Breakers’ lead to 32-24.
Godinez slipped to 3-2 in league.
“Our success was keyed off of our defense,” Mark Lewis said. “We played great team defense throughout the game. Offensively, we had quite a balanced attack. It makes us a tougher team to defend when we get contributions from everyone. Very pleased with our defensive effort throughout the game. We did a real nice job rotating to the ball, getting our hands on a number of passes and generally keeping them out of the paint and off the three point line. Our game plan was executed very well.
In a league game Jan. 22 at Calvary Chapel, Laguna bolted to a 20-2 lead after one quarter on the host Eagles and maintained that advantage en route to a 53-32 win. Alexandra Lewis hit three three-point shots and scored 16 points to go along with 11 rebounds, six steals and four blocks.
Cenan also scored 16 points to go with nine rebounds, five assists and three steals. Davidson scored eight points with five steals and four assists, Kenney had seven points and six rebounds, and Sydney DeCarlo had six points and seven rebounds.
“We came out really strong in this one,” Mark Lewis said. “We got a bit complacent the rest of the way and essentially played even with Calvary, which wasn’t in our game plan. But, it was a good win after the tough loss to Estancia the game before.”
Laguna took on Costa Mesa on Thursday to begin the second round of OCL play. The score wasn’t available at press time.
The Breakers have two 6 p.m. league contests next week. They host league-leader Estancia on Tuesday and travel Thursday to Saddleback.
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Boys’ Basketball
Locked in a tight battle with Godinez Wednesday at Dugger Gym, the Breakers took a one-point lead into the fourth quarter of a key Orange Coast League game but ended up falling to the visiting Grizzlies, 63-54.
Godinez, which leads the OCL pack with a 5-0 record at the midway point of the league season, pulled away by hitting its free throws in the final minutes.
The Grizzlies are now 18-4 overall.
Freshman wing Blake Burzell, behind five three-point baskets, scored 20 points, junior guard Isaac Wulff 14 points, and junior wing Darin Richardson 11 points, for Laguna which is 3-2 in league and 11-12 overall.
Senior guard Brandon Smith, a four-year starter for Godinez who has signed with UC Irvine, led all scorers.
“We were right there in this game,” Laguna Coach Bret Fleming said. “I thought we played 28 minutes of pretty good basketball, but we didn’t finish.
“Defensively, we tried to execute a game plan that would eliminated Brandon’s (Smith) touches, but he still went for 35 (points). We didn’t rebound or box out, like we should have. Offensively, I thought Blake (Burzell) really kept us in it, and Darin (Richardson) also played real well.”
Laguna fell for the first time in OCL action on Jan. 23 when the Breakers were edged, 49-48, at Calvary Chapel. Burzell, injured in the second quarter and seeing limited playing time in the second half, still hit three three-point shots and led Laguna with 16 points. Wulff scored 14 points.
Fleming said Richardson (illness) was not available for the game.
Burzell hit a big three-point shot late to draw Laguna within a point (49-48). Calvary Chapel missed the front end of a one-and-one in the closing seconds, the Breakers got the ball back, worked up court, but couldn’t get off a shot.
The loss stopped the Breakers’ winning streak in league play at 26 games dating to another one-point setback, 41-40, at Estancia on Feb. 1 in the 2011-12 season.
“We probably didn’t matchup the right way, partly because of having some kids being out and not available,” Fleming said. “We came out a bit lackluster and weren’t real focused, but we did play better in the second half.
“We still are a group that is not very cohesive defensively.”
Laguna opens the second half of OCL play on Friday. The Breakers host Costa Mesa at 7 p.m. at Dugger Gym. They are also at home next Wednesday to host Estancia at 7 p.m.
“Our deal is, we want to turn it around in the second half,” Fleming said. “We have three of our final five games at home, and we’ll take them one at a time. We will leave the Godinez game in the locker room, and move forward from here.”
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Twitter: @MikeSciacca