Girls’ Basketball: Suruki gives Marina boost
For those who did not anticipate the outcome of Wednesday night’s game, perhaps they had a good reason.
Marina High’s girls’ basketball team was, and remains, an incomplete puzzle, but an added piece just made the Vikings a much more potent foe.
Courtney Suruki scored 11 points with four steals in her team debut, and Marina defeated Newport Harbor, 52-32, in the Sunset League opener.
The senior guard transferred from Huntington Beach for this season. Wednesday night’s league contest was her first game of eligibility, and her impact was felt immediately.
“She adds stability to our team,” Vikings Coach Kirk Iwami said. “It allows our players to play. We like to get out and run. She adds another dimension to our team.”
To put those words into context, Marina (6-10, 1-0 in league) was able to run an effective half-court offense with its floor general in the lineup.
Although Suruki’s passes may not have added up to a big assist total, it got the ball moving inside. Once the Vikings had established a presence in the paint, they were able to kick the ball out to the arc, where they sunk eight three-pointers.
Suruki had three of the conversions from distance, and Tricia Fukuzawa and Michelle Esparza had two three-pointers apiece.
“I don’t think that we could have done it without Courtney,” Esparza said of winning on the road. “She had some great passes. We were hitting all our shots.”
Senior forward Sadie Atwood (14 points, eight rebounds, four steals) was in agreement, as the addition of Suruki set everyone back into their normal roles.
“It’s great,” she said of playing with the senior transfer. “She’s ‘spoonfeeding’ us, as coach would say. She’s a great point guard.”
Marina has yet to reach full strength, but it will be for its next league game against Fountain Valley on Tuesday. By that time, sophomore guard Katie Nguyen will have returned from a Christmas vacation trip.
From the early stages of the second quarter, Marina was in complete control against the Sailors (6-9, 0-1). Sophomore shooting guard Lexi Alvarez scored off an offensive rebound with 6:09 left in the period.
After that, the Vikings went on a 17-0 run, taking their lead to 32-10 with two minutes left in the half. During that stretch, salt was thrown in the wound for the Sailors when senior captain Angelina Alvarez committed back-to-back fouls on a three-point-shooting Esparza.
Alvarez would pick up her fourth foul in the final two minutes of the half, and she did not see the floor again until the fourth quarter.
Out of necessity, Lexi Alvarez attempted to carry her team. She scored 16 points to go with three rebounds and three steals.
Ever a gritty warrior on the court, Alvarez found someone who was willing to match her intensity in Esparza in Wednesday night’s league battle. The two players fiercely guarded each other in their one-on-one battles, and after a brandishing of elbows, were issued a final warning by the referee.
“She played a good game,” Esparza said. “It was just a little bumping around. Threw a [few] elbows, but it was just part of the game, I guess.”
Ashleigh McPhie and Lisa Hamilton each had 10 rebounds for the Sailors.
Newport Harbor continues league play at Los Alamitos on Tuesday.
Marina hosts Westminster on Saturday before resuming league competition against Fountain Valley.
Sunset League
Marina 52, Newport Harbor 32
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Marina – 15 - 20 - 8 - 9 – 52
Newport – 8 - 5 - 8 - 11 – 32
Mar – Esparza 16, Atwood 14, Suruki 11, Fukuzawa 8, Gordon 2, Tran 1.
3-pt. goals – Suruki 3, Esparza 2, Fukuzawa 2, Atwood 1.
Fouled out – None.
Technicals – None.
NH – L. Alvarez 16, A. Alvarez 8, Nacho 4, McPhie 2, Hamilton 2.
3-pt. goals – L. Alvarez 2, Nacho 1.
Fouled out – None.
Technicals – None.
