Awestruck Matadors open Walton hoops fest with scrimmage
- Updated: December 1, 2015
Visitors locker room inside Petco Park
Posted by Mount Miguel Girls Basketball on Monday, November 30, 2015
By Chris Davis
© East County Sports.com
PETCO PARK (12-1-15) — It is not often that we here at EastCountySports.com write an article about a scrimmage, but then again it’s not often that a scrimmage is held at Petco Park.
The Mount Miguel Matadors played in a scrimmage against La Jolla Country Day at the home of the National League baseball Padres on Monday (Nov. 30) as part of the Bill Walton Basketball Festival. While the decision won’t count in the final standings at the end of the season, the Torreys secured a 56-36 victory.
“It was crazy, just a fascinating atmosphere and experience for the kids,” said Mount Miguel coach ROBBIE SANDOVAL. “It was tight. We had the locker-room on the third base side.”
Mount Miguel’s Camara Douglas shoots a free throw with a backdrop of her on Petco Park’s giant video board Monday.
“I can’t even explain how cool it was,” Sandoval added.
The college sized court, which was rented by the Padres, is 10 feet longer and 8 wider than a regulation high school floor and was actually installed backward.
The teams also voiced some complaints about dead spots on the floor, sun in their collective faces and an eventual condensation on the court that halted the third of three games in the middle of the third quarter.
Workers used Swiffer in attempts to dry the floor and provide sure footing in the nightcap.
Finally the officials blew a premature end to the festivities.
The leading scorer for the game was the Torreys Alaysia Styles with 19 points, with two other teammates joining her in double figures.
For the Matadors, SATERA BATES showed the way with 12 points on 4-of-14 shooting (4-of-5 from the free throw line). Also joining her in double figures was AMBER HARD with 10 points (4-of-8 shooting, 2-of-5 from the line).
“We weren’t at full strength tonight,” said Sandoval, who was missing 6-foot-1 senior ROZLYN PIERCE and DESTINI ANDERSON.
“We were really sloppy – did a terrible job of taking care of the basketball. The first half, we just fell into the trap and didn’t attack the hoop.”
As a team, the Matadors will be happy to get back inside as the team was a sub-par 14-of-42 (33.3%) shooting outside in the elements.
“When we meet these guys again in January it won’t be like this,” Sandoval predicted.
The Red and Black will open the season on Wednesday (Dec. 2) against Montgomery at 7 p.m. in the Matador Classic on their Spring Valley campus.
Mount Miguel: Satera Bates 12 (9 reb, 3 stl, 1 blk), Hard 10 (8 reb, 1 stl), Camara Douglas 8 (4 reb, 3 blk), Laila Smith 6 (2 stl, 1 ast), Michelle Corley 2 (4 reb), Zaria Arline (4 reb, 2 stl), Kiara Morris (1 stl, 1 ast), A’Zhanea Pegram (1 stl).
