Eagles grow up fast in playoffs away from nest
- Updated: February 27, 2016
Granite Hills celebrates after a second-consecutive road win in the San Diego CIF Division I playoffs on Friday night at Mt. Carmel High.
2015-16 PREP GIRLS BASKETBALL – SDCIF DIVISION I QUARTERFINALS
By Ramon Scott
© EastCountySports.com
RANCHO PENASQUITOS — Another road playoff win. Another celebratory team pic in the opponents’ quiet gym.
Granite Hills’ Ralleigh Moore defends against Mt. Carmel’s Kecia Oakry Friday night in Rancho Penasquitos. / EastCountySports.com photo
The Granite Hills girls basketball team won on the road Friday night (Feb. 26), knocking off the second-seeded Mt. Carmel Sundevils 32-27 in the quarterfinals of the San Diego CIF Division I Playoffs.
A real rough-and-tumble affair saw the hosts with just a 13-10 lead at intermission. Mt. Carmel did a strong job in the first half of keeping the Eagles from their typical running and driving to the hoop. The lead changed hands nine times during the low-scoring tilt, with the Eagles’ winning margin being the largest lead of the game.
The teams forced a fair share of turnovers between them in the first half.
The score was tied 15-15 midway through the third quarter, then RAELLEAH MOORE hit a 15-foot field goal from the left arc to give the Eagles a 17-15 lead with 2:40 left in the period.
Granite Hills’ ANYANG AGOTH hit a three-pointer to fire up the bench and give the Eagles’ a 21-19 lead, then on the next possession, Moore drove for a basket for Granite just before the third-quarter buzzer.
The Sundevils’ Alyssa Quidachay and Lilja Ingolfsdotti (team-leading 10 points) both hit three pointers in the fourth quarter for Mt. Carmel, as Quidachay’s three-pointer put the hosts ahead 27-26, but the Eagles quickly countered with a basket from Moore.
Granite Hills’ Mica Hernandez (left) positions during a free throw Friday night. / EastCountySports.com photo
Moore hit a pair of free throws with 1:34 left in the fourth to make it 30-27, then DIAMOND HOLLIS added a steal and bucket in the final :10 for the winning margin. Hollis scored all six of her points in the second half.
“I attribute the low score to our defense, as we had really had a lockdown defense tonight,” said Moore, who led the Eagles with 11 points. “I think it was very physical because there was a lot of bumping and colliding. We were trying to cut people off from where they were trying to go.”
Granite Hills will face La Costa Canyon in the semifinals, after the Mavericks defeated West Hills Friday night in the quarterfinals.
Granite Hills was the higher seed entering the contest with Mt. Carmel, and before that, Ramona, but look to be peaking at just the right time. They will face 18-point per game scorer Cassie Amundsen and the third-seeded Lady Mavs on Tue., March 1.
“I think we were nervous in the first half, but as you keep playing, you get rid of it real quick,” said the Eagles’ KANI KUBARI. “We’re underdogs so they are underestimating us. They aren’t going to see us coming, so maybe we have another (win) coming.”
MICA HERNANDEZ added eight points for Granite Hills, six coming in the first 1 1/2 quarters of play.
