ROUNDUP: Four east teams to face off in finals
- Updated: December 23, 2016
2016-17 EAST COUNTY PREP GIRLS BASKETBALL
By Bill Dickens
© East County Sports.com
EL CAJON (12-23-16) — The undefeated Foothillers swept a pair of games at the Crawford Invitational on Thursday (Dec. 22) to earn a berth in Friday’s (Dec. 23) championship game at the Colts’ gym and will face Helix.
Grossmont beat Castle Park 57-19 in the early game and defeated Morse 40-35 in the nightcap.
ATHENA SOTELO scored 36 points in the two games and TYANA WARSAW pitched in 28 points and 24 rebounds.
Grossmont vs. Castle Park: Athena Sotelo 15 (6 ast, 4 reb, 3 stl), Tyana Warsaw 18 (13 reb, 2 blk), Candace Henderson 9 (2 ast), Sabrina Yohannes 6 (3 reb), Grace Cercado 2 (3 stl), Nailah McDuffie 2, Regina Turner 5 (2 stl).
Grossmont vs. Morse: Athena Sotelo 21 (3 reb, 3 ast, 5 stl), Tyana Warsaw 10 (11 reb, 2 blk), Candace Henderson 7 (2 stl), Grace Cercado 2.
HELIX 65, CRAWFORD 26 – CAMRYN OWENS led the Highlanders with 13 points and DANIELLE SIMMONS added 11 to help Helix overcome host Crawford in the Crawford Invitational Thursday (Dec. 22).
MARINA SMITH pitched in 10 for the Highlanders.
“(After Friday’s championship) we don’t play again until Friday (Jan. 13) when league starts,” said Helix scorekeeper BETSY WALKER, partner of former Highlanders’ girls coach PAT TABOR, who recently passed away. “We’re planning a special tribute to Pat that night.”
Helix: Camryn Owens 13 (1 reb, 2 ast), Danielle Simmons 11 (5 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk), Marina Smith 10, Olivia Missouria 8 (1 reb, 2 ast), Charity McWashington 8 (2 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl), Melat Ezana 6, Taliah Hooker 5 (1 ast), Mariyah Howard 4 (2 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl), Diamond Whitley (1 ast).
EL CAPITAN 48, EL CAJON VALLEY 33 – STEPHANIE ADAMS scored an East County-high 38 points, collected 15 rebounds, blocked 7 shots, made 2 assists and 2 steals for the Vaqueros in Thursday’s (Dec. 22) Braves/Vaqueros Holiday Invitational semifinal as El Capitan downed the host Braves.
It was an amazing scoring night for the Vaqueros who dominated most of the evening except for the third quarter when they scored only one point.
“Our team is struggling with injuries and not at full strength, said El Capitan coach DARIN CURTIS. “However, we played hard and built an early lead, but (El Cajon Valley coach) CARLOS (MOSS) made some halftime adjustments to get his team back into it.
“LEANNA (WATSON) is just tough to slow down,” Curtis added. “When she gets loose, she makes things happen.
“The freshman (Adams) had a big night scoring and rebounding for us. MARIE (COOK) and the guards did a good job of getting her the ball where she was able to finish. The game was closer than it appeared, but in the end it was the difference in the game.”
Cook recorded 9 rebounds and 9 assists to go with 6 points for the Vaqueros.
Watson led El Cajon Valley with 23 points.
The championship game for the tournament will match Santana and El Capitan in Lakeside on Friday (Dec. 23) at 7 p.m.
El Capitan won last week at Santana in overtime.
El Capitan: Stephanie Adams 38 (15 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 7 blk), Marie Cook 6 (9 reb, 9 ast), Jordan Grandy 2 (5 reb, 2 ast, 3 stl), Danielle Pimentel 2 (2 reb, 2 ast, 4 stl), Devon Bullock (5 ast, 1 stl).
El Cajon Valley: Leanna Watson 23, Sumaya Hameed 6, Vean Gorgees 4.
GRANITE HILLS 31, HOLTVILLE 24 – The Eagles battled the Vikings off the glass to squeeze out a victory to balance their season record at 4-4 in Thursday’s (Dec. 22) Crawford Invitational action.
ANYANG AGOTH paced Granite Hills with 11 points.
KANI KUBARI was big on the boards with 15 caroms, and SHANICE LACY grabbed 10 rebounds.
“It’s nice to win a game when you’re scoring the most points but not playing your best ball,” commented Eagles coach CURTIS NORWOOD. “We controlled the boards and that allowed us to finish on top.”
Granite Hills: Anyang Agoth 11, Chase Robles 6, Shanice Lacy 4 (10 reb), Shelby Ripberger 4, Kani Kubari 3 (15 reb), Paige Welch 3.
CHRISTIAN 55, ORANGE GLEN 13 – MARISSA GILES scored 26 points, which is double that Orange Glen produced in Thursday’s (Dec. 22) non-league game.
She swished 4 three-pointers as the Patriots took a 27-7 lead in the first quarter at Orange Glen.
BROOKE OWENS pitched in 17 points and JASMYN CRAWFORD added 14 for the Patriots.
“Our 7-3 record is the best since I have been coaching here, so it’s exciting to be doing so well,” said Patriots coach TIFFANY GILES. “We have been working really hard to play an up-tempo, fast paced, man defense type of game. The girls are really improving. I’m really proud of them.”
HAYLEY ROBINSON took a charge and hit her head, causing her to leave the game, but not before she grabbed a rebound and made 2 steals.
Christian: Marissa Giles 26 (2 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl), Brooke Owens 17 (2 stl), Jasmyn Crawford 14 (5 reb, 3 stl), Alyssa Rothrock 4 (1 reb), Cipriana Hudson (2 reb), Suzy Webster (3 reb), Lisette Duarte (2 reb), Hayley Robinson (1 reb, 2 stl).
