GIRLS’ BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Christian Romps by La Jolla Country Day

EL CAJON —  Christian and La Jolla Country Day have played some exciting games in the San Diego Section Division V girls’ basketball playoffs--some of them classics. LJCD won the tournament three years in a row, once beating Christian in the semifinals and once in the final.

The two teams met again Saturday, but this year the circumstances were far different. If not for a playoff format that invites every team in the county, LJCD (7-13), suffering through a rebuilding year, wouldn’t have been in Christian’s gym escorting the Patriots into the semifinals with a 68-35 loss.

The Torres, with only two players remaining from their championship years and only seven in uniform Saturday, didn’t appear to have a chance against City Harbor League champion Christian (17-4), the top seed which drew a first-round bye.

The pivotal point of the game for the Torres came with 2:03 remaining in the first quarter. Losing, 8-4, LJCD had a good chance to pull within two with Angela Tessmer (10 points) wide open for an easy jump shot. Tessmer fired an air ball, and the Patriots took off on a 17-0 run that led to a 31-12 halftime lead.

The 19-point lead didn’t appear to be enough for Christian, which at one point scored 21 points in a row. The Patriots scored the first 15 points of the third quarter, building a 50-14. But with his team leading by 31 earlier in the quarter, Christian Coach Mike Zazvrskey implemented a full-court press.

“I hated to do it, but they need the practice,” Zazvrskey of his Patriots, who forced 13 Torre turnovers in the quarter. “We really didn’t have a good practice all week; not even a good scrimmage.”

LJCD, not as quick, physical or as talented as Christian, had ball-handling problems without the Patriot press: 34 turnovers for the game and only two fewer turnovers (15) than shots taken (17) in the first half. They had their hands full with Christian’s Tiffany Stutz, who had a game-high 28 points, 10 steals, six rebounds and six assists.