PREP BASKETBALL REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS : Brea Shoots Down Rancho Alamitos

Experience, a height advantage and Sarah Beckley’s perfect shooting carried the Brea-Olinda girls’ basketball team to a 70-51 victory over Rancho Alamitos in the Southern California Regional Division III final Saturday at the Sports Arena.

Beckley, a sophomore forward, scored a game-high 20 points, making nine of nine from the field and two of two from the free-throw line. She also had eight rebounds.

“We didn’t expect their No. 40 (Beckley) to have a game like that,” said Rancho Alamitos Coach Bob Becker, who guided the Vaqueros (23-3) to their first regional championship game. “That’s the best game I’ve seen her play.”

The victory puts Brea (31-2) in the State Division III title game against Healdsburg next Saturday at the Arco Arena in Sacramento. It will be the fourth consecutive appearance in the State final for the Ladycats, who won the Division II title last season.

The Ladycats, who have four players 5 feet 10 or taller in the starting lineup, controlled the boards at the onset and opened leads of 10-2 and 21-6 in the first six minutes. After one quarter, they led, 22-8.

Beckley scored 10 of her points in the quarter, six on layups, two on a short bank shot and two off an offensive rebound. Senior guard Jody Anton contributed eight of her 18 points, including the Ladycats’ only three-pointer of the game.

“Brea is so fundamentally sound that they took it to us on the boards in the first quarter,” Becker said. “They are big and strong and disciplined. We haven’t played anybody like that.”

The Ladycats outrebounded Rancho Alamitos, 17-12, in the first half, with most of those coming in the opening quarter. Brea finished with a 35-26 advantage.

Rancho Alamitos did a better job of boxing out Brea’s rebounders from the second quarter on, but the Vaqueros could never cut the lead to fewer than nine points. Rancho Alamitos pulled to 30-21 with three minutes 35 seconds to play before halftime.

When Rancho Alamitos made its run in the second quarter, Brea Coach Mark Trakh countered with a timeout to settle down his team.

“They (Rancho) were getting us in their tempo,” Trakh said. “I wanted to slow the game down. A lead is not safe against them, so we didn’t want to get into their tempo.”

Anton took charge in the third quarter, scoring eight points. The last three came on a fast-break layup and a free throw after she was fouled by Rancho Alamitos forward Akilah Rodgers.

Brea held a 21-point lead after three quarters and cruised the rest of the way.

“If you’re going to lose, it’s nice going out losing to the best,” Becker said. “We gave it everything we had.”

The Vaqueros, who employed a harassing full-court press all season to subdue opponents, abandoned that tactic for most of the game, and instead relied on man-to-man coverage or combinations of the zone defense.

“We didn’t plan to use the hard press at all,” Becker said. “Our game plan was to sprint back. . . . We didn’t think our press could withstand a team like (Brea).”

Sophomore center Colleen Hudson scored 15 points for Brea and had six rebounds. Point guard Nicole Erickson had 10 points and a game-high seven assists--tied with Anton--before fouling out late in the fourth quarter.

For Rancho Alamitos, junior forward Timerie James had team highs with 15 points and eight rebounds. Center Anita Stecker and forward Lashanda Randle each added 10 points for the Vaqueros.

The fact that Rancho Alamitos reached the championship game--the first regional title game for any team in the history of the school--impressed Trakh.

“Four or five years ago, we didn’t scout Rancho. They weren’t a threat,” said Trakh, who prepared for the game by studying films of the Vaqueros and charting their plays. “When Bobby (Becker) came in, kids started getting interested and playing. That’s a credit to their coach. We knew their kids were winners and we were in for a game.”