Bell-Jeff Takes Free Fall to 44-37 Defeat

LONG BEACH —  The adage says you have to make your free throws to win basketball games.

But after St. Anthony High defeated Bell-Jeff, 44-37, Thursday night in a Camino Real League girls’ basketball game at St. Anthony, two coaches were left with opposing views on the subject.

Bell-Jeff Coach Jim Couch would agree. His team struggled from the line, connecting on only 11 of 18 free throws, and saw a 21-17 halftime lead turn into a loss.

“We just weren’t doing the things we were supposed to,” Couch said after watching Cheryl Flores miss two free throws that would have pulled Bell-Jeff (15-4, 2-2 in league play) to within three points with three minutes left to play.

The Saints, ranked 10th in the Southern Section’s Division V poll, even worse at the line, making only two of seven free throws in the game.

After Flores missed the second attempt, teammate Stacey Cobb grabbed the rebound and was fouled.

Cobb missed the front end of a one and one and Zinnia Velez capitalized for the Saints (16-5, 2-1) on the other end on the court with a three-point basket as the shot clock expired to put St. Anthony’s up, 41-33, with 2 minutes 25 seconds left.

“They made all the key shots and took away our momentum,” Couch said.

Cobb and Flores each had seven points for the Guards, who are ranked eighth in the Southern Section’s Division IV.

Edith Guerra had 12 points for the Saints, while Nicole Ackermann added nine points and 11 rebounds.