Falcons Are Downed By the Three

The Ayala High girls’ basketball team made 13 of 31 three-point shots in a 59-50 semifinal victory over Crescenta Valley in the Bell-Jeff tournament on Friday.

Ligaya Dozier and Candice Allen did most of the damage for the Bulldogs. Allen made four three-pointers on her way to a game-high 18 points, while Dozier made five three-pointers and had 17 points.

Ayala will play Palisades, which defeated Simi Valley in the other semifinal, 59-16, in the championship tonight at 7. Simi Valley will play Crescenta Valley for third place.

Ayala benefited from cross-count diagonal passes that consistently broke the Crescenta Valley full-court press and led to several open three-point attempts.

Crescenta Valley was missing three starters. Laura Zerebko was sidelined with mononucleosis, while Sinnamonn Garrett and Heather Nefas are attending a non-basketball related camp in Colorado.

“We didn’t lose this game because we lacked players, we didn’t lose because we lacked desire, we didn’t lose because we lacked intensity,” Falcon Coach Damian Scribner said. “We lost because they made threes.”

Tara Gregory scored 17 points for Crescenta Valley, and Michelle Greco had 16 points and 10 rebounds. The Falcons countered the long-range attack with six three-pointers, four by Kristie Umemoto (12 points).

Crescenta Valley trailed, 51-36, with 2:39 left in the third quarter when Scribner called a timeout.

The Falcons then went on a 14-3 run to close the gap to 54-50 with just over two minutes left in the game.

Crescenta Valley looked to get closer when Gregory stole the ball at midcourt with a minute left but she missed a three-point attempt and Monique Ballard hit a three-pointer 15 seconds later for Ayala.

Alene Squires scored seven points for Simi Valley, while Leilani Estevan led the Dolphins with 18 points in the second semifinal.

In consolation games, Laura Lundsford scored 22 points for Bell-Jeff in a 50-39 loss to Fontana. Natalie Grabowski scored 11 points to lead Rio Mesa to a 30-28 victory over Valencia, which got nine points from Alicia McMurrin. Moorpark defeated Bell Gardens, 46-44, behind a 23-point effort from Damaris Hinojosa. Mindy Swanson scored 10 for the Musketeers.

Canyon lost to Pacifica, 39-22. Katie Holdaway scored eight points for the Cowboys.