Crescenta Valley Gets Back in the Fast Lane

LA CRESCENTA —  Judging by his philosophy, it’s a good thing Damian Scribner is a girls’ basketball coach and not a driver’s education instructor.

“Just because you hit a bump in the road doesn’t mean the car is wrecked,” Crescenta Valley High’s first-year coach said. “You just have to get back in there and go 80 miles-per-hour again.”

Scribner’s Falcons appear to again be in the fast lane after a 68-59 nonleague victory over Capistrano Valley Saturday night at Crescenta Valley.

The Falcons were ranked No. 1 in the region by The Times and No. 1 in the Southern Section Division I-AA before proving vulnerable last week in a 71-49 loss to Buena.

The drubbing gave Buena the region’s top ranking and Crescenta Valley (18-2) motivation to drive right over somebody.

Capistrano Valley (18-4), ranked sixth in Division I-AA and No. 3 in Orange County by The Times, just happened to be standing in the road.

“We wanted to prove that we’re still one of the top teams in the division and one of the best in Southern California,” said Michelle Greco, the Falcons’ All-American guard.

Greco showed no signs of the strained quadriceps muscle that limited her to 20 minutes of playing time in Crescenta Valley’s past three games.

She collected 34 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and four steals, leaving another admiring coach in her wake.

“She’s the best player in the state,” Cougar Coach Pete Belanto said. “If you’re going to win this division, you’re going to have to find a way to stop her. Obviously, we didn’t do that.”

All-Southern Section guard Tara Gregory scored 19 points and guard Kristie Umemoto added 11 for the Falcons, who played without forward Sinnamonn Garrett.

Garrett, a sophomore who is averaging 15.4 points and six rebounds, injured her left wrist in a 77-41 victory over Pasadena on Friday and likely will miss Tuesday’s Pacific League game with Division III-AA champion Muir.

The Falcons, who play Glendale on Friday, need two victories next week to claim at least a share of their third consecutive league title.

Junior Kelly Paige took Garrett’s place and had nine rebounds.

Senior forward Monique Mathews had 23 points and 11 rebounds for Capistrano Valley, which beat perennial powerhouse Mater Dei, 51-39, Friday night for its eighth consecutive victory.

The Cougars pulled to within 60-54 on Mary Anderson’s two free throws with 2:38 left, but Umemoto connected on a three-point shot 30 seconds later.

“Everything they put up seemed to go in and everything we put up didn’t,” said Belanto, whose team made only 19 of 53 shots (36%).

Crescenta Valley made 54% (22 of 41).