Trotter, Brea Are Looking to Rebound in Santa Barbara

Brea Olinda forward Chelsea Trotter wasn’t especially upbeat about her performance last Saturday in a 63-46 loss to Harbor City Narbonne, the top-ranked girls’ basketball team in the nation in some publications.

Trotter scored a game-high 25 points on nine-for-15 shooting. But she had only five rebounds.

“This year, we have to work harder on the boards,” she said. “I was nowhere near where I had to be to play at this level. I take full responsibility. I think I could have contributed a lot more.”

She said she had never been so tired in a game as she battled with four players 6-0 or taller, including Ebony Hoffman (16 points, 11 rebounds) and Amber Pruett (13 points, six rebounds).

The fatigue, Trotter said, was largely a product of her rehabilitation from a torn anterior cruciate knee ligament she suffered last season in a state regional semifinal. It was her second torn ACL.

“The biggest thing about being out nine months is you’re not prepared for a game of this caliber,” she said. “To mimic basketball in a rehabilitative environment is very difficult.”

The Ladycats begin play Friday in the National Championship division at the Tournament of Champions in Santa Barbara. Narbonne will be there, and Brea is in the Gauchos’ half of the bracket.

Brea opens against Shelbyville (Tenn.) Central. Win or lose, it doesn’t get much easier; the Ladycats will play either Berkeley or Copperas Cove (Texas). All three teams are nationally ranked.

RECORD-SETTER

Senior guard DeAndre Gipson, who is averaging 18 points, is bearing down on the all-time boys’ scoring record at Buena Park High. He already holds school career records for assists and steals.

A four-year starter, the 6-2 guard is “one of the best players we have had here,” Coach Ed Matillo said.

“He’s definitely one of the best players in the county. He’s a real good athlete. He’s been the go-to guy. He’s been pretty consistent over four years and very exciting to watch.”

Gipson was just that last week in a 50-49 victory over Lakewood, hitting a three-point basket as the final buzzer sounded.

“They just stepped away from him for a second and he hit it,” Matillo said. “Nothing but net.”

UPSET SPECIAL

Not only did the Laguna Hills girls’ team upset Santa Margarita last week, 37-36, but the Hawks provided the week’s stunning performance, a 67-55 victory over No. 6 El Toro. Shannon Owens scored 26 points and grabbed 11 rebounds against the Chargers, helping Laguna Hills reach the title game of the South Coast Holiday Classic.

“She picked her spots, took it to the basket when openings arose, got some key rebounds,” Hawk Coach Jim Martin said. “She played the most mature game of her career.”

Another player who made a notable contribution was point guard Megan Aaker, who was 16 for 16 from the free-throw line. Going into the game, Aaker was two for four from the line.

ROUNDING INTO SHAPE

Lindsay Pavlik, a second-team all-county player last season for the Mater Dei girls’ team, practiced for the first time on Wednesday.

The Monarchs will be in the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions Open division against Orem (Utah) Friday.

“We’ll start working her into the rotation in Santa Barbara and see if she can work herself into basketball shape,” Coach Ollie Martin said.

Pavlik has been sidelined by a wrist injury sustained in the state volleyball playoffs.

DATE SWITCH

The Westminster girls’ game against Mater Dei scheduled for tonight has been changed. It will be played Jan. 18.

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Staff writer Paul McLeod contributed to this report.

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