Valencia Rises to the Occasion After Pep Talk

VALENCIA —  Jerry Mike didn’t mince words before the game. After all, a league title was at stake.

The Valencia High coach could have told his players to take things one game at a time or to give 110%. Instead, he eschewed any cliches.

“I told them this could be the biggest game in school history for girls’ basketball,” he said.

He was correct.

Valencia defeated Burroughs, 65-58, and virtually clinched the first Foothill League title in the five-year history of the program Tuesday night at Valencia.

The Vikings (15-7, 6-1 in league play) have a two-game lead over Burroughs and Saugus with three to play. With a victory over Hart, Canyon or Saugus, Valencia would clinch at least a tie for the league championship. Two victories and the Vikings would win the title outright.

The victory over a depleted Burroughs team didn’t come easy.

The Indians (16-7, 4-3) were without their best defensive player, Danica Cunningham, who is out for the season because of a broken bone in her left hand. And starting guard Jodi Gibbs did not play after being suspended from school because of an off-campus incident.

But Burroughs stayed close, despite freshman sensation Shaina Zaidi sitting out most of the third quarter with four fouls.

Burroughs actually took a 55-54 lead with 1:55 left to play on a fastbreak layup by Sara Larquier.

Valencia answered quickly and effectively. Valerie Pina and Megan Honaker made three-pointers on consecutive possessions to give the Vikings a five-point lead.

When Burroughs took its one-point lead, “it kind of made me mad,” said Honaker, who finished with 21 points, including five three-pointers. “It made me want it more.”

Zaidi finished with 12 points and Gracie Coronado scored 15 for Burroughs, which appeared in big trouble after a three-pointer by Honaker gave Valencia a 52-44 lead with 6:37 left.

“It looked for a minute like we might get blown out, but we fought hard with Shaina in deep foul trouble and Jodi and Danica not playing,” said Coach Doug Nicol of Burroughs.

Not quite hard enough.

The Indians surrendered 11 points in the final 1:30.

The title is in the grasp of Valencia, which had four players score in double figures.

Pina and Marissa Meadows each had 11 points, and Stephanie Patterson added 10 for Valencia, which is well on its way to breaking Hart’s eight-year stranglehold on the league title.

Said Mike: “We still have work to do, but we’ve beaten Burroughs twice and they’re a solid team.”