Girls basketball: Eagles run past CdM

Barry Faulkner

COSTA MESA - The Estancia High girls basketball team handed

visiting Corona del Mar its first Pacific Coast League defeat Thursday

night. Even more impressive, the Eagles beat the Sea Kings at their own

game.

“We got caught up in their (up-tempo, pressing) style,” Estancia Coach

Paul Kirby admitted after the 61-48 verdict, which propelled the Eagles

(14-9, 4-2) into the thick of the PCL title race.

CdM (19-5, 5-1 and ranked No. 7 in CIF Southern Section III-AA), could

have clinched at least a share of its first league crown in more recent

memory with a win. Instead, Coach Elbert Davis’ squad must at least split

next week against University and Costa Mesa to retain a piece of the

crown. A sweep would give them the outright championship.

Estancia, which has won five straight, plays its final league game

Thursday at home against Uni.

“We need to take care of business against Uni and hope Costa Mesa can

beat Corona to force a three-way tie for first,” Kirby said.

The Eagles took care of business Thursday by handling CdM’s full-court

pressure much better than in a 55-32 first-round loss at CdM Jan. 13.

“We took better care of the ball and we attacked their press,” Kirby

said.

The Eagles still committed 26 turnovers -- nine each in the first and

fourth quarters. But they earned some easy baskets after breaking the

press, connected on 6 of 15 from three-point range and shot better than

50% over three quarters to prevail.

Estancia junior Zuyin Barrera, quietly becoming one of the league’s most

prolific scorers, got three of her four three-pointers before halftime

and finished with a career-high 24 points. She shot 50% from threedom and

hit 9 of 17 field-goal attempts.

Senior captain Lauren Cassity was typically ubiquitous for the winners,

collecting 11 points, six assists, five rebounds and three steals.

And sophomore Erika Avalos, a 5-foot-10 center, amassed 18 rebounds to go

with her nine points.

“(Avalos) was a monster on the boards tonight,” said Kirby, who saved

praise for the rest of his players.

“This was a good team win,” Kirby said. “We shared the ball and we had a

couple people shoot well. Lisa Hirata (nine rebounds) hit a big three for

us and so did Becky Lenhart.

The aforementioned three-pointers were part of three straight three balls

for the hosts, during a 13-0 run to close the half. The blitz turned a

30-23 deficit into a 36-30 lead at the break.

It was a game of runs in the first half, as CdM had separate spurts of

8-0 and 9-0 to maintain an advantage.

Estancia managed a 9-1 run in the first quarter, which ended 19 all. The

Eagles also scored the first three points after halftime to make it 16

straight tallies.

CdM, which shot just 19.4% from the field in the second half (7 for 36)

and just less than 30% for the game, never recovered.

Freshman Jackie McCoy came off the bench to hit 7 of 12 field-goal tries

to lead the visitors with 14 points.

Kristin McCoy had nine points and nine rebounds, as did CdM teammate

Carrie Hawkins.