Girls hoops: CdM gets healthy, wins, 53-23

Steve Virgen

CORONA DEL MAR - No offense Northwood High, but the Corona del Mar

girls basketball team merely used the Timberwolves as practice and for

fine tuning Thursday night in a Pacific Coast League game. The Sea Kings,

however, were careful not to look past Northwood and accomplished

victory, 53-23, in preparation for Tuesday’s matchup with Estancia. CdM

also held the Timberwolves scoreless in the third quarter.

CdM senior Kristin McCoy looked ready to take on the Eagles as she led

the Sea Kings (7-10, 2-0 in league) with a game-high and season-high 23

points. She scored 16 in the first half when she took eight trips to the

free throw line and shot 12 for 15.

“We’ve been working on certain moves (with McCoy),” CdM Coach Elbert

Davis said. “She’s been learning how to change directions and give the

defense different looks. And, when she does that, she’s pretty much

unstoppable on the high school level.”

McCoy frequently drove to the basket with aggression. The Sea Kings

jumped out to a 12-2 lead in the first five minutes and she accounted for

eight of the points.

McCoy finished with seven rebounds and five steals. Her sister,

Jackie, also grabbed seven rebounds and was the only other Sea King in

double figures with 10 points. CdM juniors Andrea Gruber and Carrie

Hawkins finished with six points each.

In the first half, the Timberwolves (8-11, 0-2) could not handle CdM’s

full-court pressure defense. Northwood committed 12 turnovers and finished with 29.

“Defensively, we did a good job,” Davis said. “Offensively, we still

have a long way to go. We didn’t execute like I thought we would. Our

offense ... I think we still have a long way to go. If we have to rely on

our half-court offense, we’re going to be in trouble.”

When the Timberwolves weren’t mishandling the ball, they were fouling

the Sea Kings. CdM finished 20 of 31 from free throw line.

The Timberwolves came as close as seven points after Holly Miles, who

led Northwood with eight points, hit a jump shot three minutes before

halftime. But, the Sea Kings closed out the half with an 8-0 run.

After both teams went scoreless through the first four minutes of the

third quarter, CdM continued its scoring run by converting 10 unanswered.

The Timberwolves committed seven turnovers in the third as they could not

find any rhythm.

“We were able to come out in the second half and shut them down,”

Davis said. “I’m impressed that all of our girls are getting quality

minutes and they’re coming in with that intensity. We’re going to need

those girls when we play the better teams.”

CdM’s second win in the PCL came much-needed as the Sea Kings host

Estancia Tuesday at 7 p.m.

“Estancia, they’re the team to beat,” Davis said. “We have to be ready

to play on the offensive and defensive end. There’s just no ducking them.

There’s no easy way around them. It’s going to be interesting. The league

champion should be from one of these two teams.”

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Corona del Mar 53, Northwood 23

Northwood 5 10 0 8 - 23

Corona del Mar 16 14 10 13 - 53

Northwood - Miles 8, Nichols 4, Craig 4, Lipscomb 4, Rezaei 2, Smith

1.

3-pt. goals - Miles 1.

Fouled out - Nichols, Lipscomb.

Technicals - none.

Corona del Mar - K. McCoy 23, J. McCoy 10, Gruber 6, Hawkins 6, Pham

2, Marks 2, Alateha 2, Klien 2, Kawata 0, Otterbien 0.

3-pt. goals - none.

Fouled out - none.

Technicals - none.