Girls basketball: Eagles stumble into second

Barry Faulkner

IRVINE - Estancia High girls basketball coach Paul Kirby had plenty

to say after his Eagles dropped a 43-41 decision to host University

Tuesday in the battle for the Pacific Coast League lead.

His first sentence, however, may have summed it up best.

“It was a frustrating night,” said Kirby, who, along with his players,

can point to numerous lapses for allowing the defending champion Trojans

to assume the upper hand in the battle for this year’s PCL crown.

The Estancia foibles read like a pregame checklist for disaster as it

shot poorly from the field (12 of 40 for 24.5%) and the free-throw line

(9 of 20), committed 20 turnovers, and saw its offensive and defensive

catalyst, sophomore Trisha Wase, foul out with 4:27 left.

It not for Estancia senior Marie Rodriguez, who buried four first-half

three-pointers, five overall, en route to a career-high 17 points, the

Trojans would have cruised to their most crucial victory since clinching

sole possession of the PCL title with a regular-season-ending home

triumph over Estancia last year.

The Estancia effort was also weakened considerably before tipoff, with

Wase benched for the first 10:23 for having missed Monday’s practice and

fellow guard Crystal Mino sidelined early by a sore knee that developed

between Monday’s practice and Tuesday’s game.

The early absence of both helped Uni (13-7, 5-0 in league) earn a 9-0

lead before the Eagles even attempted a shot.

Two Rodriguez three-pointers helped the Eagles stay even the rest of

the quarter. And, after another Rodriguez swish from beyond the arc to

start the second quarter, the Eagles, clearly energized by Wase’s return

to the lineup, outscored the hosts, 14-4, before halftime to seize a

23-21 edge at intermission.

Uni, however, refused to wilt.

Senior point guard Shaadi Ariazand, a returning first-team all-league

performer, began the turnaround by starting the third quarter after

sitting out the final 8:29 of the first half with a sprained ankle. The

resilient hosts used a combined 14 points from Ariazand, senior Danielle

Janda and 5-foot-11 sophomore Chesea York, to turn a 32-25 deficit into a

35-33 lead heading into the final period.

York, a transfer from Avalon High on Catalina Island, paced the

winners with 16 points and 12 rebounds, while helping nearly eradicate

any inside offensive attack for Estancia (11-10, 4-1). Other than four

layups, two in transition, Estancia’s field goals all came from

three-point range.

Janda finished with 12 points, including a big 10-footer to put the

hosts ahead, 43-39, with 1:11 left, while Ariazand added nine points,

including 6 of 6 from the foul line.

Tisha Gray’s layin with 55 seconds left pulled the Eagles within two.

Estancia rebounded a Uni miss with 34 seconds left, but the shot clock

went off before the Eagles could manage one last shot.

Other than Rodriguez (6 of 11 including 5 of 9 from distance),

Estancia starters shot 3 of 28 from the field (10.7%).

In all, Wase spent nearly 19 of 32 minutes of action on the bench, but

still produced 11 points and eight steals.

Gray had 14 rebounds and scored all but two of her seven points in the

final period.

GIRLS

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

University 43, Estancia 41

Score by Quarters

Estancia 6 17 10 8 - 41

University 15 6 14 8 - 43

Estancia - Gray 7, Byfield 5, Castro 0, Rodriguez 17, Pena 0, Wase 11,

Mino 1.

3-pt. goals - Rodriguez 5, Wase 3.

Fouled out - Wase.

Technicals - none.

University - Janda 12, Sutter 2, York 16, Ariazand 9, Yeo 4.

3-pt. goals - Ariazand 1.

Fouled out - Yeo.

Technicals - none.