Eagles push way to victory

Steve Virgen

The Estancia High girls basketball team found out what it’s like

to play in a tight game, and the Eagles responded with a 54-49

victory over Torrance, that came one week after their coach was

assaulted by a former player’s parent and three days after losing one

of their key players, Tisha Gray, to injury.

The Eagles also played down the stretch without their starting

point guard, Trisha Wase, who fouled out, but still pulled out the

win Tuesday and advanced to the championship quarterfinals of the

16-team South Coast Holiday Classic hosted by University High.

Estancia will play Friday at 5 p.m. against Sunset League power

Esperanza, which blew out El Modena, 59-20 Tuesday.

Gray, who injured her ankle during practice Friday, could be

available to play Saturday.

“I could see them developing composure when it’s a tight game,”

Estancia Coach Tamette Rappa said. “They have to learn when the game

is tight they have to run out the clock.”

Wase, a junior and third-year varsity player, scored a game-high

18 points, and she also grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out five

assists before fouling out with 5:22 left and Estancia (3-0) ahead,

47-36. The Tartars (1-1) came within three on three occasions,

pulling the deficit to 48-45 with 2:44 remaining, then, 51-48, with

43 seconds left and, 52-49 with 26 seconds left. But, in the final

1:20, Estancia junior Nancy Castro made a layup off an assist by

junior Reyna Garcia, while sophomore Imelda Pena and Garcia added one

free throw each, and junior Krystal Mino hit two free throws with

eight seconds left.

“With me fouling out, I didn’t think anything of it,” Wase said.

“Everyone knows how to play as a team on this team, and that’s what

wins games.”

“I like the way they ended and played with intensity,” Rappa said.

“That was a good sign for the future.”

Byfield finished with 16 points, and also three steals and two

blocked shots, while Castro added 10 points and nine rebounds. Garcia

came off the bench and contributed six rebounds and two points.

South Coast Holiday Classic

Second Round

Estancia 54, Torrance 49

Score by Quarters

Estancia 13 15 13

13 - 54

Torrance 10 13 7

19 - 49

Estancia -- Byfield 16, Pena 4, Castro 10, Mino 4, Wase 18, Garcia 2, Wilson 0, Maldonado 0, Flores 0.

3-pt. goals -- Pena 1.

Fouled out -- Wase.

Technicals -- none.

Torrance -- Thompson 9, Goguen 7, Sorenson 9, H. Shimizu

1, Hill 0, N. Shimizu 13, Szeto 9, Adachi 1.

3-pt. goals -- Szeto 2, N. Shimizu 2.

Fouled out -- Sorenson.

Technicals -- none.