Eagles take command

Barry Faulkner

The Estancia High girls basketball team’s first game in the Golden

West League may have been for the championship. And, after a 44-41

triumph over visiting Westminster, which had not lost a league

contest since 1999, the crown may now be the Eagles’ to lose.

“I would say we are (in the driver’s seat),” first-year Estancia

coach Tami Rappa said after the thrilling contest, which lasted

nearly two hours. “I told our girls we didn’t want them to come into

our house and kick our butts. I think we made a statement in our

house tonight, especially coming off a (seven-game) losing streak.”

Rappa said the game came down to desire, and the more experienced

Eagles showed they would not be intimidated in a physical clash that,

at times, resembled a roundball rumble.

Both teams committed 24 fouls and Rappa picked up the only

technical foul, protesting a non-call. What’s more, every shot,

rebound, dribble drive and loose ball became a battle of will as both

teams slapped, swatted, tugged and dived as if every possession were

decisive.

There were, in fact, several turning points, with, perhaps, the

biggest being a 13-2 Estancia spurt in the third quarter that turned

a 20-17 deficit into a 30-22 lead with 2:58 left in the period.

The Eagles (6-8), who shared the title in the Pacific Coast League

last season, their first league crown in 11 years, continued to

answer each of the Lions’ charges. The Eagles opened the cushion to

40-30 after junior Trisha Wase followed her three-pointer from the

right wing with a five-foot runner to apparently ice the victory with

3:32 left in the contest.

But Westminster (6-7), which had gone 8-0 in league each of the

last three seasons and is ranked No. 3 in CIF Southern Section

Division I-A, wasn’t finished yet. A pair of three-pointers fueled a

9-1 run that pulled the Lions within 41-39 with 51 seconds left.

But, having missed 5 of its first 23 free throws, Estancia secured

the crucial victory from the foul line in the final 25 seconds.

First, Wase, who had missed five straight from the line, netted the

second of a double-bonus situation to create a 42-39 edge with 25

seconds left.

After two Westminster free throws (the Lions netted 21 of 35 in

the game) made it 42-41, Estancia junior guard Krystal Mino stepped

to the line with 10 ticks left and everything on the line.

Was she nervous? Hardly.

“I was relaxed,” she said, “because I face much worse in practice

(as the frequent on-the-spot shooter who can trigger team running

drills with every miss from the line). “I just wanted to shut the

crowd up.”

Mino swished both attempts, then made a steal, before an Estancia

turnover allowed Westminster one last desperation three-point

attempt, which never had a chance.

Byfield, one of two Eagles to foul out (starters Mino and Wase

finished with four fouls), led the Eagles with 12 points, while Wase

and senior center Tisha Gray added 10 apiece.

The desire Rappa spoke of manifested itself best on the defensive

end, as a combination of a half-court trap, swarming man-to-man, and

an active zone helped limit Westminster to just 9-of-42 shooting from

the field (21.4%). The Lions also had 23 of the game’s 41 turnovers.

Estancia shot only 28.8 percent, but it had eight more field goals

and 17 more attempts. Estancia’s 24 field-goal tries in the third

quarter (it made seven), matched Westminster’s combined total through

three quarters.

“This was big,” Mino summed up. We kept our composure and just

played as a team.”