CdM goes ice cold at Calvary Chapel

Richard Dunn

Billed as the Pacific Coast League season’s inaugural first-place

showdown, the Corona del Mar High girls basketball team would prefer

not to advertise its shooting percentage Thursday night, while host

Calvary Chapel, the league newcomer, announced its arrival with a

65-35 win.

The Eagles (12-8, 3-1 in league), whose throwback 3-2 zone defense

was instilled to shut down CdM senior sharpshooter Kelliann Klein,

kept most of the Sea Kings (8-10, 3-1) on their heels as the visitors

shot 13 of 46 from the field (28.2%) in their first league setback.

“We shot so bad against University the other night, I didn’t think

there was any way we could shoot any worse ... I guess it finally

caught up with us,” CdM Coach James Barkalow said.

Calvary Chapel, which has a history of CIF Southern Section

Division IV success with two finals appearances since 1999, mounted

an early lead, 17-6, which was insurmountable for the Sea Kings by

first quarter’s end. The Eagles outscored the Sea Kings in every

quarter, including 19-8 in the fourth period.

“The whole game, we didn’t play defense and we shot horrible,”

Barkalow said. “We missed I’d say eight layups and we missed them at

crucial times, just when (the Eagles) would be in the middle of a

run. It takes the wind out of your sails.”

CdM’s defensive mission was to stop Calvary Chapel point guard

Rochelle Crawford from going nuts on the scoreboard. And, while the

Sea Kings were successful in holding the Eagles’ leading scorer to

only six points, the had no answer for slashing guard Dani Bacon, who

dropped in a career-high 21 points with a 9-of-14 performance from

the field.

“This is a big win for us,” Calvary Chapel Coach Bob Moore said.

“We played well tonight.”

Calvary Chapel, which reached a season-high point total against

the Sea Kings’ defense, shot 27 of 62 from the floor (43.5%) -- 13 of

31 in the first half and 14 of 31 in the second.

The Eagles opened with a 7-0 lead, then after Klein (team-high 14

points) scored to cut their lead to 11-6, they scored six unanswered

points to cap the first period.

“We switched our defense around to a 3-2 so we could follow

(Klein),” Moore said. “Klein’s an awesome shooter and we decided to

keep her out on the perimeter with a hand in her face and I think

that frustrated her. In two of the last five games, she has had five

three-pointers in those games.”

Klein was 0 of 4 from three-point country, while the Sea Kings

finished 0 of 6. CdM senior Jackie McCoy contributed eight points,

six rebounds, four steals and one assist, while Madison Otterbein had

four rebounds and two blocked shots and Lauren Snell four rebounds

for CdM.

Calvary Chapel, which got at least one steal from six different

players, was led by Crawford’s seven assists, four rebounds and three

steals.

In the second quarter, CdM pulled to within 17-11, but Bacon scored three straight baskets -- a layup, a three-pointer and another

layup with 3:34 left on a pass from Crawford -- and Monique Watson

added a jumper with 2:43 to play in the first half to crown an

Eagles’ 9-0 run. They led at halftime, 31-16.

After Bacon and Crawford scored two quick baskets for Calvary

Chapel to open the second half, it gave the hosts a point total (35)

greater than twice the Sea Kings’.

After another Calvary Chapel 7-0 spurt, in which Cortni French

scored after a steal and pass from Crawford to cap the run, the

Eagles enjoyed a 42-21 advantage with 3:00 to play in the third

quarter.