Tesoro’s heartbreakers

Laguna Beach High girls’ basketball team ends season with 83-71 loss.A strong start Wednesday against visiting Tesoro couldn’t sustain the Laguna Beach High girls’ basketball team, which dropped an 83-71 Pacific Coast League game in the regular season finale for both squads.

The Breakers, who honored their senior players before the start of the game, came up with a big first quarter and led, 21-16.

But the Titans turned it around in the second quarter, outscoring the Breakers, 25-13, to go up at the half.

Claire Bevacqua continued her hot scoring pace by pouring in a game-high 27 points, in her final performance for the Breakers.

Junior Brittany Clark scored 14 and sophomore Tess Grogan finished with 11.

“I was very impressed by the way we came out in the first quarter,” Laguna coach Nicholas Ilagan said. “It was Senior Night and the season finale, so I was not sure how the girls would come out on such an emotional night.

“We did another great job on defense. We really stepped up the full-court pressure tonight.”

Also playing their final games in a Laguna uniform were Haley Eaves, Lauren Delgado, Chelsea Hairston and Lisa Avila.

“Haley Eaves played possibly the best game of her career in her final game,” Ilagan said.

Laguna came into Wednesday’s game on the heels of a 52-47 loss at Corona del Mar.

The Breakers trailed at the half, 27-19, but closed to within 37-32 heading into the fourth quarter.

Grogan topped the Breakers with 17 points and Bevacqua had 15.

Defensively, Laguna played much better than in its Jan. 18 meeting with the Sea Kings, who won, 64-45, at Laguna.

The Breakers held the Sea Kings’ Katie Schulte to just three points.

Laguna finished 2-10 in league play.

“I thought that we did a tremendous job on defense,” Ilagan said. “We held their best player to only three points and forced numerous turnovers.

“CdM did a great job of closing each quarter and hit some big shots.”20060210iueasync(LA)Laguna Beach High School player Brittany Clark, left, passes the ball to a teammate while Corona del Mar’s Katie Schulte, center, attempts to stop the play during the Pacific Coast league game at Corona del Mar High School on Monday. 20060210iuearwncPHOTOS BY DOUGLAS ZIMMERMAN / COASTLINE PILOT(LA)Laguna Beach High School’s Claire Bevacqua, right, fights for a rebound with Corona del Mar’s Kristina Wayte, center, as Emily LaRose looks on late in the fourth quarter of their Pacific Coast league game at Corona del Mar High School gymnasium on Monday.Laguna Beach High School player Brittany Clark, left, passes the ball to a teammate while Corona del Mar’s Katie Schulte, center, attempts to stop the play during the Pacific Coast league game at Corona del Mar High School on Monday.