Sage pressed and done

IRVINE ? The Sage Hill School girls’ basketball team’s dreams of reaching its first-ever CIF championship game were stolen away from a pressing Brentwood club that kept the defensive pressure on all night.

The defending champion Eagles defined the game with their aggressive defensive attack and dribbled away with a 51-26 victory in a CIF Southern Section Division IV-A semifinal at Tarbut V’Torah High on Saturday.

Brentwood used its superior quickness and athleticism to generate 17 steals and force Sage Hill into numerous turnovers.

Toward the end of the second quarter and into the first half of the third quarter, the Lightning started beating the Brentwood press and getting open looks at the basket. Sage Hill, down 20-6 at one point in the second quarter, climbed back into the game early in the third quarter when 6-foot-2 senior center Haywood Wright drove to the basket and made a layup.

Then with 5:44 left in the third quarter, Laura Schaefer made Sage Hill’s first three-pointer of the night. She followed that up with another three-pointer. After Tierney Danner (team-high seven points) made one of two free throws, Sage Hill had cut the deficit to 24-21.

Despite the fact that Sage Hill (23-4) had brief success against the press during this span, the Eagles didn’t change their defensive strategy. They kept pressing, and soon Sage Hill was turning the ball over again.

“The girls started going back to their bad habits,” Sage Hill Coach Jim Perez said. “But you have to give Brentwood credit. When someone is constantly in your face and playing with a kind of controlled chaos, girls are going to make mistakes.”

Brentwood closed out the third quarter with a 10-2 spurt and the game with a 27-5 run. Jasmine Duckworth scored 10 of her 14 points in the third quarter, taking advantage of Sage Hill’s brief switch to a man-to-man defense to drive to the basket.

“They took our best shot and came back,” Perez said. “We just weren’t able to play with patience.”

Brentwood’s Tani Brown (nine points) led the defensive charge with four steals. Lauren Edwards (game-high 15 points), Leah Lehrer and Duckworth had three steals apiece.

“We just felt we were quicker than them and wanted to play up-tempo,” fifth-year Eagles Coach Dave Smith said. “That’s what we like to do and they were kind of tailor made for us.”

Most of Brentwood’s baskets in the fourth quarter came on easy layups after turnovers.

“We know if we play good pressure defense, we’re going to get our transition baskets,” Smith said.

Was the Eagle press and overall pressure defense the best Sage Hill has gone up against?

“By far,” Perez said. “I used to think we had one of the best press defenses. I think their athleticism makes it so tough and everyone does their job.”

Brentwood moved to 19-8 with the victory, but it may be better than its record indicates. The Eagles played a tough nonleague schedule that included games against Troy, Bishop Montgomery and Windward.

“When we broke their press, they stayed poised,” Perez said. “I think their strength or schedule helps them keep their poise.”

Wright didn’t take a shot until halfway through the second quarter when she threw up a three-point jump hook to beat the shot clock and didn’t make a basket until there was 2:30 left in the quarter on a putback after Sage Hill fell behind 20-6.

Wright scored on a baseline drive and the Lightning made 3 of 4 free throws toward the end of the second quarter to cut the lead to 22-12 at halftime.

In the last game of her high school career, Wright finished with six points, 10 rebounds and two blocks.

For Perez, making a run to the CIF semifinals marked a stellar first season at Sage Hill.

The No. 3-seeded Lightning, who captured the Academy League title, made it to the semifinals by getting a first-round bye, beating Linfield Christian, 50-40, in the second round and JSerra, 32-28, in the quarterfinals.

“I’m extremely pleased and happy with the direction of the program,” Perez said. “We made it to the semifinals in my first year of coaching here. In my eyes, the girls are champions.”