Girls’ Basketball: Close win for Edison over Cerritos
HUNTINGTON BEACH – If it hadn’t been happening right before their eyes, they probably wouldn’t have believed it.
Once up by 19 points in the early stages of the third quarter, Edison High’s girls’ basketball team watched that lead dissolve.
Cerritos was knocking on the door, drawing to within two points before a senior guard broke her silence.
Siena Ontiveros drilled a corner 3-pointer with 1:20 remaining, and the host Chargers were able to close out Cerritos, 44-40, on Thursday in the consolation championship game of the Larry Doyle/Dan Wiley Tournament.
The shot from distance made it, 43-38. It was Ontiveros’ only attempt from the field in the second half.
“When she got into the game and she knocked down that three, I knew that we needed that so that we could have a lead to win,” Shelby Schuesler said. “I was really happy about that.”
Schuesler excelled in a point forward capacity for Edison (9-4). The freshman scored eight points, adding seven rebounds, five assists, and two steals.
Andie Kristinat and Schuesler assisted on each other’s 3-pointers as an 8-0 run had the Chargers up, 31-12, over the Dons (5-8) to start the third quarter.
Cerritos had little going for it offensively in the first half, and when Ifeoma Okoli went to the bench, one could have mistaken the move for the Dons waving the white flag. The senior center had six points and five rebounds in the first quarter alone.
Okoli’s size presented a tough matchup for the Chargers, but they handled it well. Ryane Bradbury had eight points, 11 rebounds, and three steals working on the inside.
“It was definitely a challenge because she’s so much bigger than me,” Bradbury said of facing Okoli. “My arms are a little longer, so I was trying to get under her and take it out of her hands or beat her to loose balls.”
The Dons used the 3-pointer to get back into the game. Lindsay Fujihiro made back-to-back shots from behind the arc in the third.
In the fourth, Tracey Nakamura, who had gone 0 for 9 from the field to start the game, got a very generous bounce from the rim. Her 3-point shot from the left corner caught the back iron, bouncing high into the air and through the hoop.
Teresa Torres did the rest of the work, supplying nine of her game-high 12 points in the final period.
The Dons’ run to get back into the game was stunning, but it didn’t shock Chargers coach Sara Brown that the comeback was engineered with Okoli on the bench.
“Anytime teams have good shooters, they’re going to keep shooting, and eventually, they’re going to fall,” Brown said. “Not really (surprised). That’s just the way that their team is wired. Drive-and-kick type of team.”
The wait is over for the Chargers, as transfer players Finley Garnett and Hope Nguyen have completed their 30-day sit-out periods. They will be eligible when Edison opens Sunset League play at Fountain Valley next Thursday.
“They each bring strength to the bench,” Brown said. “They also bring a lift off the bench in rebounding and speed. That’s going to be a very good boost for us.”
Larry Doyle/Dan Wiley Tournament
Consolation Final
Edison 44, Cerritos 40
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Cerritos – 8 - 4 - 14 - 14 – 40
Edison – 14 - 9 - 13 - 8 – 44
Cer – Torres 12, Okoli 8, Fujihiro 6, Hayakawa 5, Vitug 4, Nakamura 3, Huang 2.
3-pt. goals – Fujihiro 2, Torres 2, Nakamura 1, Hayakawa 1.
Fouled out – None.
Technicals – None.
Ed – Kristinat 11, Bradbury 8, Schuesler 8, Luna 7, S. Ontiveros 6, Niemand 4.
3-pt. goals – Kristinat 3, Schuesler 2, S. Ontiveros 1.
Fouled out – None.
Technicals – None.
