Imperial Tigers hold off Falcons
IMPERIAL — Despite playing host to Torrey Pines here on Tuesday night, the Imperial High girls’ basketball team played the role of underdogs in the teams’ firstround CIF-San Diego Section Division I game.
It was the teams’ postseason seedings that meant the Tigers had to prove themselves on their home court as they went into the game as the No. 10 seed to the Falcons’ No. 7 ranking.
Regardless of the numbers, the Tigers rose to the occasion and worked to hold off their higher-seeded opponent, winning 43-38, to advance to the Division I quarterfinals for the second time in three years.
“I thought we came out strong and played well that first quarter,” said longtime Tiger Head Coach Rich Ponchione. “We moved the ball well and made a good, team effort on offense and defense.”
The Tigers opened the game with an 11-3 run before a Falcon timeout allowed the visitors to regroup and eventually come within one score of the Tigers, making it 15-13 and the end of the opening period.
The Falcons’ strong performance in the later minutes of the first quarter carried into the second as the team eventually took the lead to end the first half with a 26-21 advantage.
“We knew (Torrey Pines) was going to give us trouble in the paint because of their size,” said Ponchione, whose team struggled to contain the Falcons’ Izzy Ascencio under the basket.
Yet what the Tigers lacked in size they made up for in speed and endurance, working to wear down the Falcons and regain the lead 34-33 by the end of the third.
“I think in the end that’s what helped us,” Ponchione said of his team’s press defense. “(Torrey Pines) looked fatigued in the fourth, and they were missing shots.”
As the visitors grew more tired, their defense also grew more hectic and aggressive, meaning the Tigers’ leading scorer Monique Carrasco was always accompanied by two or three Falcons for the duration of the fourth quarter.
Stepping in to move the ball down the court was Malena Ponchione, who also needed to shake off multiple defenders in order to find an open teammate.
“Malena tends to get a little more aggressive when (Carrasco) gets double-teamed like that because she knows she needs to move the ball and find our open bigs,” Ponchione said.
Malena managed to do just that and ultimately helped the Tigers pull away in the fourth quarter for the win.
Carrasco led the Tigers with 24 points, three assists and three steals, while Andrea Olguin had six points and Malena had four points, six assists and three steals.
With the win the Tigers advance to the quarterfinals, where they will travel to face No. 2 San Marcos on Thursday at 6 p.m.