TORREYS SCORE WIN VS. RANKED ETIWANDA SQUAD

The La Jolla Country Day girls basketball schedule reads like something you’d see on the Travel Channel.

There have been flights to Phoenix, Portland and to the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass.

Saturday, the Torreys — ranked No. 6 in the nation and No. 3 in California — had a long bus ride to San Ysidro High to take on Etiwanda, ranked No. 10 in the nation and No. 5 in California, in the ESPN Borderboyz Classic that included the San Ysidro boys against Bishop Gorman of Las Vegas.

Trailing by six early in the third quarter, LJCD rallied for a hard-fought 70-65 win in a game that was carried on ESPN+.

The Torreys had three players score 20 or points. Jada Williams led all scorers with 24, including four 3pointers.

Breya Cunningham finished with 20 points, 15 rebounds and six blocked shots.

Sumaya Sugapong had 20 points — all in the second half — and hit four 3-pointers.

“We’re used to the big stage,” Williams said. “We do what we do. Basketball is a game of runs. You need to know how to stop them, and how to get on one yourself. I’m a leader, so I know when to take a charge.”

Cunningham played the entire fourth quarter with four fouls.

“I’ve been in that situation before,” Cunningham said. “I had to stay down, not give the officials a reason to call a foul.”

Kennedy Smith led Etiwanda with 21 points, while Majesty Cade had 15 and Aliyanna Morris 14.

Etiwanda led 35-32 at the half after leading by seven early in the second quarter. The lead was six before

LJCD 70, Etiwanda 65

LJCD went on a 14-1 run. Etiwanda countered with an 8-0 run.

LJCD led by seven with 4:40 to play. Etiwanda cut it to three with 3:30 to go, but could get no closer.

Etiwanda (24-2) is the ninth nationally ranked team the Torreys (22-3) have faced. The LJCD schedule includes No. 1 Chatsworth Sierra Canyon, No. 4 Long Island Lutheran (New York), No. 13 Duncanville (Texas), No. 14 Webb School (Tennessee), No. 18 Sacred Heart (Kentucky), No. 20 Lone Peak (Utah), No. 23 Conway (Arkansas) and No. 24 Christ the King (New York).

“We’re getting better and better,” Cunningham said. “We want to make a run at a state championship, and the only way you do that is by playing good teams, being tested.”

The Torreys’ three losses are to Sierra Canyon (64-55), Long Island Lutheran (6350) and Webb (61-41).

All but three of LJCD’S 25 opponents have winning records.

The combined record of those opponents is 315-113 — and that includes 2-18 Bishop’s.

“We wanted to play the best.” said LJCD coach Terri Bamford. “We’re not afraid to travel. We’ve been on TV and I love the fact ESPN is promoting the girls game. We’re blessed to be part of the growth of our sport.”

“I’ve known Terri Bamford for a long time,” said San Ysidro boys coach Terry Tucker.

“My daughter played for her. We started talking about playing a girls-boys doubleheader. Once it came together, ESPN called me and asked about dates they could air one of our games. This just happened to work out great.”

john.maffei@sduniontribune.com