WESTVIEW HAS LITTLE TROUBLE BEATING POWAY

One team that has not won a San Diego Section girls basketball championship in 12 years knows all about playing in the postseason.

Westview 61, Poway 36

Westview moved to within one victory of earning a second berth in a CIF finals with a 61-36 win over No. 6 Poway in the Open Division on Saturday night.

“It gets real serious from here on out,” said Westview coach Melissa Peng upon hearing the news that Del Norte edged No. 2 Mount Miguel 57-56 on Saturday.

That means No. 3 Westview, now 25-4, will host No. 7 Del Norte in the semifinals on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

Peng coached Del Norte to the Division I championship last season.

Now she’s wants her alma mater to beat the Nighthawks.

“Playing in finals is not easy,” said Westview senior Alexa Litchev, who is one of seven Wolverines who played in the 2021 finals against El Camino in a 66-59 loss. “You have to keep your focus the whole time.

“That sounds so easy, but when you make a mistake, just fall back on defense and get ready for the play.”

There was nothing wrong with Westview’s focus against Poway (24-4).

The Wolverines worked the Titans’ defense for 22 baskets while holding the Titans to an 11-for-42 shooting night from the floor.

Poway was led by sophomore Mya Mcgowan with 13 points and junior Ari Mason with 12 points.

Poway entered the game with a 14-2 road record.

But the Titans never really made a case for an upset as the game was tied 2-2 and then Westview led the rest of the way.

“Games this time of year are not the same,” said Peng, whose team downed Poway 58-36 during the Socal Holiday Classic on Dec. 13. “We have to do the little things right.

“The girls are all competitors. They take care of each other.”

Litchev topped the Wolverines with 12 points and four rebounds followed by junior Kira Carter and freshman Sarah Heyn, who both finished with 10 points.

Senior Jaelin Baylon and junior Sydney Heyn each scored nine points while sophomore Maren Zimmer collected 12 rebounds.

In the second half, Westview stretched its lead to 30 points to reach the semifinals.

With one more home game on Wednesday, Westview will bring a 12-2 home record and a four-game winning streak into the showdown against Del Norte.

Westview’s only CIF championship came in 2011 when the Wolverines won the Division II title.

“For me, the playoffs are trying to keep things the same,” Litchev said. “Sometimes the mental part of the game can’t be there right away, but you have to find that as soon as possible.

“There’s a lot at stake Wednesday.”