Miramonte rolls into state final
As David or Goliath, the girls basketball team at Miramonte-Orinda is pretty darned good.
The Matadors (32-0), ranked sixth nationally by MaxPreps.com, clicked on all cylinders Saturday in the Northern California Open Division final at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento. Behind 29 points, 14 rebounds and six assists from Sabrina Ionescu, 14 first-half points by Clair Steele and 11 points and 11 rebounds by Uriah Howard, Miramonte rolled to a 73-40 win over Pinewood (24-6) — which had just defeated the No. 1 team in the country.
Miramonte will play Chaminade-West Hills for the state championship next weekend.
Pinewood made just 4
of 35 shots in the first half while falling behind 34-15 and finished 14-for-60, including 5-for-24 on three-pointers after drilling 16 threes in a win at top-ranked St. Mary’s-Stockton on Tuesday.
“We just didn’t have it today,” said Pinewood coach Doc Scheppler, whose team was led by 10 points and seven rebounds from Chloe Eackles. “I’m very proud of our season and obviously Tuesday, but disappointed not to play to the best of our ability tonight.”
Miramonte had expected to play St. Mary’s in the NorCal final.
“We went from being David to Goliath in a matter of minutes,” said Kelly Sopak, Miramonte’s coach for the past seven seasons. “We had a great week of practice. I felt confident coming in. We buckled down on their shooters and played one of the best defensive games we’ve played since I’ve been here.”
Ionescu was hoping to play St. Mary’s because the Rams eliminated the Matadors in the NorCal final last year. “But we’re just happy to beat Pinewood and get to the (state) finals,” Ionescu said. St. Francis-Sacramento 66,
Castro Valley 52: Up 30-18 at halftime, Castro Valley (33-3) ran into an avalanche as the Troubadours (29-5) went on second-half runs of 17-0 and 8-0 to win going away in the Division I final at Sleep Train Arena. Nina Bessolo had 20 points and 13 rebounds and Giana Wright contributed 11 points and 10 points for Castro Valley, which made just 21 of 76 shots but forced 27 turnovers. “We simply didn’t execute as well in the second half, but that had a lot to do with” St. Francis, Castro Valley coach Jim Lemmon said. Sacred Heart Cathedral 70, Inderkum-Sacramento 51: At American Canyon High, Iimar’I Thomas had 25 points, 23 rebounds and four blocks as the top seeded Irish (20-9) had little trouble with Inderkum (24-8) in the NorCal Division III final. Rainah Smith and Yaniah Fleming added 11 points each for the Irish, who will play Lakeside-Lake Elsinore for the state title. Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa 51, Menlo School-Atherton 32: In the Division IV NorCal final at American Canyon High, Hailey Vice-Neat had 14 points and nine re- bounds, Lauren Walker added 13 points and 13 rebounds and Avery Cargill contributed 10 points to lead the Cardinals (30-5), who advance to their first state final. Mallory North came off the bench to score 10 points for Menlo (21-8), which trailed 10-2 after the first quarter. Eastside College Prep-East Palo Alto 65, St. Joseph
Notre Dame 59: At American Canyon, Alayah Bell had 21 points and Zion Gabriel added 15 as the Panthers (19-11) repeated as NorCal Division V champions. Ra’Anaa Bey added 11 points and Aleyna Parker 10 for Eastside, which led 40-23 at halftime before St. Joseph (26-9) rallied behind Mira Love-Sangco (19 points), Aiyanna Dueberry (16) and Ayesa Kearns (11).