Halcott leads Hillers to win at Valhalla, take Valley lead

By ECS Staff
Updated: February 6, 2016

Grossmont controls the ball against host Valhalla Friday night at The Thunderdome.

2015-16 EAST COUNTY PREP GIRLS BASKETBALL

By James McHugh
© East County Sports.com

RANCHO SAN DIEGO (2-6-16) – The Grossmont Foothillers avenged their lone Grossmont Valley League defeat of the season by knocking off Valhalla on their home floor 35-32 Friday night (Feb. 5). Grossmont moved to 6-1 in league play after an incredible performance from senior LYDIA HALCOTT.

After a less than stellar first quarter for both clubs that saw a combined 4-30 shooting effort and 17 combined turnovers, things settled down in the second. Grossmont’s lead was withered from six points to four at the half as Halcott led all scorers with six points.

Grossmont girls celebrate following their victory over host Valhalla Friday night.

Halcott was far from done however. The Norsemen used a 6-0 run to start the second half and take their first lead of the night at 21-19. Halcott then started to grab rebound after rebound and block shot after shot. By the time the night was finished Halcott had turned in a triple double of 15-points, 14-rebounds and 11-blocks.

“She’s our senior. Before the game tonight she told me, ‘Coach, I’m gonna have a big game tonight,’ and that’s what she did,” coach GRACE CAMPBELL said of Halcott’s effort after the big win.

Grossmont had the game in hand in the closing minutes, but handed Valhalla one last chance with just a few ticks left on the clock.

“You know ATHENA (SOTELO) is a freshman and she’s a great guard but she’s young. I told her they are going to try to foul you, and she’s a good free throw shooter, so I told her to just hold onto the ball, but she saw a pass and just thought she would get it through and they stole it,” Campbell said of the late turnover.

Sotelo had nothing to hang her head about when the night was through. The freshman had five rebounds, four coming on crucial possessions late in the game. With 2:47 to play Sotelo also connected on her first bucket of the game to give Grossmont a 30-29 lead, receiving a great pass from SYMONE GRIFFITH who contributed five of the Foothillers 35-points on the evening.

“My girls knew how big this game was and how much this means for us trying to go for a league title. No one wanted this more than Lydia, she understood best what was at stake and she played like it,” Campbell finished before greeting her league leading Foothillers after the game.

Grossmont: Lydia Halcott 15 (14 reb, 11 blk, 2 stl), Taisha Silas 8 (7 reb, 3 ast, 3 blk, 2 stl), Athena Sotelo 6 (5 reb, 3 stl, 1 ast), Symone Griffith 5 (4 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk, 1 stl), Emily Barnes 1 (12 reb, 4 blk, 1 ast, 1 stl), Jazmine Lee (1 reb).

Valhalla: Tiana Silver 9 (9 reb, 6 stl, 3 blk, 2 ast), Molly Lindsay 8 (11 reb, 2 stl), Melanie Yousif 5 (9 reb, 4 stl, 2 blk), Alexa Somo 4 (2 ast, 1 reb, 1 stl), Bianca Gorges 2 (2 reb, 1 stl), Lisa Damman 2 (1 reb), Jenna Yalda 2 (1 ast, 1 reb, 1 stl), Julianna Qsar (2 reb).

Mount Miguel brings the ball up against West Hills Friday night.

MOUNT MIGUEL 51, WEST HILLS 38 – The Mount Miguel Matadors rambled past West Hills for the second time this season in a battle of Top 12 teams in Friday’s (Feb. 5) Grossmont Hills League encounter.

SATERA BATES led the Matadors’ charge with 25 points, including a trio of triples. She finished with 7 rebounds, 5 assists, a couple of steals and a block.

Bates scored 11 of her points in the third quarter.

ROZLYN PIERCE contributed a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds to go with 4 blocks and an assist for the Matadors.

Satera Bates

“Our loss to Granite Hills a week ago woke our kids up and we’ve been playing pretty well ever since,” said Matadors coach ROBBIE SANDOVAL.

One shocking factor in this game, Mount Miguel’s DESTINI ANDERSON was held scoreless and that limited her play to three minutes in the first half.

CAMARA DOUGLAS was unable to score for the Matadors but she played tough on defense.

“She was playing on a bad ankle,” Sandoval said. “She’s a real trooper and played tough all night.”

MEGAN SCOTT led West Hills with 14 points and 8 rebounds as the Wolf Pack vainly attempted to catch up with Mount Miguel. She was the only West Hills player to score in double digits.

West Hills’ Megan Scott with possession against the Matadors.

“I was extremely disappointed with tonight’s outcome,” said Wolf Pack coach RYAN KINSER. “Once again we struggle shooting (27 percent), had a ton of great looks but for whatever reason we just can’t finish. Statistically this is the worst offense of group we’ve had since I’ve been at West Hills. It’s frustrating because I feel we have girls who can score but we just can’t put the ball in the hoop.

“It was nothing Mount Miguel did defensively, it was just us missing out on easy shots or transition opportunities.

“Offensively they struggled, but when you can’t score and the offensive side just puts so much pressure on your defense it’s tough to get a stop every possession.

Mount Miguel goes up for a shot Friday night.

“We played pretty much even with them for three quarters but lost by 10 in the 3rd and that was the game.

“They have a girl who can consistently score (Bates). We do not – that’s the difference.”

Mount Miguel: Satera Bates 25 (7 reb, 5 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk), Rozlyn Pierce 14 (10 reb, 1 ast, 4 blk), Amber Hard 6 (5 reb, 1 stl), Michelle Corley 6 (3 reb, 1 ast, 3 stl).

West Hills: Megan Scott 14 (8 reb, 2 ast, 6 stl), Maya Clemons 8 (1 reb), Vivian Panela 7 (1 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk), Kerrie Daniels 4 (4 reb, 1 stl), Jessica Fondas 3 (2 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl), Carly Raley 2 (4 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl), Summer Stewart (2 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl), Aylssa Garcia (1 reb), Clarrisa Holder (1 reb).

— Bill Dickens, © East County Sports.com

GRANITE HILLS 42, MONTE VISTA 16 – MICAYELA HERNANDEZ knocked down 18 points – half of them coming on 3-pointers – as the Eagles mowed down Monte Vista in Friday’s (Feb. 5) Grossmont Hills League encounter.

“If I had the drive, I’d take it,” said Hernandez, who had 3 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals. “If they tried to cut off the middle I’d take a jumper. We try to run our offense and maintain our intensity that we had last game against Mount Miguel.

“It comes down to a matter of pride and we have plenty of it.”

Granite Hills: Micayela Hernandez 18 (3 reb, 4 ast, 4 stl), Raelleah Moore 7 (4 reb, 1 ast, 5 stl), Kani Kubari 5 (2 reb, 1 stl, 2 blk), Delaney Casey 4 (1 reb, 2 stl), Emma Kubari 3 (1 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk), Chase Robles 2 (1 ast, 1 ast), Miranda Brown (2 reb, 1 stl), Diamond Hollis (1 ast, 2 stl), Shanice Lacey (1 reb), Anyang Agoth (1 stl).

Monte Vista: No report.

— Bill Dickens, © East County Sports.com

STEELE CANYON 70, EL CAPITAN 30 – ASHLEY TAVIZON unleashed 21 points to pace the Cougars in Friday night’s (Feb. 5) Grossmont Valley League contest in Lakeside. Tavizon did most of her damage from long distance with 4 treys. She also had 6 steals.

JULES LOIBL added 19 points and 5 steals for Steele Canyon, which took a 40-17 halftime lead.

Steele Canyon (5-1, 15-5) has wrestled its way into a tie with Grossmont for the GVL lead.

For El Capitan MARIE COOK led the charge with 22 points, 4 rebounds and 8 steals, which TAYLOR FAGAN added 7 points and 6 rebounds.

“Tavizon had an amazing night tonight,” said Cougars coach PETER RUIZ. “And KYLIE MINSHEW played great defense on Cook. After last Friday’s fiasco (a 43-31 loss to Grossmont) we realized that we need the early jump and score in the first quarter.”

“We don’t have a senior on the team,” noted El Capitan assistant coach ROCKY COOK. “But we have two eighth graders coming up who are ball handlers and who have played for (head) coach DARIN CURTIS.”

Steele Canyon: Ashley Tavizon 21 (1 reb, 1 ast, 6 stl), Jules Loibl 19 (1 reb, 5 stl), Mariah Smith 6 (2 stl, 1 blk), Kylie Minshew 5 (1 reb), Mya Cross 4 (2 stl, 2 blk), Marie Estavillo 4 (2 reb, 2 stl), Marianna Martinez 4 (4 reb, 3 stl), Elizabeth Bott 3 (1 reb), Kortni Fahie 2 (1 reb, 1 stl), Reagan Jordan 2 (1 reb), Bliss Montemayor (2 stl).

El Capitan: Marie Cook 22 (4 reb, 8 stl), Taylor Fagan 7 (6 reb, 1 stl), Sarah Lohman 1 (1 reb).

SANTANA 33, EL CAJON VALLEY 23 – LEANNA WATSON led the Braves with 15 points, while SUMAYA HAMEED was a beast on the boards with 19 rebounds in Friday’s (Feb. 5) Grossmont Valley League game.

The Braves got a good start but could not maintain their intensity as Santana took the lead 19-10 by halftime and never looked back.

“We came out and went up 6-0 and they came back. The mistakes we make . . .,” said Braves coach CARLOS MOSS. “We’re trying to break the El Cajon mystique. You have to know what you do to lose games in order to know what you have to do to win. We’re learning how to win but it takes baby steps.”

“This was the first game all season that Watson didn’t hit a 3-pointer,” Moss added.

El Cajon Valley: Leanna Watson 15 (2 reb, 3 ast, 5 stl), Sumaya Hameed 6 (19 reb, 3 stl), Mary Awadich 2 (2 reb, 3 stl), Rabab Issa-Taba (6 reb, 1 stl), Titishia Clemons (3 reb, 5 stl), Kaheen Hasan (1 reb, 1 stl).

KEARNY 62, CHRISTIAN 39 – (2-6-16) — Christian High School lost a Central League game on Friday (Feb. 5) by a 62-39 differential to the Kearny Komets at the Ryan Athletic Center.

MARISSA GILES lead the Patriots (5-12, 2-7 Central) with 12 points. Nearly making it into double figures was BROOKE OWENS and JASMYN CRAWFORD who each had nine points.

The point spread was the exact same as it was three weeks ago when Christian traveled to Kearny (11-11, 8-0 Central) and lost 65-36.

Christian: Marissa Giles 12 (5 reb, 4 stl, 1 ast), Brooke Owens 9 (5 reb, 6 stl, 4 ast), Jasmyn Crawford 9 (2 reb), Alyssa Rothrock 4 (3 reb), Sage Salacup 3 (2 reb), Hayley Robinson (3 reb, 1 stl), Taylor Giese (1 reb), Cipriana Hudson (1 reb), Wendy Shen (1 stl).