ROUNDUP: Lady Norsemen upset CCA

By ECS Staff
Updated: February 21, 2018

El Cajon Valley’s VEAN GORGEES shoots a three-pointer on Wednesday.

2018 EAST COUNTY PREP GIRLS BASKETBALL

EastCountySports.com staff report

SPRING VALLEY – The Valhalla Lady Norsemen won a San Diego CIF Division IV opening-round playoff game over the Calvary Christian Academy Royal Knights, 44-36, at Spring Valley Recreation Center on Wednesday night.

Eleventh-seeded Valhalla wasn’t ready for CCA’s opening charge, as the sixth-seeded Royal Knights opened up a 19-7 lead after one quarter.

The Lady Norsemen trailed 24-14 at halftime.

But Valhalla rocked the Royal Knights in the second half, outscoring CCA 30-12.

Sophomore LAMIS ABID scored 14 points for Valhalla.

Valhalla junior guard MIRANDA ALKATIB knocked down a three-pointer with 4:40 left in the game to give Valhalla a 37-29 lead.

Alkatib finished with 10 points.

Valhalla advances to face third-seeded Mar Vista (20-6) on Saturday.

CALIPATRIA 51, EL CAJON VALLEY 24 – The host Hornets jumped out to a 14-2 lead as the Braves never recovered in the San Diego CIF Division IV playoff matchup.

“We started off so bad,” El Cajon Valley head coach CARLOS MOSS said. “We settled down, but just came out flat again in the third and couldn’t come back.”

El Cajon Valley, seeded No. 12 was only down four at the half, but allowed 20 points in the third quarter to the fifth-seeded Hornets.

Braves sophomore star VEAN GORGEES hit three three-pointers, two of them in the Braves’ big second quarter.

Gorgees also had six steals.

Junior LILY AKINTONDE scored seven points and added four assists for El Cajon Valley.

“Lily Akintonde played hard the whole game,” Moss said.

El Cajon freshman SILVIA ABOUD had four points and 13 rebounds.

Aboud finished with an average of 12.5 rebounds per game this season.

“We just couldn’t get it together on defense,” Moss said. “I’m happy the girls stayed together and played hard this season. I really thank the girls for showing great character. We have a bright future.

“We are not going away, we will be back stronger.”

MATER DEI CATHOLIC 59, WEST HILLS 24 – The 14th-seeded Wolf Pack were eliminated in the San Diego CIF Division I playoffs by the host Crusaders.

The Crusaders led 42-14 in the second half.

Senior KERRIE DANIELS finished her stellar career by scoring 13 points for the Wolf Pack.

SAN DIEGUITO 47, MONTE VISTA 22 – The Monarchs nearly kept the pace in the second half after trailing at halftime on their San Diego CIF Division IV playoff game on Wednesday night in Encinitas.

After Monte Vista settled down, the Mustangs outscored the Monarchs just 21-18 in the second half.

MOUNTAIN EMPIRE 32, BAYFRONT CHARTER 30 – The Red Hawks won a thriller over host Bayfront Charter as sophomore star ALYSSA NOLAND scored 15 points to lead Empire in a San Diego CIF Division V playoff opener.

As a league champion, Bayfront hosted the game, forcing Empire, the No. 5 seed, to travel in from Pine Valley to face the 12th-seeded Sharks.

Bayfront Charter won a painful first quarter just 3-0 and Mountain Empire still trailed 10-5 at intermission.

But once the Red Hawks and Noland heated up, they took a 24-20 lead after three quarters to eliminate the Sharks.

Mountain Empire (14-6), the five seed, advances to face fourth-seeded Foothills Christian (12-12) on Saturday at 7.