Eagles triumph in battle of the stars
The Christian Learning girls varsity basketball team started its season on a happy note with a 21-16 victory over Cambridge in their home gym Thursday, but a foiurth quarter surge by Cambridge gave the home crowd a scare.
The Eagles were in command through the first three quesrters, tossing in at least two baskets a quarter, most of them by junior Abby Phillips, and taking a seemingly invulnerable 13-3 lead. Cambridge was having one of those awful days when it could get the ball to the basket, but not in it.
But at the start of the fourth quarter Lady Knight Nicole Fermin decided that this would simply not do. While only a ninth grader, Fermin has been a varsity starter for three years, though in the past she has been known chiefly for her all-out, full-speed-ahead style of play. In the fourth quarter, she would show a shooting finesse that had not previously been part of her repertoire.
She hit on a short set shot from the top of the key to start the period, then, after Josie Rodriguez sank a foul shot, Fermin scored on one of her more traditional crashing lay-up drives, picking up a foul on the way in. She made the foul shot to complete a three-point play.
Christian Learning now tightened its surveillance of Fermin, and she drew a two-point foul. She made both shots, making her three-for-three from the foul line, an almost unheard-of feat in SCISL girls basketball. Then Fermin sank another sweetly arced outside shot, Rodiguez made another free throw, and suddenly it was a three-point game, 19-16.
The Eagles, it must be noted, had not been letting any mold grow under their sneakers in the period, and had added six poinbts during the final stanza on field goals by Damye Chun and Rebekah Kienzle, plus two foul shots by Phillips.
In past years, Cambridge would at this point given the ball to Maira Lino, who would have found some way to lanch a three-pointer to tie the game. But Lino has graduated; Cambridge apparently doesn't have anyone it trusts to shoot from that range any more, and didn't try. Instead they tried several times to crash their way to the basket and hopefully draw a foul on the way, but the Eagles repulsed these charges without damage.
Then, with the final seconds ticking off the clock, Phillips intercepted a Cambridge pass and raced alone down the court, laying the ball in for a two-point grace note that sealed the victory. For Cambridge there was defeat -- but without disgrace. In the stands, one could sense the tension draining out.
Phillips led all scorers with 14 points. Javiera Alipaz, Damye Chun, and Rebekah Kienzle had a field goal each, and Naomi Canaviri had a foul shot.
For Cambridge, Fermin ended up with 11 points; Rodriguez had three and Yañez 2.
(This story was compiled from various sources; it was written by faculty advisor David Boldt.)
Jaguar girls (ho-hum) notch another win
While the Christian Learning boys varsity hoopesters were seeeing there three-years plus win streak blown to smithereens by Cambridge just a kilometer down the road, the Jaguar girls added another knot to
their now two-plus year winning skein with a workmanlike 38-13 thrashing of International.
The game, played in the Griffin gym Thursday, was never really in doubt as the Jaguars took a 12-2 lead in the first quarter, and were never seriously challenged after that, although the second and third period were played almost evenly.
The Jaguars blew the game completely open in the fourth period in which they outscored the Griffins 14 to four in an impressive demonstration of depth that may surprise those who thought the Jaguar dynasty would end when this year's seniors graduate.
The fourth quarter started with a four-point surge by 8th grader Giuliana Varalta.on a field goal and two foul shots. Following in quick succession were two baskets by Giuliana´s older sister, Giovanna, a tenth grader; two by senior Carla Limpias; and one by ninth grader Jessica Maureira. At the end of the game the score stood 38-13 for the Jaguars, who, though they reportedly hadn't been looking so good in practice, seemed to have it all together for the game. .
For the winning Jaguars, Carle Limpias recorded 12 points, Giovanna Varalta 10, Sofia Sotelo 8, Giuliana Varalta 6, and Jesica Maureira 2.
For the Grifffins, Fabiana Zelada and Carolina Baldivieso accounted for all the scoring. Zelada, whose older sister once led the League in scoring, had seven points, and Carolina Baldivieso had six..
(This story is a round-up from several sources written by advisor David Boldt.)
