In order to win a basketball game, a team must score points.
The newly crowned South Bay League champion Chula Vista High School girls basketball team didn’t score enough points in Tuesday’s San Diego Section Division III opening round playoff game against visiting Coronado High School and the result was a loss.
In fact, the Lady Spartans recorded one of their lowest point totals of the season in Tuesday’s 36-25 loss to the Lady Islanders.
“It was one of our lowest scoring games of the year,” conceded CVHS head coach John DeJesus, whose team scored 21 points in a non-league loss to Scripps Ranch on Feb. 11.
Chula Vista – 10-0 in South Bay League play – scored eight points in the first quarter, tacked on five points in the second quarter, scored eight points in the third quarter and finished with four points in the fourth quarter.
The Lady Spartans, in fact, had only scored two points in the fourth quarter until Sue Olvera sank a shot with 13 seconds left in the game.
While the Coronado defense proved difficult to penetrate, much of the Lady Spartans’ woes were self-inflicted. Eighth-seeded Chula Vista (14-13) couldn’t buy a basket throughout the game, with the ball bouncing off every part of the backboard and rim without falling through the hoop.
The ball refused to drop in an incredible display of futility.
“We had a tough time finishing the baskets in our end,” DeJesus said. “They had a pretty good defense and that challenged us a bit. But the girls kept trying.”
Certainly, the Lady Spartans fought to the end but the luck of the bounce just wasn’t on their side.
Gloria Sustaita led Chula Vista in game scoring with eight points while Alissa Wolfblack contributed four points and Jasmyn Wolfgramm and Brooke Griffin each dropped in three points. Olvera, Alexia Lozano and Ghizelth Anderson each scored two points in the loss while Amy Gonzalez scored one point.
Taylor Barker led ninth-seeded Coronado (12-14) with 18 points by comparison.
“We were seeded eighth and they were seeded ninth, so you knew it would be pretty even,” DeJesus explained. “Coronado had turned its season around, so we knew coming into the game that it would be a battle. That number three (Barker) sank her shots.”
The Lady Islanders move on to play top-seeded Lincoln (24-4) in Friday’s quarterfinals.
Neither team was too impressive in the opening stages of Tuesday’s playoff contest. Chula Vista led 8-5 at the end of the first quarter. The Lady Spartans led, 13-11, late in the second quarter before Barker sank a three-point bomb to put her team ahead for good at 14-13.
The Lady Islanders led, 20-13, at halftime and extended their lead to 10 points – 32-22 – with 6:11 to play in the game. But the Lady Spartans could never get any momentum rolling – or key shots to drop.
Still, it was a productive season for the hosts after recovering from a 0-8 start to the season to finish with a winning record on the court.
Parents gave the girls cheers as they returned to the gym from their post-game meeting with coaches. Frowns quickly turned to smiles.
Obviously, there’s always next season.
In other opening-round playoff games on Tuesday:
- Chloe Webb scored 13 points and teammate Joice Beda dropped in 11 points as third-seeded Mater Dei Catholic (17-11, 9-3 in Mesa League play) eliminated 14th-seeded Helix by a score of 47-30 in a Division I matchup. The Lady Crusaders advance to Friday’s quarterfinals against Wednesday’s opening-round winner between sixth-seeded Santa Fe Christian (15-10) or 11th-seeded Ramona (11-16).
San Diego Section
Girls Basketball Playoffs
Open Division
Quarterfinals
Friday, Feb. 24
(5) Eastlake (22-6) at (4) Poway (23-5), 7 p.m.
Division I
First round
Tuesday, Feb. 21
(3) Mater Dei Catholic 47, (14) Helix 30
(4) Imperial 73, (13) Bonita Vista 51
Quarterfinals
Friday, Feb. 24
(6) Santa Fe Christian at (3) Mater Dei Catholic, 7 p.m.
Division II
First round
Tuesday, Feb. 21
(3) Calexico 58, (14) Montgomery 55
(5) Canyon Crest Academy 50, (12) Otay Ranch 30
(8) University City 54, (9) Olympian 30
Division III
First round
Tuesday, Feb. 21
(9) Coronado 36, (8) Chula Vista 25
(2) El Capitan 51, (15) Sweetwater 33
Division IV
First round
Tuesday, Feb. 21
(4) Clairemont 57, (13) Chula Vista Calvary Christian Academy 16
(12) Christian 48, (5) San Ysidro 43
Division V
First round
Tuesday, Feb. 21
(9) Mar Vista 46, (8) Gompers Prep 31
(3) High Tech High Chula Vista (bye)
Quarterfinals
Friday, Feb 24
(11) Pacific Ridge at (3) High Tech High Chula Vista, 7 p.m.
(9) Mar Vista winner at (1) Maranatha Christian, 7 p.m.
Metro Conference
Girls Basketball Standings
Mesa League
Eastlake 12-0, 22-6
Mater Dei Catholic 9-3, 17-11
Olympian 6-6, 11-15
Bonita Vista 5-5, 12-17
Montgomery 5-7, 9-21
Otay Ranch 4-8, 11-13
Hilltop 0-12, 5-20
South Bay League
Chula Vista 10-0, 14-13
San Ysidro 8-2, 13-8
Sweetwater 6-4, 10-17
Mar Vista 4-6, 14-7
Castle Park 1-9, 6-16
Southwest 1-9, 3-20
