Girls Basketball: City of Chatsworth Reveling in Basketball Hysteria
It sure didn’t take long for the Chatsworth girls basketball team to recover after its 11 point setback to Narbonne of Harbor City in the City Section championship game Saturday at the Sports Arena.
The No. 7 Chancellors (26-6) got right back to business with a 60-58 victory against Lynwood Monday night in the first round of the Div. I state playoffs and then traveled to Fresno the next day and beat No. 2 Clovis West.
Clovis West was the Central Section Div. I champion and had only lost two games all season, both to the same team (St. Mary’s of Stockton). On top of that, Clovis West was able to rest its starters Monday night in an easy 76-38 victory against Taft of Woodland Hills.
Junior Gennifer Brandon, one of the most highly sought after recruits in the nation followed up her 18 point, 24 rebound effort Monday with 17 points and 10 rebounds Tuesday.
“My mom just told me to play to win and be a beast from now on”, Brandon said.
Up next for Chatsworth is a rematch with Narbonne on the road at 7 p.m. tonight with higher stakes now on the line. A victory would send Chatsworth to Saturdays regional final back at the Sports Arena against probable top-seed Long Beach Poly provided it gets past a very good A.B. Miller of Fontana team. Most teams don’t get a chance to redeem themselves, a thought not lost on coach Michelle Chevalier.
“Losing Saturday is now a blessing in disguise because we have the desire and motivation to really not let another opportunity slip away,” Chevalier said. “The team has done a great job of bouncing right back and the last two games are the best back to back games we have had all year”.
Sierra Canyon of Chatsworth pushed itself into tonights regional semifinals with a gritty come from ahead 48-42 victory against Fresno Christian on Tuesday.
The Trailblazers led 15-7 early in the first half, then trailed 20-15 and 37-32 before mounting a fourth quarter comeback for the victory.
Brenda Kramer was strong with 15 second half points but it was the play of two freshman down the stretch that pushed the Trailblazers over the top.
Kelly Schneider made five of eight free throws in the last stanza and Jasmine Sneed made a 3-pointer with 30 seconds remaining and the shot clock winding down to give Sierra Canyon a four point lead.
“It is a real loose bunch of girls and they don’t let much faze them”, Sierra Canyon coach Jim Gortikov said. “We are having fun and are just excited to keep playing. We don’t know too much about the teams we are playing now. We just go out there and leave it on the line”.
Sierra Canyon travels to Calvin Chrisitan of Escondido, about a half hour north of San Diego tonight, with the winner advancing to Saturdays regional final at Mater Dei of Santa Ana at 1 p.m.
GIRLS BASKETBALL STATE PLAYOFFS
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL SEMIFINALS
DIV. I: NO. 7 CHATSWORTH (26-6) AT NO. 3 NARBONNE (30-4), 7 p.m.
DIV. V: SIERRA CANYON (23-5) AT CALVIN CHRISTIAN, 7 p.m.