Godinez players, coaches and supporters after Thursday’s victory. (PHOTOS: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone).
An historic season will continue Saturday for the Godinez girls basketball team.
The Grizzlies held on for a 46-43 victory over Oakwood from North Hollywood Thursday night in the second round of the CIF State Division IV So Cal regionals at Godinez.
The No. 2-seeded Grizzlies move on to the semifinals to face No. 3 Tulare Union Saturday at 7 p.m. at Godinez.
To see additional photos, click on the first picture:
Valerie Estaban scored 19 points, Valeria Arcos nine points and Julissa Mota and Daniela Vasquez eight points each to lead Godinez (18-12). Abbey Chang scored 19 points to lead No. 6 Oakwood (18-10).
“We knew coming in it was going to be a battle, a back and forth game …. we got to get back on defense and get good, quality stops on the defensive end and make them play defense against us 25, 26 seconds out of the shot clock so they didn’t have their legs to run a fast break and get their shots up,” said Godinez Coach AJ Alaman.
“Even though we went up 12, I knew they were a good team and they were going to battle back and make it tough for us. I was proud of how my girls were poised the last couple of minutes. We were up one, then we went down by two, and we never wavered, we held our composure and we closed it out at the end.”
Godinez led by as many as 13 points in the first half, before Oakwood battled back in the second half and moved ahead by two points late.
The game was tied 41-41 with one minute left in regulation when Godinez called timeout.
The Grizzlies responded with consecutive baskets by Vasquez and Estaban, who also made a free throw to put Godinez ahead 46-41 with 26.2 seconds remaining.
Abbey Chang scored for Oakwood to cut the lead to 46-43 with 17 seconds left, but missed a free throw and Godinez rebounded and was able to run out the clock.
“It was so exciting, it was really nervous, but I’m glad we got the win at the end,” said Esteban, a senior. “I hope we win the next one so we can keep going farther and win state.”
“I’m so excited, I said it before, this group is so special, we don’t want this run to end, we’re going to claw and grind and give it all our all every game,” added Alaman. “The girls are hungry and they want it. You see that in practice and to be playing in March right now, the girls are still hungry, still showing up to practice and giving it 110 percent. I’m blessed to have them as players.
“This is our last shot, we got to make the best of it.”
The winner of the Godinez-Tulare Union match-up meets the winner of the game between top-seeded Marina and No. 5 Palisades in the So Cal final Tuesday night. The top-seeded team gets the home game throughout the regionals.
Marina defeated Savanna 60-55 Thursday night.
—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com
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