Uni Coach Fidel Vargas and players including Claire Kawata (No. 11) and Giulia Roy (No. 23) head back to the bench for a timeout. (Photo Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone)
University’s girls basketball team survived a challenge by Portola in the third quarter Tuesday night and went on to capture a 42-30 Pacific Coast League victory to remain tied for first place with Woodbridge.
“It was a little too close for comfort on my end,” said University first-year coach Fidel Vargas. “The first half our defense was great and the intensity was there. In the second half, the intensity wasn’t there as it was in the first half. That’s why they were able to rally back.
“But at the end of the day, the girls kept their composure and they were able to get the win, and what won this game was our defense, not our offense.”
The Trojans appeared to be in control with a 25-8 halftime lead but Portola battled back, outscoring University 16-7 in the third quarter to make it close. The Bulldogs went on a 14-3 run to start the third quarter and trimmed the lead to six at one point.
But University finished strong, outscoring Portola 10-6 in the final stanza to complete the victory at University.
Aryn Press scored 12 points, Claire Kawata 11 points and Giulia Roy 10 for University. Roy also grabbed 10 rebounds for the Trojans.’
Junior center Donia Maymoun had a memorable game for Portola (12-6, 2-1) scoring nine points and grabbing a school record 32 rebounds, breaking her previous record of 24. She is averaging 18.9 rebounds a game. Allyson Tabayoyong scored eight points and Moka Saiki six points for the Bulldogs.
“It kind of went the way we thought,” said Portola Coach Brian Barham. “We didn’t think we were going to spot them 18 in the first quarter. That’s too much. We knew we were built to last and we knew we weren’t going to back off. The more this game went on, the more I liked our odds.
“We just spotted them too much early. The sweet spot in the PCL is around 40 points a game. That’s where you want to be. Our offense just wasn’t there tonight.”
Barham said Maymoun has been having outstanding rebounding games all season.
“Donia Maymoun is the best rebounder in Orange County, she has the most rebounds in all of Orange County,” Barham said. “She was playing with a heavy heart tonight. She lost her grandmother this morning and her grand-mother would have been very proud of that performance.”
Also in the PCL:
Woodbridge 51, Northwood 39: The Warriors remained in a tie with University for first place. Erika Maggard scored 30 points and Kathleen Wasserman had seven points to lead Woodbridge (12-7, 3-0).
-Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com
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