University girls basketball team gets some respect upsetting Rancho Verde 64-57 in opening round of CIF 2AA playoffs

University’s girls basketball team celebrates after Thursday’s win.

University’s girls basketball team, which wasn’t seeded for the start of the CIF 2AA playoffs, earned some respect Thursday night defeating seeded Rancho Verde 64-57 Thursday night in an opening round game at Uni.

The Trojans, who captured the outright Pacific Coast League title, move on to the second round Saturday night on the road against top-seeded Rolling Hills Prep.

“That’s a great team, we were fortunate enough that we had some of their better players foul out so it kind of threw them off their game,” said University Coach Nicole Bradshaw. “But Malia (Goldsmith) had a great game and we all did what we needed to do in the end to do it.”

Goldsmith led the way with 31 points and five 3-pointers. Claire Kawata added 14 points for the Trojans (22-7).

“I wish we had made more free throws (Uni missed eight) and it wouldn’t have been as close,” Bradshaw said. “But I’m proud of these girls. We were the underdog. We were the under-seed and I don’t think many people gave us too much love all year long, so I’m just proud for the girls that they can say we did something great.”

The game was tied 51-51 going into the fourth quarter and it was a battle in the final stanza.

Finally, Goldsmith broke the game open late when she scored on a reverse lay-up off a steal and then sank a free throw to put the Trojans ahead 61-56 with 38 seconds left.

Rancho Verde (17-13) was not able to convert after that and the Trojans celebrated the victory.

DeMariyah McGee and Kaila Mosses led Rancho Verde with 14 points each.

-Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com