Woodley's 35 points, 20 rebounds lead way for Paloma

Sydney Woodley prepares to make a move under the basket Tuesday night. Woodley had 35 points and 20 rebounds. Staff photo by Doug Spoon

By Doug Spoon, Editor

The night belonged to Sydney Woodley – no two ways about it.

In a game where Mya Pierfax and Isabella Villegas were both in foul trouble, Woodley rose to the occasion once again for the Paloma Valley High girls basketball team. She finished with a game-high 35 points and 20 rebounds Tuesday night in a 62-52 victory over Lincoln High of San Diego in the first round of the CIF State playoffs.

The 5-foot-10 junior forward was a constant force under the basket, both in pulling down defensive rebounds and grabbing offensive rebounds for put-back baskets. In addition, Woodley played tough defense on Lincoln point guard Maria Flores, holding the Hornets senior to 13 points and constantly denying her good looks at the basket.

As a result, the Wildcats earned another home game for Thursday’s second round of the Division III tournament. Paloma Valley, now 31-3 overall, will play host to Mission Prep of San Luis Obispo (19-12) in a 7 p.m. game.

“Sydney was an animal tonight,” Wildcats coach Matt Dale said about Woodley. “We needed her in a big way and she stepped up. She had the toughest defensive assignment, guarding the point guard, she had a ton of offensive rebounds … she was amazing tonight."

 With Paloma Valley trailing 9-8, Woodley scored her team’s last 10 points of the period for an 18-16 lead.

Fighting for offensive rebounds, Woodley twice was fouled and sank a pair of free throws. She followed that with a steal and a jumper from the free throw line. Soon thereafter, she drilled a 3-pointer, then sank another free throw as Paloma took a lead it never gave up.

When star guard Pierfax (left) picked up her third foul on an offensive foul call in the first minute of the second quarter, it became even more important for Woodley to carry the load. Behind her solid play, the Wildcats moved out to an 11-point lead (38-27) at halftime.

“She and I watched film today,” Dale said about Woodley. “When we can sit down and talk about how we’re going to guard somebody, I know she’s going to be focused on the job. Her mindset coming into it was great.

"Sydney can’t be stopped if she doesn’t want to be stopped. She has great footwork, speed and ballhandling, finesse. She has all the tools.”

Pierfax made her usual strong moves to the basket to draw fouls, but her own foul trouble limited her playing time. The junior guard picked up her fourth foul halfway through the third quarter and had to sit down. The Wildcats led 44-33 at that point. When she came back into the game two minutes into the fourth quarter, Paloma Valley was still up, 52-41.

In the next couple of minutes, Woodley sank a 3-point shot and scored on a put-back, helping Paloma Valley build a lead that reached 17 (60-43).

“When the officiating is so inconsistent, it’s really hard to figure out how to play," Dale said. "They [the officials] took Flores out of the game. They took Mya out of the game. It was hard to establish any flow.

“Mya was not given any flow in the game. I had to sit her for these super long stretches, just hoping I could play her in the fourth. I need her on the floor. But I ended up sitting her, hoping we can maintain the lead. That’s where Sydney was especially good, helping us hold the lead.”

Trinitee Bradley tries to maneuver past a Lincoln High defender in Tuesday night's game.  Wildcats guard Breeann Willich turns the corner on a Lincoln defender during the first half Tuesday night. Sydney Woodley (2), Leslie Giles (1) and Essynce Lewis (13) stand over a fallen defender while awaiting a rebound.