Eisenhower wins big over Paloma Valley in CIF title game

Paloma Valley guard Mya Pierfax takes the ball upcourt against Eisenhower defender Sa'lah Hemingway. (Photo credits: Menifee 24/7)

By Doug Spoon, Editor

If you’re the Paloma Valley Wildcats, this one is hard to take.

The Wildcats, who moved up to Division 2 in girls basketball this season after winning the Division 4AA title last year, fell behind by 15 points in the second quarter, lost a starter before halftime, and were routed the rest of the way. The result was a 75-53 loss to Eisenhower High of Rialto in the Paloma gym Thursday night in the CIF Division 2 championship game.

Paloma Valley (12-4) led 14-12 after the first quarter, with the visiting Eagles struggling to find their shooting range. But Eisenhower (11-1) used a mix of quick-hands defense, drives to the hoop and 3-point shots by Kamaya Middleton and Tyreshia Sessions to go on a 17-0 run, forcing a Wildcats timeout with 2:56 left in the half and the Eagles leading, 31-17.

Junior forward Essynce Lewis drove to the basket for a layup to make it 34-19, but she went down hard after contact and was forced to leave with a right leg injury. She did not return, leaving the Wildcats with only seven players to try and dig out of a big hole.

It didn’t happen. The hole got a whole lot bigger in the third quarter, Eisenhower outscoring Paloma Valley 18-3 to start the period to take a 54-24 lead. Forcing shots and turning the ball over against the tough Eagles defense, the Wildcats never had a chance after that.

“To lose a player of [Lewis’] caliber, we lose a little of our dynamic,” said Paloma Valley coach Matt Dale. “But the game was a little bit out of hand at that point anyway. Once she’s out, it makes it really tough.

“That’s a weakness of ours already. We don’t have a ton of depth. But again, I don’t think we played great beforehand. We needed to start better than we did offensively. And I think we know how to defend them. I think when we commit to it, good things happen. But when we don’t commit to it … against a team as good as they are, they’re going punish you. The 3-point shooting just added to it.”

Senior guard Briana Lizardi of Eisenhower led all scorers with 27 points and junior guatd Kamaya Middleton scored 21. Senior guard Mya Pierfax led Paloma Valley scorers with 21 and Sydney Woodley (left) added 14.

“They deserve this,” Dale said about Eisenhower. “They were the better team tonight. I would love to play them again full-strength, but that’s not how it goes."

Wildcats forward Essynce Lewis drives to the basket early in Thursday night's championship game.

 Christianna Hawkins is boxed in by two Eisenhower defenders during Thursday night's game.