After a slow start, Paloma girls defeat Valley View
Ashlee Medrano led the way with 25 points in Paloma Valley's victory. (Photo by Rick Rowell) By Doug Spoon, Editor Last season, the Pa...
By Doug Spoon, Editor
Last season, the Paloma Valley High girls basketball team lost twice in league play to Valley View, including a 30-point loss at home. Apparently, the players haven’t forgotten.
Ashlee Medrano scored 25 points, Gina Misiaita scored 12 and Nazhae Lathan added 10 Wednesday night as the Wildcats broke open a close game in the third quarter, then cruised to a 60-37 victory over the Eagles in their league opener.
“They wanted this game,” coach Gabriel Flores said about his players. “We lost to them twice last year, and they really handled us here on our court. Yes, they were amped up for this game. We wanted to improve in league, and it all starts in game one.”
Both teams started slowly, with Paloma Valley (10-6) taking an 8-3 lead after the first quarter. Valley View (11-8) didn’t get on the scoreboard until there was just 1:10 left in the period.
The Wildcats went on a 7-0 run early in the second quarter for a 15-5 lead, but the visiting Eagles took advantage of back-to-back 3-point baskets by Mason Long to cut into the lead, and teammate Tiana Washington scored twice. Valley View scored 5 of the last 7 points in the quarter to trail by only four at halftime, 22-18.
Paloma led 29-24 when the Wildcats went on a 9-0 run, punctuated by a 3-pointers from Medrano and Lathan and a spin move layup by Medrano, to take a 38-24 advantage.
Valley View scored six straight points early in the fourth quarter and went to a full-court press on defense in an attempt to get back into the game. But the Wildcats beat the press repeatedly, getting the ball to an open Misiaita for four layups down the stretch.
“The press is a gamble,” Flores said. “You try to take away half the court, but that kind of leaves you at a disadvantage under the rim. If you can handle the press at the top, then you should leave somebody open underneath.”
Paloma Valley returns to action next Wednesday with an Ivy League game at Lakeside. So far this season, Flores likes what he sees.
"We finished the Ramona Tournament 2-2, with two good wins," he said. "I thought we did some good things in that. You practice to improve things and hopefully it translates onto the court. It did today.
“We didn’t shoot particularly well, but if you make up for it with a little defensive effort, you can succeed.”
Gina Misiaita made four layups in the final minutes for the Wildcats. (Photo by Rick Rowell)
