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BREA — Brea Olinda’s girls basketball team is on its third coach in four seasons but showed Tuesday that it found a good fit with Coach Craig Matthews.
The Ladycats responded to Matthews’ challenge of playing hard man defense, and their effort and free throw shooting in the fourth quarter paved the way for a 51-39 victory against San Clemente in a nonleague game at Brea Olinda High.
Brea Olinda (6-1) made 12 of 16 shots (75 percent) from the foul line in the final eight minutes but its defense was the theme of the night.
Junior Mariah Henderson and Maya Sanborn each blocked two shots while senior co-captain Zoe Ramirez collected five steals and two blocks as the Ladycats held San Clemente (3-2) to a season-low output.
“This is the first year that we’ve kicked it up, put a lot of ball pressure, and just (tried) to tire them out,” said Ramirez, who led Brea Olinda with 11 points.
That pressure produced one of the key plays of the fourth quarter. Senior co-captain Brooklyn Kame made a steal near mid-court and fed fellow guard and co-captain Sarah Wang for the layup and 43-34 lead with about 3:30 left.
The Ladycats’ free throw shooting helped produce the first double-digit margin in the final minute. San Clemente, playing without standout Zona Miller due to soccer, made 5 of 10 free throws in the fourth and had a lane violation.
Brea Olinda hired Matthews just before the season to replace Chelsea Stocks, who departed after two seasons to take an assistant position at Cal State Fullerton.
“I think we’re taking to (Matthews) really well,” Kame said of the former boys and girls assistant at league rival Esperanza. “I think Coach Matthews really brings a lot of energy to our team. He’s very well-prepared. He prepared us really for this game.”
“We forget he’s from Esperanza,” Ramirez added with a laugh.
Matthews assisted Jimmy Valverde with the Esperanza girls and Mark Hill with the boys. He said Tuesday that he is committed to lead Brea Olinda for at least three seasons to help continue to momentum started by Stocks, who led the Ladycats to the Crestview League title last season.
“We’re going to battle Esperanza for the league championship,” he said.
Henderson added seven points and 14 rebounds to her totals.
Sanborn had nine points and seven rebounds. She highlighted the third quarter by blocking a 3-point attempt at the point and taking the rebound for an uncontested layup.
Wang and Kame added eight and seven points, respectively.
Junior guard Claire Pham scored 10 of her 20 points in the first quarter to lead San Clemente.
Matthews said the Ladycats adjusted defensively by forcing her to drive left.
Senior guard Kiley Quillin added eight points for the Tritons, who have early-season wins against Troy and Tesoro.
Both teams made two 3-pointers.
