Support our high school sports coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribe now
It’s not easy to win games late in the basketball season but El Dorado’s girls team showed again Saturday that it has the grit to complete the job.
The Golden Hawks survived a 17-0 run by Canyon to open the fourth quarter and used a block in the final seconds by Delaney Shiring to secure a 44-39 victory in the Division III semifinals of the CIF Southern California Regional.
Shiring, a senior forward, blocked a drive attempt by Canyon with about six seconds left in regulation and grabbed the rebound to protect a 42-39 lead. The Pomona-Pitzer commit then sank two free throws to put the final touches on a victory that advances the No. 2 seeded Golden Hawks (22-14) into Tuesday’s final against visiting No. 5 Leuzinger.
The winner on Tuesday advances to the CIF State championships in Sacramento next weekend.
“We were able to dig deep and draw out what we needed to get through,” said Shiring, who scored a game-high 23 points. “I knew we had it in us.”
“It was a very tough fourth quarter,” she added. “At the end, when it got close, we tapped into what we’ve been working on all season … getting defensive stops when we need it the most.”
El Dorado set the stage for its postseason run by competing in the challenging Crestview League and winning its final two games of the regular season to become eligible for an at-large berth in CIF-SS Division 4. The Golden Hawks captured the division for their first section crown since 1976.
“Our league, it prepared us for this,” fourth-year El Dorado coach Matthew Raya said. “I don’t know if it’s destiny or what, but they have so much grit that they can battle through things and somehow we can come out with a win.”
El Dorado, which split with Canyon in league, led the Comanches 40-22 going into the fourth quarter.
The Comanches found a spark after coach Sara Brown and an assistant coach received technical fouls with 2:30 left in the third. They scored the first 17 points of the fourth period to trim El Dorado’s lead to 40-39 on a 3-pointer by Vyonna Nguyen with 25 seconds left.
Canyon fouled twice to stop the clock, which sent El Dorado’s Riley Morikawa to the foul line with 13.9 seconds remaining. The senior sank both free throws for the Golden Hawks’ first points of the fourth and a 42-39 lead.
Canyon outscored El Dorado 17-4 in the fourth quarter and didn’t allow a field goal.
“This is a very resilient team,” said Brown, whose squad placed third in the Crestview League and lost starter Anna B’far to injury. “They fought. We’ve had a lot of injuries this year.”
“Everybody counted us out,” the coach added. “State is hard.”
El Dorado senior point guard Kennedy Wood scored 14 points, including 3-pointers early in the first and third quarters.
“This playoffs, she has really stepped it up,” Raya said of Wood.
Canyon post Kyara Vargas had 15 points and nine rebounds. Point guard Zulymar Velazquez scored all of her eight points in a strong first half.
In other regional semifinals Saturday:
In Division IV:
Godinez 41, Tulare Union 39: Valeria Arcos scored 12 points and Crystal Cruz added nine to lead the host No. 2 Grizzlies, who play host to No. 5 Palisades in the final Tuesday.
Palisades defeated Marina 61-49 at Ocean View High in the other semifinal.
In Division V:
Laguna Hills 37, Rosamond 31: Senior Cameron McDermott scored 17 points with 10 rebounds and her sister Keira added 15 points to lead the visiting No. 4 Hawks, who play host to No. 6 Schurr on Tuesday in the final.
More results to come.
Related Articles
Crean Lutheran’s big lead disappears as Damien rallies to win regional semifinal Marina moves Saturday’s girls basketball regional due to scheduling conflict CIF State boys and girls basketball playoffs: Thursday’s scores, Saturday’s schedule Marina holds off Savanna for victory in CIF state girls basketball playoffs Mater Dei boys basketball beats JSerra to continue surge in state playoffsHence then, the article about el dorado girls basketball holds off canyon in cif socal regional semifinals was published today ( ) and is available on The Orange County Register ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( El Dorado girls basketball holds off Canyon in CIF SoCal Regional semifinals )
Also on site :
- Why Stephanie Buttermore Quit YouTube 2 Years Before Her Death
- ‘The Young and the Restless’ and Hallmark Star Reveals Secret Wedding
- Did John F. Kennedy Jr. Really Cause Daryl Hannah’s Dog’s Death? The Truth Behind the ‘Love Story’ Scene