Reading is fundamental

Barry Faulkner

Sometimes reading your own press clippings can be a good thing. At

least it turned out that way for Saddleback High Monday night, when

the Roadrunners rallied past visiting Estancia for a 53-51 Golden

West League girls basketball victory.

Saddleback senior Tanisha Lewis, one of the leading scorers in the

CIF Southern Section, benefited most from reviewing a Daily Pilot

article that chronicled how the Eagles, utilizing a gimmick defense,

held her to 12 points in Estancia’s 50-44 win Jan. 13. That output

matched her season low and fueled the headline, “Eagles shut down

Lewis, Saddleback.”

Lewis, averaging 24.4 points coming in, overcame a diamond-and-one

defense Monday to score 30 points, including eight of her team’s

final 10, and 12 in a fourth quarter that saw the Roadrunners (15-5,

7-2 in league), overcome a 48-35 deficit with 6:56 remaining.

“Tanisha was very inspired to play by the Daily Pilot article on

the last game,” Saddleback Coach Robert Morgan said.

“I kept the article and I read it right before the game,” said

Lewis, who was carried off the court on the shoulders of her

teammates. “I told myself I wasn’t going to let it happen again.”

Lewis’ heroics almost weren’t enough as the Eagles (8-14, 5-4),

rallied from a 19-10 deficit at the end of the first quarter by

shooting 57.1% from the field (12 for 21) in the middle two periods

to take a 42-33 lead into the final eight minutes.

A three-pointer by junior guard Imelda Pena opened the

fourth-quarter scoring to lift Estancia to a 12-point cushion. Then,

after a Lewis layin, senior Trisha Wase connected from deep in the

left corner for another three and a game-high 13-point cushion.

Saddleback went to work, however, scoring 13 straight points to

pull even, before Pena banked in a 25-foot three ball for a 51-48

advantage with 1:51 left.

Both teams were scoreless over the next 58 seconds, until Lewis,

with the benefit of the double-bonus situation, drained two free

throws to pull the hosts within one.

After an Estancia miss, Saddleback rebounded and called timeout

with 27 ticks remaining. Morgan set up a play for freshman Mariella

McElroy to drive through the Estancia defense, which he correctly

figured would be sagging inside to deny a pass to Lewis.

McElroy was fouled while shooting in the lane and converted both

shots for a 52-51 lead with 19 seconds left.

The Eagles caught an apparent break when Saddleback fouled in the

backcourt on the ensuing possession, but Estancia missed the front

end of the one-and-one and Lewis rebounded, was fouled, and hit one

free throw.

Estancia had one last chance with 11 seconds left, but a

double-dribble violation occurred before it could get off a shot and

Saddleback ran out the final fraction of a second to stay in the

league title chase.

“[The Roadrunners] wanted it more,” Estancia Coach Tami Rappa

said.

Senior Nancy Castro had 18 points and 11 rebounds to lead the

Eagles, while Pena added 14 points.

Wase, who sat out the first quarter due to what Rappa termed “team

problems,” had eight points, seven rebounds, five assists and two

steals, before fouling out with 2:57 left.

Lewis added 10 boards, six offensive, and four steals, helping

Saddleback force 20 turnovers, while committing only eight.

*--*

Golden West League

Saddleback 53, Estancia 51

Score by Quarters

Estancia 10 15 17 9 -- 51

Saddleback 19 3 11 20 -- 53

Estancia -- Maldonado 6, Neal 0, Castro 18,

Pena 14, Mino 5, Wase 8, Flores 0. 3-pt goals

-- Pena 3, Wase 2, Maldonado 2. Fouled out --

Mino, Wase. Technicals -- None. Saddleback --

Lewis 30, McElroy 7, Lozano 9, Lete 2, Perry

0, Williams 5. 3-pt. goals -- Lozano 3,

McElroy 1. Fouled out -- None. Technicals --

None.

*--*