Brea Olinda pressure too much for Chargers

SANTA ANA — Time was running out for the Edison High girls’ basketball team from the very beginning Saturday night at Mater Dei High.

Brea Olinda and the Ladycats’ pressing defense made sure of it. By the time the Chargers got into the front-court, the shot clock was already a factor.

Time turned out be on Brea Olinda’s side, and so was the 62-40 verdict in the CIF Southern Section Division II-AA championship game.

Edison fought gamely but was denied in its attempt for its first CIF girls’ hoops title since 1987. The Chargers also had a 16-game winning streak snapped.

They will now try to regroup for the CIF Division II Southern California regional playoffs, which begin Tuesday. Edison, the No. 5 seed, plays at No 4-seeded West Hills of Santee at 7 p.m.

“We weren’t aggressive,” Edison Coach Dan Wiley said of the CIF title game. “We had to be more aggressive on that press in the first half. We were letting them run 10 seconds off the shot clock every time, instead of attacking it, which was what we worked on in practice all week. Shot clock violation after violation, and [Brea Olinda] hit their shots. Kelsey Harris was on fire.”

Harris, a junior guard, hit six three-pointers and finished with a game-high 22 points for Brea Olinda (29-2), ranked No. 4 in the state by CalHiSports.com.

But it was a battle early. Edison (24-5) led for much of the first quarter.

It was an 8-5 advantage on a baseline jumper from sophomore Bonnie Samuelson, who finished with a team-high 16 points. But Brea Olinda went on an 8-0 run to end the quarter.

In the second quarter, Brea Olinda opened up a 24-11 lead on a steal and lay-up by senior guard Jonae Ervin (12 points). Edison would battle back, pulling within 26-17 at halftime on a heads-up play by senior forward Mary Madden.

Madden made a basket and was fouled. She missed the free throw, but nobody boxed her out and she grabbed the rebound and scored again.

Edison still had hope, down nine at the intermission.

“We were very tentative in the first half, and we looked nervous,” Ladycats Coach Jeff Sink said. “I really only think we played well in one quarter, the third quarter. That was Brea basketball: much quicker, moving our feet on defense, moving the ball around. That was much more reflective of what we’d like to do from here on out.”

Ah yes, the third quarter. It was one where Edison was outscored 25-3 and didn’t make a field goal, turning a close game into a rout.

“They made some adjustments in the second half that we maybe weren’t so ready for, adn they were hitting their shots as well,” said Madden, who finished with seven points and four rebounds. “We did all we could do. I think everyone played hard. We just didn’t hit our shots this game.

“We were a little too passive against [the press]. I think we could have maybe attacked it a little bit more, to try to expose some of their weaknesses. I don’t think we took advantage of a lot of their weaknesses when we should have.”

Sophomore guard Christina Marquette finished with nine points for Edison, and senior forward Kelly Peterson had six points and three boards.

Freshmen Rilee Horton and Lauren Grego each came in during the fourth quarter and made a free throw.

“We stayed with them pretty close, but then they were hitting their shots and we weren’t,” Peterson said. “That really hurt us. They had a little run in the second [quarter], and they came out with a lot of energy in the third. We just didn’t match up.”

But Edison’s season isn’t over yet, and the Chargers are excited about their prospects for the state playoffs.

“A lot of us have been friends for a long time,” Peterson said. “It’s just awesome that we can contine on and go to state. We love each other, we’re all sisters and family right now. We just want to keep going and be successful. We’ve had a great season, and we just want to continue on and go as far as we possibly can.”