Girls’ Basketball: Eagles alone in first in OCL after outlasting Laguna Beach

LAGUNA BEACH — Estancia High girls’ basketball Coach Judd Fryslie can’t quite put his finger on why it’s so tough to play at Laguna Beach High.

“The lighting here is the same as our girls’ gym,” Fryslie said. “It’s got the same hue, so you’d think that wouldn’t bother us. Red background, we’re used to that.”

The Eagles are also used to a battle whenever they travel south to Laguna Beach. Three years ago, Laguna handed Estancia its only league loss of 2012-13 in that gym. Two years ago, the Eagles survived by a single point.

Tuesday night’s first-place showdown also was close throughout. Every time Estancia would go on a run to create separation, the Breakers would respond.

Estancia, though, showed a strong finishing kick that one might expect out of a three-time defending Orange Coast League champion.

Senior point guard Maya Van Den Heever scored 11 of her game-high 23 points in the fourth quarter as Estancia won, 53-43, to move into outright possession of first place in league.

Fryslie expected the game to be close, and it was, but his Eagles (14-6, 4-0 in league) made sure they were no longer tied with Laguna Beach (12-7, 3-1) for the league lead. After winning its 23rd consecutive league game, Estancia took a step toward earning its fourth straight outright title.

Van Den Heever was a big reason why. Fryslie said he told her before the game that the team’s leading scorer, sophomore Finley Garnett, to be closely guarded throughout. He expected his team to be well-scouted.

“I just had to play my game and make sure that we’re in the lead the whole game,” said Maya Van Den Heever, who added 10 assists, nine rebounds and four steals. “I didn’t want to lose.”

Garnett did come alive in the second half and finished with 19 points and three steals, while Van Den Heever’s twin sister, Nefertiti, had 11 points and 12 rebounds. Estancia, ranked No. 12 in CIF Southern Section Division 4AA, was not exactly balanced as nobody else besides those three players scored. But it was enough to beat the Breakers.

The Eagles never trailed after the first quarter, but the Breakers never went away. Estancia led by just one point after the first quarter (9-8), at halftime (25-24) and after the third quarter (36-35). Garnett picked up the scoring load in that third quarter, with nine points. She said she was motivated by a vocal group of Laguna Beach football players sitting courtside.

She also took motivation from wanting to rebound from a relatively quiet Battle for the Bell game last Thursday, when she scored just 13 points in another hostile environment at Costa Mesa High.

“The crowd kind of me made me want to beat them by more,” Garnett said. “I definitely didn’t want it to be like the Mesa game. I wanted to change that.”

Estancia knew it had to limit Laguna seniors Jackie Cenan and Alexandra Lewis, who combine for nearly 33 points per game. Cenan had 14 points, her lowest total in league play. But it was Lewis, the daughter of Laguna Beach Coach Mark Lewis, who got hot in the second half.

She showed her range, hitting four three-pointers after the break. A couple of them were from well behind the line, much to the dismay of the Eagles and senior Maddy Letterman, who was tasked with guarding Alexandra Lewis.

“I had to yell at her and tell her, ‘Get up, Maddy! Get up!’” Maya Van Den Heever said. “You have to yell at her and she’ll respond very well. I feel bad, though. But she listens better.”

Maya Van Den Heever scored nine points in the first two minutes of the fourth quarter, pushing Estancia’s lead to 45-38. Lewis’ last deep three-pointer trimmed the Breakers’ deficit to five, at 49-43 with 2:45 remaining. But the hosts, who lost junior Nicole Davidson to a right knee injury in the third quarter, would not score again.

Maya Van Den Heever made a baseline drive, then Nefertiti grabbed the rebound after a wild shot on the other end. Garnett split two defenders to score in the lane, giving the Eagles a 10-point lead with a minute left. The final score was Estancia’s biggest lead of the game.

Estancia returns home to play Godinez on Thursday, and Fryslie isn’t expecting an easy game against the Grizzlies, who are 3-1 in league. But he can rest assured knowing that his squad won’t have to play another game at Laguna Beach High this season.

“This is probably the most important league game we’re going to have,” Fryslie said. “Godinez is tough, but it’s always been kind of between Laguna and Estancia. [Winning] at their place is tough.

“I was very relieved. We kept pulling away, and they caught us. In another three or four minutes, would they have caught us again? I’m not sure, honestly. I think we just took the lead at the right time.”

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Orange Coast League

Estancia 53, Laguna Beach 43

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Est 9 – 16 – 11 – 17 — 53

LB 8 – 16 – 11 – 8 — 43

Est – M. Van Den Heever 23, Garnett 19, N. Van Den Heever 11.

3-pt. goals – M. Van Den Heever 4.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

LB – Lewis 15, Cenan 14, Davidson 5, Kenney 4, Banks 3, Lee 2.

3-pt. goals – Lewis 5.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.