Erik Boal
Tamar Hill was hoping that after 11 days of being able to contemplate
and analyze what went wrong during their first meeting with Sherman
Oaks Notre Dame, the members of her La Canada High girls' basketball
team would come back a more focused and motivated group in Tuesday
night's rematch.
Well, there's always hope of a third meeting in the
Bellarmine-Jefferson Christmas Classic.
After being victimized by a 20-point fourth-quarter run in their
three-point setback to the Knights in the championship game of the
Third Annual Lady Falcon Tip-Off Classic on Dec. 5, the Spartans
only added to their coach's frustration in their nonleague home
contest by surrendering 24 consecutive points in the second and third
quarters.
*--*
BOX SCORE
*--*
*--*
Notre Dame 19 16 14 16 -- 65
La Canada 20 2 13 17 -- 52
*--*
*--*
SHERMAN OAKS NOTRE DAME
Romero 18 and 13 rebounds, Hill 16 and 4 steals, Jenkins 13, Burgess 9 and 3 steals, Gossard 9 and 4 steals. * Three-pointers: Jenkins 2, Burgess, Gossard, Hill.
LA CANADA
Futalan 14, 10 rebounds and 4 steals, K. Hurlbutt 14, 7 rebounds and 5 assists, Kawakami 7, Beattie 6, 8 rebounds and 3 steals, Smith 6, M. Hurlbutt 5. * Three-pointers: K. Hurlbutt 2, Smith 2, M. Hurlbutt, Kawakami.
*--*
La Canada started strong, and finished well, but what transpired
in between had Hill shaking her head in disbelief, as her squad
dropped a 65-52 decision to its still undefeated opponent.
"Aside from [the second quarter] it was an even game," said Hill,
whose squad (5-2) led, 22-21, with 5:13 left in the first half, but
yielded 14 consecutive points to close the quarter, and added to its
struggles by giving up the first 10 in the opening 3:13 of the second half.
"We got tentative. Nobody wanted to score. And we turned over the
ball way too many times.
"We need to learn how to show up and play for four quarters, not
just three."
If the Spartans had duplicated their effort from the opening
quarter -- when Diahnn Futalan scored the first three times she
touched the ball in the game's opening two minutes, and four
different La Canada players hit three-pointers -- then it might have
been a long night for Notre Dame (6-0).
But instead, it was the combination of 10 missed shots and 11
turnovers during a span of 8:51 in the middle two quarters that Hill
is hoping her players can erase from their memories in time for a
7:30 p.m. quarterfinal game today against Arcadia in the ninth annual
Lady Knights' Christmas Classic at Arroyo High in El Monte.
"I don't know how we can give up 24 straight points," said Hill,
whose squad let a 57-41 advantage slip away en route to its 62-59
loss Dec. 5.
"I think what it comes down to is just desire. We're really nice
kids, so I don't know how you go about creating an animal. But we
need to bring a little more edge and we need to bring a little
attitude when we play."
Futalan finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds and four steals, and
Kasey Hurlbutt added 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists for
La Canada, which received six points and eight rebounds from Sarah
Beattie.
Jessica Romero led Notre Dame with 18 points and 13 rebounds.
