Erik Boal
Five minutes before Friday night's showdown of Rio Hondo League
unbeatens, La Canada High girls' basketball Coach Tamar Hill didn't
know if she'd have the services of Kasey Hurlbutt.
She wound up getting outstanding efforts from both Hurlbutt
sisters.
Despite playing with badly bruised ribs, Kasey scored a game-high
21 points -- including 13 in the fourth quarter -- and her sophomore
sibling, Mary Kate, added 14 points off the bench to lift La Canada
to a 57-41 victory at Monrovia.
*--*
BOX SCORE
*--*
*--*
La Canada 11 11 11 24 -- 57
Monrovia 11 11 10 9 -- 41
*--*
*--*
LA CANADA
K. Hurlbutt 21 and 6 assists, M. Hurlbutt 14, Futalan 8, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks, Clary 7 and 10 rebounds, Smith 5 and 5 assists, Beattie 2. * Three-pointers: K. Hurlbutt 5, Smith.
MONROVIA
Gholar 16 and 3 steals, Harris 15 and 8 rebounds, West 5 and 15 rebounds, Portillo 3 and 8 rebounds, Limon 2. * Three-pointers: Gholar 2.
*--*
"In the first half, I was kind of playing tentative, so in the
second half, I decided to play and deal with [the pain] in the
morning," said Kasey, a senior, who suffered the injury to her ribs
in the fourth quarter of Wednesday's win at San Marino, requiring her
to have them heavily taped for Friday's game.
"It helped a lot to know I could come out if I needed to, because
I knew we were going to be OK with or without me in there.
"But Mary Kate was the big inspiration for me [Friday]. I saw how
hard she was playing and I knew I had to do my part."
She did, and then some, hitting five three-pointers -- three in
the fourth quarter -- and adding six assists and five rebounds.
But if it wasn't for the efforts of Diahnn Futalan (eight points
and 10 rebounds) and role players like Mary Kate Hurlbutt, Jennifer
Clary (seven points and 10 rebounds) and Krissy Smith (five points
and five assists), the Spartans (16-5, 5-0 in league) wouldn't have
been able to beat the Wildcats (11-10, 4-1).
"Everybody did what they were supposed to, and maybe a little more
than expected. I'm really proud of how they played," said Hill, whose
squad broke open a one-point game by outscoring Monrovia, 13-3, to
open the fourth quarter.
"In the first half, you could see on Kasey's face the look of 'I'm
tired' and 'I'm in pain', but I told her that the team needs to look
to her [for a spark]. And she had an amazing second half, as did Mary
Kate.
