Santa Ana High’s girls basketball team has made its way to the CIF-Southern Section Div. 5AA final after a 45-32 win over St.Pius/St.Matthias on Saturday night.
The game was intense throughout, with lots of fouls and free-throw attempts. During the first quarter, there was a serious collision between senior Kalleigh Solis and a Warrior defender, but both players were able to remain in the game.
The first quarter ended with the Warriors (23-9) holding on to a one-point advantage.
Solis connected regularly from the free-throw line to help the Saints (16-12) gain the edge and an eventual 25-13 halftime lead.
During the third quarter, the Saints continued with the momentum, stayed out of foul trouble, and led 33-23 at the end of the frame.
Santa Ana held on in the fourth, setting up a championship matchup against Hillcrest (20-6) on Saturday at 10 a.m. at Edison High School. The season came to an end for the Warriors after a perfect 13-0 mark in Santa Fe League play during the regular season.
“During this game we showed how much of a strong team we truly are by always keeping our composure and separating our emotions from playing to win,” senior captain Mireya Arroyo said.
“I expect us to come out strong straight off the bat and secure the win,” she added of the upcoming final. “I expect the other team to put up a fight just like us, but it’s up to us to be stronger physically and mentally.”
Solis anchored the Saints, averaging 24.5 points per game on the season, while Cynthia Silva added 6 points and 7 rebounds per.
The quarterfinal took place February 19 at Ranchos Alamitos High, with the Saints facing off against the Vaqueros (14-12), in the end taking the win with a score of 48-27.
The first quarter opened with a 3-pointer from Solis, while the Vaqueros made two 3’s of their own.
Despite the 3-pointers, the Saints were ahead throughout the first quarter, with the help of Solis and Ashley Mendoza. The final basket for Saints was made by Mendoza with a half-court assist from senior Yarexy Diaz.
The Saints had the lead and continued to hold it through the entirety of the second quarter. The first scorer of the second quarter was Arroyo, who took multiple hits and personal fouls throughout the game.
The Vaqueros seemed to have trouble communicating, as many passes were missed, allowing the Saints to take control of the ball and continue to score, leading 17-13 at halftime.
The third quarter started with a basket from Arroyo once again and the Saints closed out by expanding their lead to 36-20.
During the fourth quarter, the Saints continued with the winning mentality, effectively communicating and working as a team to close the contest. Tiffany Blanco scored consecutively during the final quarter as the Vaqueros comeback fight came up short.
The second round took place Saturday, Feb. 15. The Saints faced off against Charter Oak in an intense game that went into overtime. Ultimately, the Saints were victorious, winning with a score of 61-53.
The game started for the Chargers (12-12) with Siomara S. making a 3-pointer and her continued shooting temporarily put a distance between Charter Oak and the Saints.
The first Saint scorer of the night was Solis with a jump shot. The first period was intense and the Chargers had a 13-11 lead at the end.
The Saints continued to stay only a few points behind the Chargers, not allowing the Chargers to take a significant lead. Solis hit two 3-pointers in the second quarter to keep it close.
As the third quarter began, the Saints came out strong, determined to take the lead as Mendoza made some early layups. By the end of the frame Santa Ana led 37-36.
Quarter four started with a layup for the Saints, while Silva and Solis both made 3-pointers and Blanco scored her first basket of the night.
Although the Saints had started the fourth quarter with a small lead, they found themselves tied with the Chargers at 46 and again at 49 as time expired.
As the teams entered overtime, the crowd was filled with suspense, awaiting the end of the four-minute period.
The Saints did not lose faith and remained determined, while the Chargers did the same.
Despite the tough fight from the Chargers they came up eight points short, eliminating them from the playoffs.
“We did what needed to be done,” Silva said. “We were down with a few seconds left, and I have a strong team, we tied during the fourth quarter and went into overtime, and we won. That’s what it’s all about, maintaining composure, and knowing that there is still time left and continue to score and make the game yours.”
Mendoza said, “I hope that during round three my team trusts themselves and that we trust in each other, and I know we’ll come out strong and take the W again.”
Coach Dana Nguyen said, “I’m more than happy with our outcome, we’re going to the quarter-finals. It’s so exciting to win at home. We’re getting better and better every day during practice and every week.”
The playoffs opened on Thursday, Feb. 13 with Santa Ana defeating Carpinteria (11-10), 41-37 at home.
The Warriors were the first to score with a basket from Jamaica Cook, before Silva scored first for the Saints.
Solis led the scoring for the team during the first period, rebounding and driving for layups. The Warriors led 11-9 after one.
The Saints got scoring from Silva and Mendoza during the second to take the lead, 20-19 into halftime.
The crowd was hyped now that the girls were up and Solis continued to score, including a three in the third that was matched by Carpinteria’s Penny Wrought.
The Saints and Warriors were neck and neck the entire third period, and ended the quarter with a 24-24 tie.
Cook was fired up, making the first and second shots of the final quarter. The Warriors began to foul the Saints toward the end of the game, with the Saints making the free throw shots which helped them stay up.
“It was a tough game, but we pulled through,” Silva said. “We were down not by much, but we managed to come out with the win and move on to the second round. I hope that the next game we come out with great energy and play like there is no next game because you either win or go home.”
Solis said, “We had a little run at the end that gave us the boost to get to a lead that we needed and I really liked that. To my team I say, to keep the mentality that we want to keep going and to stay with the right energy and keep pushing through, keep playing to the best of their ability.”
Coach Dana Nguyen said, “We played a great game, the girls played really hard, we didn’t give up. These girls are mentally tough and they dug deep and found a way to win. I think the next round is going to be tougher, but we have a good chance. I’m proud of the girls, and what they have been able to accomplish despite whatever the outcome is for the next game.”
With Hillcrest upcoming, the Saints run into a squad that went a perfect 10-0 in Inland League play and defeated Adelanto, Fullerton, Loara, and Nordhoff by scores of 53-34, 32-27, 39-35, and 55-51, respectively, en route to the final.
