Division II Girls’ Final : Brea-Olinda vs. San Diego University City, 2 p.m.
SITE--Sports Arena
RECORDS--Brea-Olinda (30-2), San Diego University City (26-5).
UNIVERSITY CITY--Coach Steve Vukojevich is pinching himself all the way to the Sports Arena. “I’m still a little surprised to be here,†he said. “It’s just a dream. If you had told me a month ago that we’d be here, I wouldn’t have believed you.†A week ago, University City won its first San Diego Section title after a loss in the championship a year earlier. In 1992, the Centurions lost their first round of regional play to Gahr, which University City defeated by four points Tuesday. Led by seniors Jenny Gross and Shannon Colton, University City is playing “cool as a cucumber,†Vukojevich said. “The girls are playing together. They’re on a roll. That’s where it stands.â€
BREA-OLINDA--After sleepwalking through the second half of their first regional assignment against Ventura on Tuesday, the Ladycats were jolted back to reality with a scare against Carlsbad on Thursday, an experience junior guard Nicole Erickson called humbling. “This will prepare us for close games down the road.â€
KEY TO THE GAME--You don’t stop Erickson, you try to contain her. Double-team Erickson and the Ladycats will get the ball to Colleen Hudson or Lee Moulin. What University City must do is rebound and not give Brea-Olinda its second shot, something that worked briefly for Carlsbad on Thursday. University City must forget Brea-Olinda’s rich basketball heritage in its attempt to start its own. “They’re an institution. A legend,†Vukojevich said.
CONSENSUS--Many felt Brea-Olinda and Carlsbad shouldn’t have met until the final, as University City’s victory over Carlsbad in the San Diego Section a week earlier was a huge upset. The Ladycats escaped with the 64-55 overtime victory against the Lancers, but University City will be hard-pressed to duplicate, or better, Carlsbad’s feat. The Centurions have played their last three games with blue tattoos of a Centurion on their upper arms, distinguishing marks that first appeared against Carlsbad, then reappeared in the regional games against Cerritos Gahr and Hacienda Heights Wilson. “We want to win the whole thing now that we’ve come this far,†UC point guard Jenny Gross said after Thursday’s victory. But the Centurions will need more than a gimmick to top the Ladycats.
Starting Lineups
BREA-OLINDA
P Name Ht. Avg. G Nicole Erickson 5-6 22.2 G Susan Rhodabarger 5-7 3.5 F Lee Moulin 5-10 10.8 F Sara Beckley 6-0 11.9 C Colleen Hudson 6-1 16.7
Coach: Mark Trakh
UNIVERSITY CITY
P Name Ht. Avg. G Jenny Gross 5-10 15 F Kristin Hargrove 5-9 5 F Alicia Weihl 5-7 2 C Shannon Colton 6-0 11 C Jessica Birchler 5-11 12
Coach: Steve Vukojevich
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