Edison Closes In on Sunset League Title by Beating Marina

This time, there was no frantic comeback to steal a victory.

This time, all fifth-ranked Edison needed to do to position itself for a Sunset League girls’ basketball title was hang on.

Technically, Edison’s 58-41 victory Thursday over second-ranked Marina did not clinch the Chargers’ first league title since 1995 (and second in 12 years), but they can call in that order for a championship banner anyway.

With four games remaining against teams they’ve already defeated, Edison is 18-5, 6-0 in league, and has twice beaten second-place Marina (19-3, 4-2).

“We won’t become complacent,” Edison Coach Dave White said. “We don’t want a tie.”

A 17-3 run in the third quarter provided Edison a 44-27 margin.

It was in stark contrast to the last meeting, when Edison rallied from nine points down midway in the fourth quarter to beat Marina, 45-42. The Chargers followed that with a similar victory over Esperanza, which is also in second. Edison has positioned itself for its first outright league title since 1987.

“When we played at Marina, they blitzed us in the third quarter,” Edison’s Michelle Zylstra said. “We gave them a taste of their own medicine.

“From then on, all we had to do was defend our lead and the game was ours.”

It was a remarkably sloppy game offensively, largely because both teams applied intense defensive pressure. Both teams shot 27% in the first half.

But Christina Patterson and Allison Libeu found their shooting touches in the third quarter, sparking Edison’s run.

Libeu scored 10 of her game-high 18 points in the second half while Zylstra (nine rebounds, five blocked shots) and Patterson (eight rebounds) scored nine of their 11 in the second half. Patterson scored seven in the third quarter.

Marina’s full-court press caused eight fourth-quarter turnovers and the Vikings pulled to within 46-39.

Zylstra then hit a three-point basket with 2 minutes 37 seconds remaining and Trisha Grady (12 points) added her fourth three-pointer to seal it.

Marina shot 28.3% from the field (15 of 53) to Edison’s 43.6% (17 of 39). Edison also held the advantage at the free-throw line, making 19 of 26 to Marina’s nine of 18.

Chanda McLeod (six rebounds) and Miranda Emde scored 10 each for Marina, and Nikki Lee added eight.