Edison girls’ basketball building momentum ahead of stretch run
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New years are often seen as new beginnings, and the Edison girls’ basketball team certainly fit the mold of teams that would have liked to wipe the slate clean.
The Chargers dropped all but one of their first 14 contests this season, before going 2-2 in their host Christina Mauser Memorial Tournament over winter break.
Edison has suddenly found new life, winners of four of its last six, surging just ahead of its last and best chance to save the season through league play.
Taylor Savage and Mia Cassel proved a dynamic duo for Edison in its 57-35 win at Huntington Beach on Saturday in a Sunset Conference crossover game.
A bundle of energy, Savage left her fingerprints all over the game for Edison (5-15). She had 22 points, 11 steals, eight rebounds and seven assists, all game-high totals.
Cassel finished with 19 points, five steals and three assists, the tandem combining to outscore Huntington Beach (12-8).
“Going into the season, we were definitely reloading,” said Cassel, a senior forward. “We had nine seniors graduate last year, so it was definitely a big change. It took a lot of work. We’ve been practicing really hard, trying to get other girls to get a better understanding of the game, and I think it’s finally all coming together. We’re finally figuring out what we need to do to get a win.”
Allison Sotelo, one of two seniors in the Chargers’ lineup, added seven points and seven rebounds. Tegan Sjollema contributed six points, four rebounds, and three assists.
“We have a lot of respect for Huntington Beach,” Edison coach Stephanie Ontiveros said. “Coach [Russell] McClurg is an excellent coach. We definitely respect how he coaches his players and how he prepares them.
“We were just trying to make sure we exploited everything that we could, especially shutting down their three-point shooters. … We respect their abilities.”
It took time for Edison to get on track, but the road win served as a reminder that anything can happen if a team qualifies for the postseason. The Oilers are ranked No. 12 in the CIF Southern Section Division 3A rankings (released Monday). The Chargers, in the same division, are unranked.
Edison’s playoff hopes will be tied to their results in the Surf League, a six-game sprint of home-and-home sets against Corona del Mar, Fountain Valley and Los Alamitos.
While all of the Chargers’ points came from their starters, Ontiveros said she felt her team was playing together. It showed in team defense with 19 steals. Edison also shared the ball offensively with 16 assists on 25 field goals.
McClurg said the in-division loss could be harmful to his team’s prospects for at-large consideration. The most direct path to the playoffs would be to finish among the top two in the Wave League, which also comprises Marina, Newport Harbor and Laguna Beach.
Emily Hoang had 10 points, four rebounds and two blocked shots. She was the most effective player in the game for the Oilers, though early foul trouble for the freshman forward limited her impact.
Emma Miyai scored six points, Lauren Matsumoto had five points and three steals, and Chloe Nguyen grabbed eight rebounds. Emily Pugh supplied five rebounds and two steals off the bench.
McClurg held a long postgame meeting after his team’s fourth defeat in its last seven outings.
“I think today was about bringing us back together, finding that path to success,” McClurg said. “How are we going to be successful from after that game, how do we right the ship? They beat us pretty good tonight, and I felt like we have to do a better job being disciplined, [have] more pride, more enthusiasm.”
Nonleague
Edison 57, Huntington Beach 35
E — Savage 22, Cassel 19, Sotelo 7, Sjollema 6, Cliff 3.
3-pt. goals — Savage 2, Cliff 1.
Fouled out — None.
Technicals — None.
HB — Hoang 10, Miyai 6, Matsumoto 5, Kao 4, Mori 3, Melitas 2, Duarte 2, Rose 2, Nguyen 1.
3-pt. goals — Miyai 1, Matsumoto 1, Mori 1.
Fouled out — Hoang.
Technicals — None.
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