Story by Trisha Chakraborty
Staff Writer
Photo by Zoe Chen
Staff Photographer
Girls’ basketball played the Moorpark Musketeers on Thursday, Feb. 13 in their first round of CIF Southern Section Division 3AA playoffs.
The first quarter started as a defensive battle, with both teams taking a slow start to figure out each other’s playing style and to find their footing. For nearly three minutes, neither team was able to gain a lead and struggled to score due to interceptions and missed shots. Halfway into the quarter, though, South Pasadena broke through with a clean three-pointer from senior point guard Mia Leach; the Tigers found their scoring momentum after this.
With quick, accurate passing the Tigers quickly built their lead, while the Musketeers initially scored only through free throws. Junior point guard Madeline Park’s multiple steals allowed for fast break points, and senior shooting guard Kayla Boozer’s aggressive offense helped the Tigers earn a 20-7 lead by the end of the first quarter.
South Pasadena extended their lead in the second quarter with a fast-paced start. The Tigers continued their strong passing and largely succeeded in preventing the Musketeers from having clean shots. Senior shooting guard Maddy Wong scored multiple three-pointers from the corner, each one either set up through fast passes or earned through quick rebounds. Aggressive offense from Park and Boozer, whose scores combined for a dominant final two minutes, pushed the Tigers’ lead to 43-24 at halftime.
Moorpark opened the third quarter with a three, but South Pasadena immediately answered with Park continuing to force turnovers and Boozer dazzling the crowd with a behind-the-back layup. South Pasadena’s passing remained tight, while Moorpark continued to suffer from inaccurate, extended passes. By the end of the third quarter, the Tigers led 67-39.
South Pasadena closed out the game with continued defensive pressure, intercepting Moorpark’s long passes and capitalizing on rebounds. The Tigers’ strong defense and fluid passing proved too much for the Musketeers, as South Pasadena won the game with a dominant score of 77-48.
“It was amazing. Our whole team stuck to the game plan that we came out with and [that] we practiced for,” Head Coach Cody Masden said. “We couldn’t ask for more as far as the game goes.”
“We play Mark Keppel next…I think we have to make smarter passes and just be more aggressive, just like we were today,” sophomore guard Kara Wang said.
The Tigers played the Mark Keppel Aztecs on Saturday, Feb. 15 and were knocked out of their second round of CIF Southern Section Division 3AA playoffs in a 72-21 loss.
Mark Keppel beat the Oakwood Owls in a 66-36 win during the Quarter Final and will play the Chaparral Pumas on Saturday, Feb. 22 in the Semi Final.
