TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS ROUNUP: Chargers hold off old rival, Aztecs

12/23/05

NEWS-PRESS STAFF REPORT

San Marcos, Dons fall in close games

Juli Friesen's 3-pointer in the fourth quarter helped Dos Pueblos High's girls basketball team hold off Montgomery for a 44-34 victory Thursday and advance to today's Tournament of Champions Gold Division consolation final.

The Chargers (10-2), who are off to their best start in school history, will face Carlsbad for the consolation title at 12:30 p.m. today at Santa Barbara High.

Friesen posted a team-high 12 points while Amber Stevens and Chessie Jackson added 11 apiece in their long-awaited rematch with Montgomery's Cassie Klockgether, who burned the Chargers for four Channel League wins with the Royals before transferring to the San Diego-area school.

"For Amber, Juli and Gillian, they went 1-4 against Cassie and didn't get a chance to play her again because she moved," DP coach Maynard Pilapil said. "They were looking forward to this, and we knew that if Cassie shot the ball well, that could be the difference in the game."

Klockgether, a senior, made two 3-pointers and finished with eight points but fouled out in the fourth quarter.

Montgomery cut DP's lead to 30-29 to start the final period, but Hannah Valdez hit a jumper to spark an 11-0 run, which featured Friesen's key 3-pointer, by the Chargers.

CAPITAL CHRISTIAN 44, SAN MARCOS 40

Junior Nicole Hyslop had another productive outing with 18 points, but the Royals were unable to overcome the Cougars strong start in a Green Division matchup at Dos Pueblos.

Hyslop, who scored 20 points in each of her first two TOC games, tallied 11 points in the fourth quarter alone Thursday, but it wasn't enough for San Marcos.

"Her shooting percentage has come up, but now we have to get the team's shooting percentage improve," Royals coach Aaron Solis said. "We played hard, but we have to shoot for a better percentage. In a game like this, one bucket a quarter can make all the difference."

RIGHETTI 50, SANTA BARBARA 47

The Dons led by four points with two minutes to play and Austin Hamilton had 17 points and 19 rebounds, but it wasn't enough to hold off the Warriors in the Gold Division matchup.

Dons coach Andrew Butcher said his team was riddled with turnovers and poor shot selection in the final minutes of playing time.

"They outplayed us and did a great job at the end," Butcher said.

Righetti's Kristina Santiago scored a game-high 20 points, while teammate J'Nay Hawthorne added 11.

The Dons held a 22-21 advantage at halftime, but Righetti posted 12 points in the third quarter to take a 33-30 lead into the final period. The Warriors faltered at the start of the fourth but rallied for the victory.

Righetti will play in the 13th-place game at 12:30 p.m. today at Dos Pueblos High. The Dons will host the 15th-place game at 9 a.m. today.