Diamond Bar’s girls basketball entered Saturday’s first round of CIF against San Clemente. Despite a strong effort from the Lady Brahmas, DB could not match San Clemente’s speed or size, falling short of a victory 47-22.
The Lady Brahmas got off to a great start in the first quarter. DB seemed to have the upper hand early in the game as it started the game hot, making shots from all over the floor. DB’s defense was also spectacular as it held SC 20 points under its average. The first quarter ended with DB up 11-9.
DB, however, let its lead slip away in the second quarter as it was down 17-11 heading into the half. San Clemente’s ability to play aggressive defense and convert DB’s turnovers into points on the fast break helped them go on a run to take the lead. The Lady Brahmas seemed to have no answers for the sudden spark of aggression and speed from SC. “We were playing really good, and we hit a little drought,” coach Tony McCabe admitted. DB found itself in a major drought and had a tough time getting themselves out of it for the rest of the night.
The halftime break seemed to breathe some life back into the Lady Brahmas as they went on a run. However, DB soon found itself having a difficult time getting past SC’s size. SC went on a major run and pounded DB’s defense to the core. The Lady Brahmas’ defense slowly eroded due to the aggressive offense of SC. DB allowed many open lanes for easy layups and wide-open three pointers. SC found a rhythm and rode its momentum from the third quarter to the end of the game with DB losing by a final score of 47-22.
Despite the loss, the Lady Brahmas accomplished many great things. They finished third in league with the record of 15-13 and made CIF for the third straight year but were unfortunately matched up against a first place SC team. “The season went well, we had few bumps in the road but overall we played well,” senior Tiffany Nguyen commented. The Lady Brahmas stayed positive and cherished the final minutes of their season come to end. As the final buzzer rang, it was an emotional night for the Lady Brahmas as the bittersweet tears filled the home court of SC.
