Do or die win
February 27, 2014
On the last day of the Hacienda League play, all the attention was focused on the Diamond Bar -Walnut girls basketball game. The winner would get a CIF berth, while the loser would take fifth and begin rebuilding for the 2014-15 season during the long off-season.
Overcoming their loss to the Walnut Mustangs 45-29 in the previous game on January 27, the Lady Brahmas dominated the game, winning 56-43 and gaining a spot in the CIF Southern Division 1AA playoffs. DB finished the season third in the Hacienda League with a 13-13 overall record and a 6-6 league record.
“Walnut is a really good team. It was a real push and shove, but this was a big step in the program,” coach Tony McCabe said.
The game was already a blowout by the end of the first quarter. With the playoff berth on the line, senior co-captain guard Norah Wu came up huge for the Lady Brahmas, scoring eight points in the first quarter. Freshman guard Lauren Del Campo made the two three-pointers that helped DB gain the momentum of the game. At the end of the first quarter, the Lady Brahmas were leading 23-4.
During the second quarter, the Lady Brahmas’ defense overtook the game. The duo of sophomore centers Destinee Garr and Kayla Rice in the paint prevented Walnut players’ field goal attempts and also held the Mustangs to one shot per possession. Garr finished the game with 9 points and 11 rebounds. Heading into halftime, the Lady Brahmas were leading 40-8.
“Destinee Garr, of course, is just a warrior in the post. She sure can take a lot of hits in the paint,” McCabe commented.
Leading by 32 in the third quarter, the Lady Brahmas changed from their fast-break offense to a half-court offense. However, this transition helped the Mustangs end the third quarter with a 14-4 run. Despite the extra effort, the game was still out of reach for Walnut, which was losing 47-22 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Mustangs were able to rally back in the fourth quarter, cutting the lead to ten with a couple of minutes left. However, the Lady Brahmas sunk in three clutch free throws that sealed the game away. DB won 56-43.
“The seniors stepped up today. Norah Wu, Natalie Wong, Colleen Siu, and the whole backcourt helped execute the offense into scoring 40 points in one half,” McCabe stated.
DB has been heating up lately, winning the last four of five games. The team has been plagued with injuries and sicknesses throughout the early part of the season, but has finally recovered from the setbacks. The Lady Brahmas have now reached their full potential and are ready for any opponent.
