Burroughs girls’ basketball loses defensive battle to JSerra
Across the past decade, the Burroughs High girls’ basketball team under coach Vicky Oganyan built a reputation for winning Pacific League titles and putting together impressive CIF Southern Section playoff runs.
However, ahead of this season, expectations were tempered as a youthful and unproven squad of Indians was set to take the court.
The Indians surprised many when they rallied down the stretch to force a three-way share for the Pacific League title and then captured a CIF Southern Section Division 2-AA first-round victory.
Burroughs showed its mettle once more on Saturday evening in Orange County, but a season of surprising success came to its conclusion with a 35-27 loss to JSerra Catholic in the second round of the playoffs.
“We’re definitely very proud of what we were able to accomplish,” Oganyan said. “I think we came a long way.
“For us to develop and peak like we did in January and be able to win league and win in the first round of a tough division has a lot to say with how hard these girls worked.”
On Saturday, Burroughs (22-8), which finished second in league and was ousted in the first round of the playoffs last season, found a big and talented JSerra (10-7) that locked down the Indians’ offense.
“I thought we did probably one of our best jobs defensively,” said Oganyan, whose team defeated Buena in the first round. “We did what we were supposed to do defensively to give ourselves a chance, we just came up short offensively.”
JSerra, which finished third in the arduous Trinity League that was won by powerhouse Mater Dei, ran a 3-2 zone that held the Indians to their lowest point total of the season and ended Burroughs’ nine-game winning streak. It was JSerra’s second-lowest offensive output, with Mater Dei having held it to 31 points.
Faith Boulanger led the Indians with eight points, Dyani Del Castillo had six points, Marin Grote tallied five points, six rebounds and six blocks and Ariana Farias had six points and four assists.
Burroughs owned an early 4-0 lead, but the second quarter proved pivotal as JSerra won the stanza, 10-3, and led 20-12 at halftime.
Burroughs cut the deficit to 30-27 in the fourth quarter, but missed shots were chances lost for the Indians, who allowed the final five points of the game to JSerra, which all came on free throws as the Lions were held without a field goal in the fourth quarter.
“We had our opportunities to score, but we couldn’t make our shots,” Oganyan said.
Twitter: @TCNGrantGordon
