Tough foe awaits Providence girls’ basketball in state opener
Veteran Providence High girls’ basketball coach Andrew Bencze is well aware of just how magnificent it all is for his Pioneers to still be playing at this time of the year.
“This is the third girls’ basketball team [in school history] that’s made it to state,” he said Sunday afternoon following the release of the CIF State playoff brackets. “That’s something special.”
Special as it is and as much as he wants his Pioneers to enjoy the ride, there’s still a little bit of angst considering the Pioneers drew a CIF State Division IV first-round matchup at No. 3 seed Chula Vista Eastlake on Wednesday night. The game is set for a 7 p.m. tip-off, but Providence is hoping to move it up to 6.
While No. 14 Providence (22-8) is coming off a loss in the Southern Section Division 4-A semifinals, Eastlake (21-7) was a San Diego Section Division I semifinalist.
“It’s really strange to be playing a San Diego Division I team when you’re in Division IV,” Bencze said. “At the same time, we’re in the state playoffs. We’re still playing and that’s what we want to be doing.”
The San Diego Section has six playoff divisions for girls’ basketball, including an open division. The Southern Section has 11. Thus, Providence, playing in Division IV-A, was playing in the seventh highest division.
Nonetheless, Bencze said Providence will champion its underdog role as it looks to topple Eastlake.
“We’re good enough that on any given night we can beat a team,” Bencze said. “We’re gonna be in it. We’re ready to go.”
The Pioneers will play Wednesday after nine days without a game following a loss to Rolling Hills Prep, 75-55, on Feb. 24 in the CIF Southern Section Division IV-A semifinals. Rolling Hills went on to win the title against Cathedral City, 76-61, and is seeded sixth. The Providence-Eastlake winner will face Rolling Hills or No. 11 Vista (15-16, San Diego Section Division II runner-up) in Saturday’s second round.
“We tried to have some enthusiasm for stuff in practices,” said Bencze of the time off. “Now that the brackets are out, we find we have more direction.”
Providence, which won the Liberty League title, returns to state for the first time since 2013 when it advanced to the Division V second round following a 42-29 win over Tri-City Christian on its home floor before heading on the road and falling to eventual state champion Sierra Canyon, 78-30. 2013 was also the last time the Pioneers advanced to the semifinals of the Southern Section playoffs.
Led by freshman sensation Melissa Zozulenko, who’s the team’s top scorer, Providence also boasts a supporting cast with the likes of senior Giselle Camonayan, junior Ariel Gordillo and senior Francesca Maravilla in which a new player or two seems to step up every game.
Senior Haylee Owen leads Eastlake with 19.5 points per game, 7.2 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.9 steals. Junior Auren Isaacson is tallying 13.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.8 steals.
Twitter: @TCNGrantGordon
