Fries, Esperanza exact revenge against Huntington Beach

By Andrew TurnerStaff Writer

Dec. 15, 2017 11:55 PM PT

In a rematch of the CIF Southern Section Division 1A semifinals, the edge went to the girls’ basketball team with more returners and the motivation of a bitter defeat.

Huntington Beach High welcomed Esperanza into its gym on Friday night, but these were hardly the same Oilers that reached a section championship game last season.

Sophomore guard Marisa Tanga, junior forward Bella Serrano and senior center Zoie Bailey were the returners to have played meaningful minutes for the Oilers, none of which started the previous season.

By contrast, Esperanza had integral pieces coming back, including 6-foot-1 junior center Samantha Fries and sophomore guard Katie Kubo.

Six months after tearing her right ACL in the offseason, Fries returned to the court. Game-by-game, she has improved, and on Friday night, she was her dominant self in the paint.

Fries had 20 points and nine rebounds, and Esperanza exacted revenge for its playoff defeat in beating the Oilers 50-41 in a nonleague game.

“Since we did lose to them in playoffs last year, maybe we came out with a little more of an edge,” Fries said of the rematch.

New faces have been introduced to the rivalry, including junior transfer Megan Nieto, a 6-foot-1 forward from Brea Olinda. Nieto had eight points, eight rebounds, five steals and four assists for the Aztecs (4-2).

Huntington Beach did not make a field goal until Alyssa Real hit a three-pointer with six seconds left in the first quarter. The freshman point guard was the only one to find any rhythm on offense for the Oilers (4-2), scoring 11 points before the break.

The Oilers trailed 26-15 at halftime before their offense erupted for 17 points in the third quarter. Freshman guard Meghan McIntyre, Serrano and Real each made a pair of shots in the quarter to get Huntington Beach into striking distance.

McIntyre hit a running shot in the lane as time expired in the third, cutting the Aztecs’ lead to 38-32.

Esperanza did not allow the Oilers to get any closer, preventing the Oilers from scoring consecutive baskets the rest of the way.

“I was impressed,” Oilers coach Russell McClurg said. “I didn’t want them to beat us by 30. My team, sometimes, goes into shooting ruts. I thought that if we could keep it close, [Esperanza] might get nervous again.

“They didn’t. They’ve learned from last year’s semifinals game, and they finished us off.”

Real had 16 points with four three-pointers. McIntyre added 12 points, four rebounds and four steals. Tanga had six points and six rebounds, while Serrano scored four points with 12 rebounds.

Esperanza 50, Huntington Beach 41

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Esperanza 13 – 13 – 12 – 12 — 50

Huntington Beach 4 – 11 – 17 – 9 — 41

E – Fries 20, Kubo 8, Nieto 8, Briggs 6, Youssouf 4, Assad 3, Warye 1.

3-pt. goals – Briggs 2.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

HB – Real 16, McIntyre 12, Tanga 6, Serrano 4, Bailey 2, Payne 1.

3-pt. goals – Real 4, McIntyre 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.