Crescenta Valley girls’ basketball handed first league loss
LA CRESCENTA — Though the Crescenta Valley High girls’ basketball team went undefeated during the first half of Pacific League play, it figured to be a tough task to run the table in the second half.
Crescenta Valley tipped off the second round of league Tuesday at home against Pasadena, a team which Crescenta Valley beat by one point in the first meeting Jan. 3.
Short-handed Crescenta Valley saw its bid for perfection conclude with a 65-59 defeat to Pasadena.
Pasadena (16-7, 6-2 in league) sank six free throws in the final 36.1 seconds — all by Mariah Cathcart — to upend Crescenta Valley (16-5, 7-1). The defeat ended the Falcons’ nine-game winning streak and put them in a tie for first with Glendale, which recorded a winat Muir on Tuesday.
“We almost got [Pasadena],” said Crescenta Valley coach Jason Perez, whose team played without Caity Bouchard, Georgina Kregorian and Mary Baun because of injuries. “We got the lead in the third quarter and fought hard in the fourth quarter. Pasadena made some big free throws down the stretch.
“We made just five of 15 free throws and we missed some easy shots earlier in the game. We’re still in a good spot and we’ll try to make the most of it the rest of the way in league.”
Pasadena, ranked fourth in CIF Southern Section Division III-AA, wrapped up the win with a pair of free throws by Cathcart with 5.3 seconds left. Pasadena, which suffered a 49-48 defeat to Crescenta Valley at Pasadena City College, received 16 points from Cathcart and 14 from Taurie Magee.
Crescenta Valley, which won the league championship last season and is ranked 11th in Division II-AA, got a game-high 22 points from Rachel Dayag. Dayag scored to tie it at 42 with 2:05 left in the third quarter. Denise Dayag gave the Falcons a 45-44 lead on three-pointer with 35 seconds remaining in the quarter.
Twitter: @TCNCharlesRich
