Girls Can Hoop Shootout fizzles at finish

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The conclusion of the Girls Can Hoop Shootout wasn’t quite as fantastic as it seemed it would be at halftime.

In fact, it kind of fizzled at the end. With fifth-ranked Millikan winning, 60-52.

No. 16 Cajon was within striking distance, 41-38, going into the fourth quarter, but Millikan scored 14 of the next 15 points to make it a rout. The lead eventually reached 16 points, 59-43, with less than two minutes remaining.

Fatigue might have been part of it. No one got off the Cajon bench until Layshia Clarendon fouled out with 1:36 to go.

Clarendon might have been the singularly most noticeable player on the floor. She wasn’t perfect, by any means, but she wasn’t out of her element. She finished with 27 points.

Darshae Burnside, who had 11 rebounds, and Bjonee Reaves scored 11 points apiece.

Millikan got 21 points from junior Ashley Mitchell, who also had 10 assists, eight rebounds and five steals.

Courtney Clements, who played such a pivotal role in the Rams’ upset Monday of Long Beach Poly, had 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Kalena Tutt had 13 points, 10 rebounds, five blocks and five assists.

For Millikan, the worst is over. There was no letdown after beating Poly.

‘Now we always have that target on our back,’ said Coach Lorene Morgan. ‘Poly had that target for however many years.

‘I was concerned with a letdown every single game this week, but I think we’ll start this next week and be back to normal.’

-- Martin Henderson