Girls basketball: San Clemente building steam toward playoffs

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Don’t look now, but here comes San Clemente. Last year’s Southern Section Division I-A champion returned four starters, and after a few early season losses, seems to be peaking as we head toward the playoffs.

The first indicator was a week ago, when the Tritons -- ranked No. 20 by The Times -- defeated La Jolla Country Day, 44-43. When those teams played on Dec. 1, LJCD won, 62-30. That’s a 30-point swing. LJCD’s previous loss, a week earlier, was to No. 4 Narbonne, 56-52

Then on Saturday, playing its first top-level opponent in more than a month, San Clemente (20-4) defeated No. 10 Magnolia, 50-42, on a hostile court. Kristen Riley, a 6-foot-2 senior forward, scored 14 points and had nine rebounds against the Sentinels. On the season, she has averaged 14.6 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.2 steals.

Notable about that particular score against Magnolia (20-5): The 42 points matched a season-low for Magnolia, and the 50 points was among the highest totals allowed; Magnolia has not allowed more than 59 (to No. 9 Lynwood) in any game this season.

San Clemente has two other starters averaging double figures in scoring: Andrea Wertz (13.7 points) and Jacqui Marshall (10.1), and a fourth who is almost there: Cassie Harberts (9.3).

San Clemente opened the season ranked No. 3 by The Times. It ends the regular season Thursday at Dana Hills. With the playoffs just over a week away, looks as if the Tritons are headed in the right direction.

-- Martin Henderson

-- Image from www.amazon.co.uk/