Girls basketball: Magnolia can’t let ‘em drive 55

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Michael Anderson, the coach at Magnolia High, has lived San Francisco Sacred Heart Cathedral basketball the past week as he prepares his team for the No. 1 team in the nation.

Do the Sentinels have a chance in the state championship Division III game on Saturday afternoon?

Most would say no.

Anderson, optimistic as a coach should be, sees Magnolia’s chances. His team’s strength is its defense, and he’s obviously planning on throwing the kitchen sink at Sacred Heart (32-0) at 1 p.m. in Arco Arena. Here’s why.

Over the last 76 games, according to Anderson, Sacred Heart is 55-0 when it scores 55 or more points with an average margin of victory of almost 30 points. Under 55, and SHC is 18-3 with a margin of 8.7. At least with numbers like those (accurate or not), Sentinel players have hope.

Magnolia’s goal this weekend is to hold SHC to 45 or less. SHC scored a season-low in the Northern California final, a 46-45 victory over Stockton St. Mary’s while both were ranked 1-3 in the nation.

Can the Sentinels (27-6) do it? They will have to.

Magnolia’s losses have been in games in which it allowed 53, 43, 54, 59, 50 and 49 points. The 43-point loss was 43-42, to JSerra. The Sentinels are playing this weekend because they beat Muir in the regional final, 40-39. They don’t get much lower-scoring than that when two quality teams meet.

-- Martin Henderson

-- Image from www.autoblog.com, copyright Wayne State University