McCoy, Mann Point Way to L.A. for Point Loma Girls

The Point Loma High School girls basketball team entered Tuesday’s Division I Southern Regional first-round playoff game against Crenshaw with 70 consecutive home court wins. Midway through the opening quarter, the tone was set for Point Loma’s 71st.

Chanelle McCoy and Terri Mann paced Point Loma to a 16-2 first quarter lead as the Pointers (26-0) beat Crenshaw, 63-51, at Point Loma High School. Point Loma will play Delano of Visalia for the Southern Regional championship Saturday at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. Delano defeated Locke of Los Angeles, 45-44, Tuesday night.

McCoy, a 5-foot 2-inch point guard, scored 10 points in the first quarter and Mann, a 6-1 center, scored 11 of her game-high 27 points in the second quarter to give Point Loma a 38-20 halftime lead. The Pointers led by 20, 44-24, as late as three minutes into the third quarter.

“We played so well in the first half,” Point Loma Coach Lee Trepanier said. “In the second half it looked like we were waiting for the clock to run out.”

Crenshaw guard Tanya Braggs scored six points from the outside and forward Yolanda Kelley added six from inside in the third quarter to cut the Pointers’ lead to 48-36. Crenshaw continued its strong play into the final quarter.

“We weren’t playing like a team,” Mann said. “Half of us were doing what Coach T wanted, but the other half wasn’t.”

Simply put, Point Loma was not shooting. The Pointers only made three field goals in the fourth quarter, and none until the final three minutes.

Meanwhile, Crenshaw was threatening to make a game of it. Kelley’s layup with 2:45 left cut the lead to nine, 58-49. After Point Loma’s Jessica Benton made one of two free throws, Crenshaw’s Joann Lee drove the length of the court to make it an eight-point game, 59-51. But the Cougars could get no closer.

“We were intimidated the first half,” Crenshaw assistant coach Major Dennis said. “We found out we could play with them the second half. We had to get the big girls jumping.”

Kelley was the only Crenshaw forward able to penetrate the tall Point Loma front line. Kelley finished with 17 points and 7 rebounds. The Crenshaw guards, Braggs and Maria Elzy had 14 and 12 points, respectively. Crenshaw ended the season 15-4.

“Their big girl (Mann) was really tough,” Dennis said. “She’s the best around that I’ve seen.”

Mann, who set a San Diego Section record with 487 rebounds as a sophomore this season, finished with 16 rebounds in addition to her 27 points. McCoy finished with 16 points and forward Michelle Collum added 16 points and 7 rebounds.