PREP BASKETBALL : Girls’ Roundup : Foothill Puts Brakes on Ocean View’s Scoring Machine, 59-44

The Ocean View High School girls’ basketball team had this big problem Saturday night in the final of the Cypress tournament.

Her name was Chris McFerson.

Foothill’s 6-foot 3-inch center blocked 11 shots, scored 9 points and wore down the Seahawks’ high-scoring Trina Vlachos to help the Knights to a 59-44 victory.

Vlachos did score 12 points in the first two quarters and kept the Seahawks close. Foothill lead, 32-28, at the half.

But seeing an exhausted Vlachos chugging down a thermos of water during a timeout in the third quarter gave the impression Ocean View (7-4) was in trouble. The 6-0 Vlachos was simply drained from the pounding McFerson and company were giving.

Vlachos didn’t score in the second half, a fact that produced a major-league grin from Foothill Coach Sheila Adams.

“We figured if we could limit her offensively, it made us a lot more effective, “ she said. “We sandwiched her when we could, and Chris did a great job on her the whole game.”

The entire Ocean View team looked fatigued in the fourth quarter. Even without Vlachos’ help on offense, the Seahawks trailed by only four points after three quarters. But Foothill (10-2) ran by Ocean View in the fourth, outscoring the Seahawks, 14-4, in the first four minutes of the quarter.

“You’re always worried about the fatigue factor in any game,” Ocean View Coach Kelly Painter said. “Especially against a team with such great athletes as Foothill.”

With point guard Felice Geddy leading the way, and the break, the Knights consistently forced the ball inside. Geddy’s play was also exceptional. She was often able to penetrate into the key area, either passing off or pulling up for a short jump shot.

All the forcing Foothill did to put the ball inside produced only three baskets in the first four minutes, but it did bring the Knights free-throw opportunities they didn’t waste.

Foothill made nine consecutive free throws in the fourth quarter before Geddy missed the second half of a one-and-one opportunity.

“God, they’re human,” Painter said in mock amazement.

“Sheila tells everyone what a horrible free-throw shooting team she has,” Painter said afterward. “I wish I had such a bad-shooting free-throw team.”

An understandable wish. The Seahawks made one of six free throws in the quarter.

Along with McFerson and Geddy, who led the Knights in scoring with 12 points, forward Stephanie Fleishaker, the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, strengthened Foothill’s inside game.

Who?

While Geddy and McFerson are relatively well-known, especially after leading the Knights to a CIF 3-A Southern Section title last season, Fleishaker is just another hard name to pronounce.

She is less than spectacular while playing with a heavy brace strapped to her left knee (injuries to her leg kept her out of action for most of last season), but she is effective. Time after time, she would get rebounds from taller Ocean View players. Fleishaker was either in the air, on the floor or at the free-throw line. She made four of five free-throw attempts and ended the game with 10 points.

Foothill had balanced scoring. Robin Welch had nine points, and Ashley Sullivan added eight.

In other Cypress Tournament action:

Fountain Valley 65, Huntington Beach 39--Susan Walin had 20 points and Jackie Cook added 11 to lead the Barons to this third-place victory. The Barons were never threatened, leading 18-6 after the first quarter and 36-16 at the half.

In Costa Mesa Tournament action:

Cerritos 68, Garden Grove 56--Roberta Perry scored a game-high 28 points to lead the Dons (8-4) past the Argonauts in the third-place game. Garden Grove was led by Heather Harl and Allyson Jenkins, who each scored 16 points.

Costa Mesa 36, Santa Ana Valley 31--Carol Long scored 13 points, including a three-point play with 1:36 remaining that broke a 31-31 tie, to lead the Mustangs past the Falcons for the consolation championship. Suzanne Cowley added 11 rebounds for Costa Mesa, which has won four straight to improve its record to 6-5. Santa Ana Valley dropped to 5-2.

In nonleague action:

Marina 39, Savanna 35--Heather Kirkup, a 5-10 senior point guard, scored 16 points and Dawn Charroin, a 6-1 sophomore center, added 10 points to lead the Vikings (9-4) past the Rebels at Marina High. Vanetta Dorlis scored 14 points to lead Savanna (5-7).