Orange County Girls’ Basketball : Brea-Olinda Comeback Falls Short in Loss to Top-Ranked Muir, 56-53

Muir High School’s 56-53 nonleague win over Brea-Olinda Saturday night in front of 1,200 at Brea-Olinda will mean nothing to either team’s playoff stature.

The Mustangs--members of the Pacific League--are 23-0, ranked No. 2 in the nation and No. 1 in the state and the Southern Section’s 4-A division.

Brea is 16-3, 5-0 in the Orange League, having defeated league opponents Anaheim (90-22), and Savanna (78-44), easily this week.

Both teams have a secure future.

So tell that to Muir forward Ann Grant, who nervously cried tears of joy after the game. It was Grant who made the front end of a one-and-one opportunity with three seconds left to put Muir up, 56-53. Her free throw finally laid to rest a frantic Wildcat comeback that saw Brea score six points in 38 seconds to pull within two, 55-53, with nine seconds remaining.

Grant, who finished with seven points, was fouled by guard Char Schuessler after taking an inbound pass with three seconds left. She displayed good form on her free throw attempt, seemingly doing everything right at the line. Everything that is, except breathing.

Grant is only a sophomore, and later said that she felt as if the whole world, at least that which surrounds Muir basketball, was resting on her shoulders at the line.

After she made the first free throw, Grant finally took in a healthy mouthful of air.

“I was so nervous,” she said. “I really wanted to make those, this was an important game for us.”

It was for both teams. Muir hasn’t really been tested since it won the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions by beating New York City’s Christ the King, Dec. 23.

It was also the first close game for Brea since the Tournament of Champions, which has meant Coach Mark Trakh hasn’t been able to play his top players much of the time. Last week, Brea starters played only five minutes in the rout of Anaheim.

“I’m really happy our kids got to play a whole game,” Trakh said. “I’m disappointed we lost, but I’m really pleased with the way we played. Who knows, a break here or there, and we might have won this thing.”

Brea had led, 25-23, at the half after the Wildcats outscored Muir, 19-15, in the second quarter. Carrie Egan, who led all scorers with a 26 points, had 10 in the second quarter.

Egan scored another 10 in the third as Brea took a 43-38 lead after three quarters.

The Mustangs, though, came back to take the lead for good by outscoring Brea, 12-2, in the first five minutes of the fourth period. Center Pauline Jordan, who had 22 points, scored six in that span.

“I was afraid we were getting ambushed,” Muir Coach Archie Newton said. “When you come to a city that supports their team as Brea does--filling the gym and yelling and screaming, things can happen.”

In other nonleague games:

Edison 67, Mater Dei 48--The Chargers improved their record to 15-6 as forward Kristen Wilson scored 23 points and pulled in 13 rebounds in Huntington Beach. Guard Denise Ogburn added 16 points, 7 assists and 7 rebounds. Mater Dei’s Geri Gainey had 20 points and Debbie Wagner added 14.

In South Coast League action:

Irvine 47, San Clemente 36--Junior center Cindy Edwards scored six points and had eight rebounds and took control inside in the third period as the Vaqueros (5-2, 11-6) pulled away from the Tritons by outscoring them, 12-4. Senior forward Shelly Moceri scored 16 points for Irvine.