3-A Girls : Point Loma Breezes to 61-27 Win

SAN DIEGO — Sewell Dutton, girls’ basketball coach at Mount Miguel High School, was ecstatic Friday night after his team lost by a margin of 34 points and was eliminated in the semifinal round of the 3-A playoffs.

“That was a win for us tonight,” Dutton said enthusiastically after the game.

Before making any judgments about Dutton’s sanity, take into consideration that his team was playing Point Loma, the two-time defending state champion and the top-ranked San Diego Section team.

The Pointers, who are ranked third in the state, surprised no one, beating the Lady Matadors, 61-27, to advance to next Saturday’s final at the Sports Arena.

The only surprise was that the Pointers, who are averaging 86.5 points a game, didn’t finish with a higher score.

Point Loma (26-1) got off to a typical start, outscoring Mount Miguel, 16-2, in the first period. Terri Mann, Point Loma’s 6-foot 2-inch junior forward, closed down the Mount Miguel offense by sealing off the inside from the Lady Matadors in the first period.

“I was having fun there in the middle of the key all by myself,” Mann said.

So the Lady Matadors took their offense to the perimeter. The strategy worked in the second period as Mount Miguel scored 13 points; Point Loma 18.

“At first, we were frustrated,” said Mount Miguel’s Charmelle Green, who had to deal with Mann most of the night. “But then I realized I had to think about my game. I had to stop thinking that (Mann) is so tall and an All-American, and start thinking about us.”

Mount Miguel peaked in the second period, behind Darice Carnaje’s six points, but could only muster 12 points in the second half, which was dominated by sluggish play by both teams.

Chanelle McCoy led the Pointers with 17 points. Mann, who is averaging 27 points and 17 rebounds a game, finished with 17 points and 18 rebounds. Pointer Michelle Collum scored in 14 points.

Mount Miguel was led by Carnaje and Marla Swanson, who each had 8 points.