Division I Girls’ Basketball Playoffs : Point Loma Overwhelms Monte Vista : Unknown Last Year, Tyeast Brown Getting Attention Galore

Tyeast Brown turned few heads last year as a freshman on Point Loma’s fourth consecutive state champion basketball team.

“I was an unknown,” she says.

But Brown drew plenty of attention Saturday night in Point Loma’s 67-33 victory against visiting Monte Vista. The 5-11 center scored 23 points, blocked 3 shots and snatched 17 rebounds to send No. 1-seeded Point Loma (27-2) to its 131st straight home court victory and into the semifinals of the section’s Division I playoffs.

Point Loma will meet Mt. Carmel Tuesday at a neutral site.

“At the beginning, I wasn’t catching any passes,” Brown said. “Then at the end, I was really enthusiastic.”

Brown, who had 13 of Point Loma’s 28 offensive rebounds, as well as the Pointer defense led to lopsided numbers. Turnovers? 31-7, Monte Vista. Rebounds? 46-28, Point Loma. Shots attempted? 86-36, Point Loma. Point Loma’s press forced six turnovers in the Pointers’ 8-0 start. They led by 19 at the half.

“Point Loma is a good team, and we had a great season,” said Lu Ann Gores, Monte Vista coach. “But when you give them two, three, four, five shots, they’re bound to put ‘em in.”

In Point Loma’s 78-13 victory Thursday against Granite Hills, Brown put few shots in. She had four points.

“Coach (Lee Trepanier) told me points is what they look at if you want to be all-(section),” Brown said.

As for last season, Brown’s high was six. But then, she was only asked to pass the ball to her aunt, Terri Mann. She’s aiming to show Mann, who plays for Western Kentucky, more than her passing when Mann returns to San Diego this week.

Point Loma wants to show that life, indeed, can be fun A.M.--after Mann. Trepanier said the program wasn’t shabby before Mann appeared, either.

In 1982 and 1983, Point Loma was 49-4. It reached the Southern California regional in the latter season.

Point Loma’s losses this season were against Fallbrook and Patrick Henry, whom it won’t play again.

“We’d have to get a break here and there to win (state) this year,” said Trepanier, who’s been the sport’s only coach at Point Loma, “But we have to get a break here or there. What kind of seed we get will make a difference. But there’s no easy walk to the section title anymore. This year, there are four really good teams.”

Said Brown: “Our goal is to get to (the Regional). All we’ve got to do is keep playing defense. If we get to state, we’re going to win it.”

Point Loma’s Monica Filer, who attempted 39 shots, led all scorers with 25, and freshman teammate Chris Drumm had 11.

Melissa Smith led Monte Vista (19-7) with 11 points.

--TOM KRASOVIC

Santana 51, Poway 39--Santana’s pressure defense helped the second-seeded Sultans to a 30-14 halftime lead at home. Leslie Ellis scored 16 points and Barbara Bennett added 15 for Santana (24-1). Lynell Stokes scored 17 points to lead Poway (14-11). Poway was just 9 of 29 from the free throw line.

Vista 71, Patrick Henry 57--Third-seeded Vista broke open a tight game in the third quarter at Vista. Chris Enger, Vista’s junior center, had 33 points, 16 rebounds and 5 blocked shots, but it was the play of guards Kelli Schott and Dana Christopherson that changed the texture of the game.

With seven minutes to play in the third quarter, Patrick Henry (16-5) pulled to within 32-30. Schott and Christopherson then each hit jumpers to spark a 10-0 run that put the game away. Christopherson had 16 points, 8 in the third quarter, and Schott had 11 points. Sue Hawke led Patrick Henry with 20 points.

Mt. Carmel 68, Bonita Vista 37--Linda Jones scored 21 points and Kara Warner added 19 to lead fourth-seeded Mt. Carmel over fifth-seeded Bonita Vista. Torril Purvis and Stacy Eklund scored 12 points apiece for Bonita Vista (21-5). Mt. Carmel put the game away by outscoring Bonita Vista, 19-7 in the fourth quarter.