Reseda Girls Fail to Measure Up in Semifinal Loss to Washington

Reseda did not expect its step up to the City Section 4-A Division to include a jump in weight class, too.

The Regents, two-time defending 3-A Division champions, had enough speed to keep their semifinal game close, but, according to Coach Andrea Francola, the scales were tipped in Washington’s favor.

Washington used its size difference to limit Reseda to one shot nearly every trip down the floor in a 62-55 victory at the Sports Arena on Friday. It was Washington’s seventh win in a row.

“The Generals had about 20 pounds on us and they were able to muscle us away from the basket,” Francola said. “We didn’t get position. We would get one shot off and it either fell in or the Generals got it.”

Washington (21-4) outrebounded Reseda, 31-20, and scored most of its points on layups. Remitha Houston and Detra Lockhart, a pair of 5-6 junior guards who also happen to be cousins, led Washington offensively with 17 and 15 points, respectively.

The Generals have never won a City championship but now have reached the 4-A final three times in the past five years. They will play Crenshaw, a 53-39 winner over Dorsey, next Friday.

The Regents, who were making their third appearance in three years at the Sports Arena, finished the season 16-5.

Reseda briefly held a four-point in the first quarter but trailed the rest of the game. Guard Cheryl Hightower, who scored 17 points, picked up her fourth foul early in the second quarter and the Regents struggled offensively as she sat out nearly eight minutes.

Washington led, 46-38, at the beginning of the fourth quarter, but Reseda quickly closed the gap to two points. Reseda guard Denisha Jordan had five assists and Jennifer Marzahl scored 10 points as the Regents pulled to within 55-53 with 1:40 left.

Hightower, who along with Marzahl had kept Reseda in the game to that point, managed just one more basket and two desperation three-point attempts.

Charrise Sampson, a 5-10 freshman, made two follow shots and set up another fast-break basket with a perfect outlet pass to Houston as Washington pulled away.

“I thought Reseda played well,” Washington Coach Phil Chase said. “I think both teams were equal in ability.

“They run a more sophisticated offense, but I think we were a little bit quicker and our size was definitely a factor. Our center, Traci Griffin, takes up a lot of space and gets as many rebounds as anyone.”

Griffin had six points and seven rebounds and also limited Reseda center Aggie Garcia to eight points.

“I told my players that we had to contain Hightower and Garcia and I think we did a good job,” Chase said. “I didn’t think Marzahl was going to be much of a threat with the ball and I was wrong.”

Marzahl, who had a team-high 18 points, said that her teammates lacked the enthusiasm they had when they beat Kennedy, 79-72, on Wednesday.

“In spurts, we had all the intensity in the world,” Marzahl said. “But we needed it for the whole game. We didn’t run enough on offense and we didn’t hustle for loose balls and rebounds.”