Canoga Park Misses a Shot at Girls’ Final

The toughest chore after Roosevelt High’s 45-38 victory over Canoga Park in a girls’ City Section 3-A Division semifinal basketball game Friday was affixing blame--or giving credit--for the final outcome.

Was it Canoga Park’s poor shooting or Roosevelt’s smothering fullcourt press that knocked the Hunters out of the playoffs?

Canoga Park Coach Joann Heller chose to blame her team’s free-throw shooting: The Hunters hit just six of 20 shots from the line.

“The free throws came back to haunt us,” Heller said. “If we had made the free throws we would have tied or won the game.”

On the other hand, consider Roosevelt’s press, which forced seven third-quarter turnovers and helped the Roughriders to a 7-0 run late in the final period.

That defense also forced Canoga Park into hurried shots as the Hunters finished the night making 16 of 43 shots (37%) from the field. Roosevelt had its shooting problems as well, hitting just 17 of 68 (25%).

The Hunters, trailing, 36-29, with 5:59 to play, narrowed the margin to 38-33 with a pair of quick baskets by center Perlen Harris and forward Kelli McCaskill. Harris finished with a game-high 16 points for Canoga Park (9-8).

But Roosevelt (12-3) iced the game by scoring the next seven points.

Trailing 21-14, Canoga Park pulled to within 21-19 with 3:40 remaining in the first half when Joo Yoon made the first of two free throws and Harris hit a pair of jump shots.

The Roughriders, despite hitting just five of 19 shots from the field, converted five of six free throws to take a 15-10 lead after one quarter.

Forward Blanca Alvarado, who finished with 11 points, scored 10 of Roosevelt’s 15 first-quarter points.

Rosa Mendez led Roosevelt with 15 points and center Luscinda Silva, who averages 28.1 points a game, was held to 13. Soo Yoon added 10 points for the Hunters.