SAVANNA GIRLS’ BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT : Ocean View Accepts Mission Viejo’s Offer in Time for 56-51 Victory

For about three quarters Friday night, the Ocean View High School girls’ basketball team tried to force the ball inside to 6-foot-3 center Jennifer Sullivan during the championship game of the Savanna Runnin’ Rebel tournament.

Not a bad plan considering Sullivan, last season’s most valuable player in the Sunset League, scored 28 points in a semifinal victory over Redlands.

But Mission Viejo was sagging its zone all over Sullivan, almost sending the Seahawk guards an engraved invitation to shoot.

For the better part of the game the invitation seemed to have been lost in the mail.

It wasn’t until Ocean View guard Alli Takido hit two three-point shots late in the third quarter and early in the fourth, that the Seahawks (6-0) were able to pull away for a 56-51 victory.

Mission Viejo trailed, 34-28, but cut the deficit to 34-32 with a minute left in the third quarter. That’s when Takido hit her first three-point shot to give Ocean View a 37-32 lead.

Mission Viejo then outscored Ocean View, 8-4, on four baskets by Jennifer Rohrig to trail, 41-40, with about five minutes to play.

Again, Takido sank a three-point shot to put Ocean View ahead, 44-40, and take the momentum out of Mission Viejo’s comeback.

Takido knew the Ocean View guards had been having an off night right before she hit her first three-point shot. “I was just thinking I have to start shooting more. The first one was just at the buzzer and I felt good, so I just fired it up,” she said.

“That opened it up a lot more for Tracy (Wolfe) and Jenny, and we have to do that because they can really pour it on when they have some room to work.”

Sullivan made space for herself early with 11 rebounds, many on the offensive end. She scored 24 points, on 12-of-23 shooting, and blocked 10 shots, and was named the tournament most valuable player. Wolfe (11 points) and Takido (12 points) also made the all-tournament team, along with Rohrig, who finished with 24 points, and Carrie Burt (12 points) of Mission Viejo.

In other Savanna tournament games:

Edison 46, Canyon Springs 34--Erika Miller scored 13 and Debbie Fischer added 11 to lead Edison to the consolation championship.

Redlands 62, Loara 38--Trina Swiontek had 21 points to lead Redlands (6-1) to a third-place tournament finish. Jennifer Leonard scored 22 for Loara (2-5), which was without center and leading scorer Traci Titus (sprained ankle).

Savanna 65, Fullerton 49--Carrie Frederick scored 20 points for Savanna (5-3) in the fifth-place game. Jennifer Comstock led Fullerton (6-2) with 15 points.