HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS’ BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Poway Hasn’t Got Enough to Stop Brown, Point Loma

A Cheshire grin swept across Tyeast Brown’s face. Sure, she knew a way to stop the most dominating player on Point Loma’s No. 1-ranked girls’ basketball team.

“Put two more people on me?” she answered rhetorically.

Unfortunately for Poway, the second-ranked team in the county and the Pointers’ opponent in the championship game of the fourth Kiwanis Invitational at Point Loma High Friday night, the Titans couldn’t spare that many.

Instead, Point Loma thumped Poway, 53-37, to improve to 9-0 and claim its fourth Kiwanis trophy in as many years. The Pointers, who are 16-0 in this event, placed three girls on the all-tournament team--Brown, Claudine Neves and Robin Rabello.

“They’ve very aggressive,” said Poway guard Christy Fortney, who scored 13 points despite sitting out the second quarter after twisting an ankle. “They’re the most aggressive team we’ve faced.”

Point Loma guards Neves and Lisa Griego led a a pressure defense that stayed in the Titans faces all night. Together, they had seven assists, eight steals and caused three turnovers. Allison Brady was Poway’s leading scorer with 14 points.

Then there was Brown. A 6-foot forward/center and a Times All-County basketball selection as a junior last year, she scored 27 points and had 12 rebounds.

“She’s an outstanding player,” Fortney said. “You always know she’s going to score. We tried a triangle-and-two (defense) on her, but it didn’t work. We did our best. She’s very intimidating.”

Point Loma Coach Lee Trepanier called her simply the best in the county.

“She’s the best at what she does,” he said. “She shoots outside, she posts up, she blocks shots, she’s dominant on defense.”

The closest the Titans came was in the third quarter. Point Loma led, 27-14 at the half, but Poway came up with a six-point spurt to pull to 29-20 with 4:42 left in the quarter. The Pointers responded by scoring the next eight points.