Fischer Shut Out on Three-Pointers as Edison Loses

Debbie Fischer’s quest for the single-season three-point shot record hit a road block Tuesday night as unranked Huntington Beach High School upset Edison, 53-51, in the Sunset League girls’ basketball opener for both teams.

Fischer is five three-point baskets away from the Southern Section record of 66. She was hampered by Huntington Beach’s triangle-and-two defense and an injury to her right knee. Fischer made two of 12 shots for Edison, ranked fourth in the Southern Section 4-AA, and missed seven three-point attempts to finish with four points.

“I think she just bumped knees,” Edison Coach Philip Abraham said. “She bruised her knee. We’ll probably know more about the severity of it in the morning.”

The key for Huntington Beach (7-7 overall, 1-0 in league play) was getting the ball inside where the Oilers had a height advantage over Edison, whose tallest player is 5-feet-10.

The Oilers’ center, 5-11 Jennifer Johnson, scored 10 points and 6-foot Amber Ambrose was a force on the boards. But it was freshman guard Clare Walker who sparked Huntington Beach with her turnaround jump shot. She came off the bench in the second quarter and scored six of her team-high 14 points to help the Oilers to a 26-22 halftime lead.

Huntington Beach led by as many as seven points late in the third quarter but Edison (11-4, 0-1), on the strength of three baskets by Talia Crooks (21 points), outscored Huntington Beach, 8-2, to take a 40-39 lead early in the fourth quarter.

Huntington went ahead, 53-49, on baskets by Nicole Wolff and Deana Itow. Edison pulled within 51-53 on Melanie Iwamasa’s basket, then went into a full-court press.

The Chargers got the ball but turned it over, giving Huntington Beach possession with 35 seconds remaining. But Walker was called for traveling giving Edison the ball with 32 seconds.

After a timeout, Fischer dribbled upcourt and, under pressure along the sideline, passed to Katie Colclough. Colclough turned it over and time ran out on Edison.

“I knew they were capable of beating us,” Abraham said. “(Huntington Beach Coach) Nick Bartlett has done a great job with them. They played great defense and shifted real well.”