HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Mt. Carmel Starts Slow, But Finishes RBV

Mt. Carmel Coach Peggy Brose said her girls are still smarting over last week’s one-point loss to fourth place Torrey Pines that cost them a chance to own the Palomar League championship by themselves.

So with last Tuesday’s heartbreaker hanging over their heads, the Sundevils and their leading scorer, Vicki de Jesus, came out a bit slow Tuesday against Rancho Buena Vista.

Fortunately for Mt. Carmel, sophomore center Kris Grazzini had a clear head from the start--scoring 16 of her team’s 30 first-half points. Eventually, de Jesus and the rest of the Sundevils picked up where Grazzini left off and wound up blowing by the Longhorns, 65-45.

The victory leaves fifth-ranked Mt. Carmel (17-5, 11-2) tied with fourth-ranked RBV (18-6, 11-2) and third-ranked Poway (19-3, 11-2) with one game remaining in the Palomar League season.

Thursday, Mt. Carmel plays Vista and RBV faces Poway. Thus, the best Mt. Carmel can do is finish in a tie with RBV or Poway.

But if not for Grazzini’s sparkling play--20 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks--even a tie might have been out of the question.

“Kris Grazzini had the first half of her life,” Brose said. “She’s been in a little bit of slump, but she came to play tonight.”

Said de Jesus: “I wasn’t very active in the first half, but Kris was doing everything. It usually takes me a few minutes to get warmed up before I start figuring out what’s going on.”

Mt. Carmel trailed 14-8 after the first quarter, but behind Grazzini and a more active de Jesus, the Sundevils took a 30-21 lead at half.

Then with a 38-25 lead with four minutes left in the third quarter, de Jesus went to work. She scored six consecutive points, four off steals, to push to margin to 17 with two minutes left.

The Sundevils also received a boost off the bench from sophomores Jennifer Alley (three points, seven rebounds) and Angie Cooper (eight points, six rebounds).

“They’re just the better ballclub, I guess, said RBV Coach Bob Gibson, whose team lost to Mt. Carmel by 23 earlier in the season.

Shawna Edge led RBV with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Skiy Burton had 10 points and nine rebounds.