STATE HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS : GIRLS’ DIVISION III : Brea-Olinda Win Streak Snapped at 55

Brea-Olinda hid its shortcomings well. Well enough to win 55 consecutive games.

But Auburn Placer learned the secret, and the Lady Cats’ win streak and bid for back-to-back State titles came to a 54-43 end Saturday in the Division III girls’ championship at the Oakland Coliseum Arena.

Christa Gannon, Placer’s 6-1 center, had 22 points and 15 rebounds to lead the upset of the state’s top-ranked team.

She had 16 of those points in the second half, eight in the fourth quarter in which Auburn Placer outscored Brea-Olinda, 21-7.

“They just came out and outplayed us,’ said Mark Trakh, whose Lady Cats are ranked fourth in the nation by USA Today. “There are no excuses, no alibis. Aimee (McDaniel) played like she was not going to let us lose, but they took away the things we wanted to do.”

And Placer knew the Lady Cats were vulnerable inside against big, skilled players with 5-9 Jinelle Williams at center.

But perhaps even more importantly, Placer knew where else Brea-Olinda was vulnerable--against an active 2-3 zone.

“I was so happy when teams thought they had to man us because of our shooters, but that wasn’t it,” Trakh said. “It was the zone.”

McDaniel had 22 points.