SOUTH COAST LEAGUE GIRLS’ BASKETBALL : Capistrano Valley Wins in Its Usual Fashion

Capistrano Valley eventually rebounded for a 52-38 victory over San Clemente Tuesday night, but for one half, Cougar Coach Harlan Peet’s worst fears were realized.

Peet wasn’t sure his second-ranked Cougars were ready to play the third-ranked Tritons in a key South Coast League game, and in the early going, Capistrano Valley proved him right.

“This game bothered me more than any other we’ve played, but we only had one player at practice yesterday who was 100%,” Peet said. “We had a lot of little injuries and doctors’ appointments, so I didn’t know how we’d respond against one of the best teams in the county.”

It took a little longer than usual, but Capistrano Valley eventually responded in its usual fashion. The Cougars rallied from their only halftime deficit of the season with a second-half blitz to put away the Tritons at Capistrano Valley.

Capistrano Valley (16-1, 2-0) won its 13th consecutive game with typically strong defense. San Clemente (10-5, 1-1) started quickly against the Cougars’ pressure, man-to-man defense, opening a 16-7 lead early in the second quarter. The Tritons held a 25-21 halftime lead, but Capistrano Valley’s pressure wore down San Clemente.

The Cougars forced San Clemente into 15 second-half turnovers, seven of which came during an 18-2 Capistrano Valley run. The run began with three minutes left in the third quarter when Alisa Farr hit a three-pointer after a Keri Ernisse steal.

Farr hit another three-pointer and had three assists to Katie Scott during the run. Angie White added four points in the streak, in which Capistrano Valley turned a 29-23 deficit into a 41-31 lead one minute into the fourth quarter.

White led Capistrano Valley with 17 points and Farr added 14. Kristen McOwen led San Clemente with 13 points.

In another South Coast League game:

Mission Viejo 58, Irvine 25--Kelly McGlothlin scored 13 points and Maggie Gorska and Kendra Okura added 12 each for host Mission Viejo (8-7).