FREEWAY LEAGUE GIRLS’ BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Fullerton Gives La Habra a Scare but Loses in Overtime

Although Fullerton didn’t end La Habra’s Freeway League domination in girls’ basketball, the Indians definitely put a crack in the Highlander dynasty Thursday night.

Fullerton extended La Habra to overtime before falling, 50-47, at La Habra High School, and the Indians did most of the damage with three of their starters on the bench.

Sommer McLane and Marinela Misa, who combined for 55 points Tuesday night against Sonora, each fouled out in the third quarter for Fullerton (11-5, 2-1 in league). Minette Gomez, a first-team all-Freeway League point guard last season, sat out the game with a knee injury.

And although Fullerton came up short, Coach Wendy Vrolyk was encouraged.

“I think the team knows La Habra is beatable now,” Vrolyk said. “Our freshman played well, but she doesn’t know you’re not supposed to beat La Habra,” Vrolyk said.

Freshman center Nadia Hoerner had 10 points and a game-high 21 rebounds. Tiana Roberson scored a game-high 16 points for Fullerton.

Apparently, Hoerner doesn’t know La Habra has won 63 consecutive Freeway League games and is 120-3 in league play since John Koehler took over the program 13 years ago.

But La Habra (8-5, 3-0) played the overtime without its standout center, 6-foot-5 Zrinka Kristich, who has signed to play at UCLA next year. Kristich finished with 10 points and 12 rebounds before fouling out with 1 minute 24 seconds remaining in regulation and La Habra trailing, 40-39.

Jackie Kelly (13 points) picked up the slack for Kristich, making one of two free throws with 16 seconds remaining to tie the game, 40-40, and send the game into overtime.

In another Freeway League game:

Troy 58, Sonora 40--Jennifer Gadd had 22 points and Dede Logemann added 13 for host Troy (11-3, 3-0). Denise Donadio scored 13 points and Jodie Fister had 16 rebounds for Sonora (5-10, 0-3).