Second-Quarter Spurt Propels Thousand Oaks Past Westlake

It was billed as a first-place showdown, but Thousand Oaks High instead showed off on the way to a 65-43 victory over host Westlake in a girls’ Marmonte League basketball game Thursday night.

It was the first Thousand Oaks victory at Westlake in five years.

Ahead, 23-16, with 5 minutes 23 seconds left in the first half, Thousand Oaks (17-1, 7-0 in league play) went on a 16-0 run during the next four minutes to turn the game into a rout.

Michelle Palmisano keyed the outburst with 12 points, including a pair of three-point baskets, and Westlake (14-6, 6-1) got no closer than 15 points the remainder of the game.

Samantha Clarke started the streak with a baseline jump shot. Palmisano buried a 17-foot shot from the wing and a three-point basket from the top of the circle. Lori Sherman made a short shot on an assist by Palmisano, who then made two free throws, a three-point basket and a jump shot from the free-throw line.

Palmisano, who finished with a game-high 24 points and eight assists, said that good defense allowed the offense to take control in the second period.

“We were getting used to what they were trying to do on offense,” Palmisano said. “We knew where they were going.”

While Palmisano was providing much of the scoring punch, forward Sasha Scardino and guard Clarke were putting the clamps on Westlake’s star forward, Lauren Goldstine. Scardino pressured Goldstine from the inside and Clarke doubled down from the outside as the Lancers held the UC Santa Barbara-bound senior to 10 points.

“We watched a couple of tapes of (Goldstine) and I played with her in summer league, so I knew I had to take the left side away from her,” Scardino said. “Once she got the ball, it was instinctive to double-team her.”

Scardino and Clarke also helped on the offensive end, Scardino scoring 14 points and Clarke adding 12.

Marlee Organ had 14 points for the Warriors and Gretchen Swett added 12, but it wasn’t enough to offset Goldstine’s off night.

Goldstine, who did manage five assists, gave the Lancer defense credit for her rough performance.

“I kind of respected it, but I thought if I got the ball, I could do something with it,” she said.