IRVINE GIRLS’ BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT : Costa Mesa Pesky; Brea-Olinda Prevails

IRVINE — Nicole Erickson scored 23 points to help Brea-Olinda defeat Costa Mesa, 69-50, in a girls’ semifinal game of the Irvine Tournament on Friday night.

Erickson, who was charged with her third personal foul with 2 minutes 23 seconds remaining in the first quarter, came back in the second half to add 14 points for Brea-Olinda (3-0).

Costa Mesa proved to be a problem for the Ladycats, keeping the game close through three quarters. But with Costa Mesa trailing by just three, 44-41, Brea-Olinda picked up the game’s tempo.

Junior Lauri Jordan gave Brea-Olinda an eight-point lead with a layup with 6:37 left. A minute later, Erickson wrestled a rebound from Costa Mesa’s Olivia DiCamilli, who had 24 points, and drove to the basket, pushing the score to 53-43. Costa Mesa (2-1) never got closer.

“I think the key to the game is that we had our two best players (Erickson and Colleen Hudson) in foul trouble in the first half, and our reserves came in and did a good job,” Brea-Olinda Coach Mark Trakh said.