GIRLS’ BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Rancho Alamitos Has Plenty in Reserve to Wear Down Santiago

Sixth-ranked Rancho Alamitos defeated Santiago, 82-68, in a Garden Grove League game Wednesday night, showing that it knows all about winning deep.

Rancho Alamitos (14-4, 6-0 in league) made substitutions five at a time, wearing down the Cavaliers (11-4, 4-). And the Vaqueros took advantage of the three-point shooting of Julie Littman and Tracy Keller--they made three each--to remain atop the league standings.

After Rancho Alamitos took a 21-7 first-quarter lead and watched it shrink to 29-27 with 2:51 left in the first half--Santiago scored 11 consecutive points during one span--Keller sparked a rally in the closing moments with a drive to the hoop and the third of her three-point baskets. Timerie James and Keller scored off their own steals, and by halftime, the lead was 44-30.

“I was looking to dish off to someone else, but no one was there, so I took it,” Keller said of her drive to the basket with 2:32 left in the half. “We needed a little spark. Usually if you hit the three when the game’s pretty close, it psyches the other team.”

Rancho Alamitos outscored leg-weary Santiago, 13-2, to open the second half, and Akilah Rodgers scored 14 of her team-high 24 points in the fourth quarter to protect the lead.

“We’re not that deep,” Santiago Coach Ron Heusser said. “We got tired, and it’s tough to continue against a team that deep.”

Littman finished with 15 points. Santiago’s America Robledo scored a game-high 30.

In other Garden Grove League games:

Kennedy 51, La Quinta 36--Senior guard Lynly Matsumoto had 15 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for second-place Kennedy (12-4, 5-1).

Pacifica 66, Los Amigos 26--Pular Surch, who is averaging 17 points, led Pacifica with a season-high 34 points. Teammate Amy Rummel had 12 points for the Mariners (3-8, 2-4). Los Amigos is 1-9, 0-6.

Garden Grove 58, Bolsa Grande 25--Michol Murray led Garden Grove (9-7, 4-2) with 19 points and 10 rebounds.