DIVISION I GIRLS : Capistrano Valley Loses Its Grip on the Ball and Falls to Crenshaw

If the Capistrano Valley players and coaches had been in a talking mood after Tuesday’s 60-54 loss to Los Angeles Crenshaw in the first round of the Southern California Division I girls’ regional playoffs, one word would have come up often: turnovers.

About 28 times, as a matter of fact.

The inability to take care of the ball against Crenshaw’s pressing defense left the Cougars mostly speechless after the game at Cal State Dominguez Hills, which was understandable. No one expected Capistrano Valley, an experienced, talented team, to commit 28 turnovers against the type of defense the Cougars looked forward to facing all season.

“I really don’t have anything to say,” Coach Harlan Peet said. “Interview one of them (the Cougar players), maybe they know what happened out there.”

Capistrano Valley point guard Angie White, who is headed for Nevada Las Vegas on a basketball scholarship, was just as disappointed and just as puzzled.

“We broke presses all year,” White said. “We just played (lousy).”

Still, the Cougars had their chances against Crenshaw (24-2), the City Section Division 4-A champion. After a horrendous start--during which Capistrano Valley made 11 first-quarter turnovers and fell behind, 22-13, early in the second quarter--the Cougars went on an 8-0 run to close to within 22-21.

Despite the 16 first-half turnovers, Capistrano Valley (24-5), the Southern Section Division I-AA runner-up, trailed, 29-25, at halftime and the worst appeared to be over. An 11-0 run led by Megan Baker’s six points late in the third quarter gave the Cougars a 44-39 lead.

But Crenshaw came back to take a 47-46 lead at the third-quarter buzzer on a 35-foot three-pointer by Cathleen Grice. Crenshaw scored the first four points of the fourth quarter to extend the lead to 51-46 before Capistrano Valley briefly regrouped.

Consecutive baskets by Katie Scott brought the Cougars back within one point (53-52) with 3 minutes 36 seconds left. But Capistrano Valley scored only two more points the rest of the way while reverting to its first-quarter form against Crenshaw’s press.

Four turnovers in the final 3:36 finished the Cougars as Crenshaw capitalized with two baskets and three free throws.