CENTURY LEAGUE GIRLS’ BASKETBALL : Scoreless Quarter Lets Canyon Beat El Modena

Thirty-four.

That’s how many points El Modena had when it entered the fourth quarter with a four-point lead over Canyon.

That’s how many points the Vanguards had when the game ended. It was no way to watch your title hopes go down the drain.

“I’m just shocked,” said Jamie Shine, who watched from the floor as one mistake snowballed into another and Canyon took advantage of nearly every second-half opportunity to score a 50-34 victory over El Modena.

Canyon’s victory set the stage for a Century League showdown next Thursday against first-place Villa Park in the last game of the season. Provided neither team is upset, Canyon (13-8, 6-2) can get a share of the title with a victory over the Spartans after finishing second the past four years.

“This was the biggest win of the year for us,” first-year Canyon Coach Nelson Herrera said. “I can’t think of any game with this much significance.

“I wasn’t worried about what El Modena was doing. I just wanted us to keep our composure.”

They did. El Modena didn’t.

Canyon got 19 points apiece from Robynn Kuhlmann and Dawn Brown. The Comanches trailed by six with 3 minutes 26 seconds left in the third quarter, then went for broke. In a game that had been dominated by inside play, Canyon found its shooting touch from the outside. Kuhlmann’s 19-footer at the buzzer made it 34-30 entering the final quarter.

The Comanches finished with a 23-0 run, making nine of their final 17 shots.

El Modena, which shot 55% through three quarters (16 of 29), went 0 for 7 in the fourth. They went 0 for 5 from the free-throw line (two for 13 overall). They committed nine turnovers; Canyon committed only one.

Canyon’s defense was too much.

Brown scored eight of 12 points as Canyon stretched its lead from 36-34 to 48-34.

“For a spell there,” Herrera said, “everything was going right for us. But we won on defense.”

Shine and Jamie Meadows each had 11 points for third-place El Modena (9-10, 5-3), which beat Villa Park last week and has little chance of winning the league title.

In another Century League game:

Villa Park 78, Orange 18--Senior Maureen Skehan recorded her second quadruple double of the year with 33 points, 16 rebounds, 10 assists and 12 steals for Villa Park (19-3, 7-1), which remains in sole possession of first place in league.