DIVISION II-A GIRLS’ BASKETBALL : San Bernardino Stops Cypress Short of Goal

After attaining its preseason goal of qualifying for a playoff semifinal for the first time, the Cypress girls’ basketball team, quite naturally, revised its expectations of what would constitute a completely successful season.

The Centurions believed this was their season, and they wanted to make their convictions known to San Bernardino in the Southern Section Division II-A semifinals Tuesday night.

Unfortunately for Cypress, San Bernardino has goals of its own, and the Cardinals made their point with a 60-51 victory over second-seeded Cypress at Kennedy High.

“We just lost to a better team,” Cypress Coach John Selbe said. “They hit all the big shots and they did a lot of things right.

“They are a very good team . . . I hope they go on and win the whole thing.”

San Andreas League champion San Bernardino (25-4) will play top-seeded Mission Hills Alemany (27-0) for the Division II-A championship Saturday at Cal Poly Pomona.

The Centurions trailed by 18 points, 44-26, with 36 seconds remaining in the third quarter. But Cypress charged back in the fourth quarter behind standout senior center Jessica Eggleston and junior forward Julie Adams--and with a little help from the Cardinals.

San Bernardino missed its first six free throws of the quarter, allowing the Centurions to close the gap. Eggleston scored 10 of her 17 points in the quarter and Adams scored seven of her game-high 21.

Two free throws by Eggleston with 1:40 remaining cut San Bernardino’s lead to five, 54-49. But two free throws by the Cardinals’ La Tonya Kindle (15 points) and a layup by Kizzy Hollman following an offensive rebound put San Bernardino ahead by nine, 58-49, with 1:15 to play.