GIRLS’ BASKETBALL / SANTA BARBARA TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS : Brea Topples Another Highly Ranked Team; Woodbridge Next

Would you believe Brea-Olinda is at it again?

The Ladycats, a year removed from the Nicole Erickson era, knocked off its second nationally ranked team in two nights, scoring a 55-40 victory over Fresno Clovis West in the semifinals of the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions Thursday.

Brea, ranked No. 2 in Orange County, plays No. 1 Woodbridge in tonight’s championship game at 8:30 p.m.

“When (Nicole Erickson, Sarah Beckley and Colleen Hudson) left, everyone told us we couldn’t do it anymore,” said Brea junior Kiyoko Miller, “and we want to prove to ourselves and others that we can, that we’re a good team.

“This has been a great tournament no matter what happens against Woodbridge because all these teams we’ve been playing have been great teams.”

The feeling about Erickson and Co., who led the Ladycats to a 33-0 season and national No. 1 ranking, is universal on this Ladycat team.

“We stress that every day,” first-year Coach Jeff Sink said. “You can’t replace three players like that on a yearly basis. We want to carry-on that tradition, but it’s essential that we establish our own identity.”

That identity is now 11-0 and has extended the school’s winning streak to 65 games.

Brea, one night after pressing the full length of the court in a 57-56 victory over Atherton Sacred Heart--ranked seventh in the nation--was unable to maintain that pace against Clovis West (7-1)--ranked sixth.

So the Ladycats dropped into a zone and got a break when Adrain Williams, a 6-foot-3 center bound for USC, picked up her third foul with 7 minutes 42 seconds left in the second quarter. The score was tied at 16.

Brea’s early success was helped by the play of Dawn Metz, Brea’s 6-1 answer to Williams; Metz finished with eight points--six in the first quarter--and seven rebounds.

Williams, who finished with 13 points and only two rebounds, didn’t come back for the remainder of the first half, and Clovis West didn’t make a field goal the final 4:23 as Brea broke the game open with a 10-2 run over the final 1:51, boosted by three-point baskets by Jennifer Saari and Lee Moulin.

Clovis West pulled within seven and six points in the third quarter, but Saari and Moulin answered with three-point baskets.

Clovis West missed its first 10 shots of the fourth quarter and Brea applied the finishing touches.

Moulin had three three-point baskets and a game-high 15 points; Saari also had three three-pointers and finished with 11.

Brea made 22 of 53 shots; Clovis West made 14 of 40.

“No one expected us to come here and win it all,” Moulin said. “Everyone says since we lost Nicole and the others that we’re not good, but we still have a lot of good players.

“Don’t underestimate us.”