Alemany Loses Fourth Game, 61-46, to Brea-Olinda

It’s not so much a schedule as it is a who’s who in girls’ basketball.

Alemany High Coach Melissa Hearlihy tried to put together a schedule tough enough to prepare the Indians to defend their Southern Section Division II-A championship.

Saturday night’s nonleague game at powerhouse Brea-Olinda was just another in the long line.

The 61-46 loss to the host Ladycats was the fourth of the season for Alemany, which won its first 30 games last season before losing in the state semifinals.

“I think we must play the toughest schedule,” Hearlihy said.

Indeed, Alemany has played highly regarded Buena, Newbury Park, Mater Dei and Ohio Trinity.

But few challenges compare with playing at Brea-Olinda.

The Ladycats (22-2), ranked third in Division II, have won five state titles in the last six years, including four straight. Throw in seven consecutive Southern Section titles, 14 Orange League titles in a row, and a 110-game junior varsity winning streak.

“I think we were tight and got nervous,” Hearlihy said.

Alemany (17-4) led, 4-2, but never again as Brea-Olinda opened leads of as many as 18 points on several occasions. Brea-Olinda never let up.

“I was worried the entire night that they’d make a run,” said Ladycat Coach Jeff Sink, whose team had won 64 consecutive games before an early season loss to Woodbridge. “They seemed out of sync a bit. They’re a very good team.”

Samantha Rigley scored 21 points for Alemany, while teammate Carly Funicello added 12.

Funicello, a 6-foot-4 junior center, has evolved into the Indians’ go-to player, which was no secret to Brea-Olinda.

“We had them scouted pretty well,” Sink said. “We tried to bump (Funicello) off track and frustrate her.”

The Ladycats were quite successful. Funicello was constantly hounded by a physical Brea-Olinda defense. At one point, Funicello was called for an intentional kicking foul.

Ladycat forward Dawn Metz, assigned to cover Funicello, made an impact on offense as well. She scored 17 points and had nine rebounds to pace a balanced attack.

“We studied what we had to do,” Metz said. “I had the challenge of covering (Funicello). She’s going to be one of the greatest players around next year, but I’m a senior and this was my only chance to show what I can do.”

Brea-Olinda teammate Kiyoko Miller added 12 points, while Jennifer Saari and Lee Moulin each scored 11.

Alemany’s four losses, to Newbury Park, Mater Dei, Trinity and Brea-Olinda, have all come on the road, but Hearlihy wasn’t ready to concede that as a valid excuse.

“Sometimes in life, you just have to suck it up and go with it,” she said.