SOUTHERN SECTION BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS : DIVISION II-A GIRLS : Moulin Helps Brea Olinda Survive Tough Edison, 79-63

First-year Brea Olinda Coach Jeff Sink turned to a reporter 50 minutes before tipoff. “I’m nervous,” he said. “There’s a lot of pressure in this one. This ain’t Alaska.”

The coach from Fairbanks who inherited a six-time defending Southern Section champion faced a storm Tuesday night. Had it not been for Lee Moulin, the Ladycats might have been in the deep freeze.

Moulin had a career-high seven three-point baskets and 27 points and Brea advanced to the Southern Section championship game for the seventh consecutive year with a 79-63 victory over Edison at Valencia High.

The Ladycats play Pasadena Muir at 3:15 p.m. Saturday at Long Beach State’s Pyramid. Muir beat Norco in the other Division II-A semifinal, 82-45.

The storm came from an inspired Chargers team--playing in the school’s second girls’ semifinal--that had nothing to lose. But every time Edison made a run at Brea, Moulin answered.

“She was an ice woman,” Sink said. “Every shot until the fourth quarter, I think, was a rally killer,” he said. “She was totally in a zone. She was really aggressive about seeking the ball; she wanted the shot every single time. We did a nice job of presenting her the ball.”

Moulin made her first shot, then missed her next four. Then she single-handedly held off Edison, which was trying to rally from a 22-15 first-quarter deficit.

* Marie Philman (28 points, 17 rebounds) had a 16-footer that cut the deficit to 22-19. Moulin’s 15-footer came 26 seconds later.

* Danielle Wiggins’ 6-foot baseline jumper cut the deficit to 24-21. Moulin’s three-pointer came 13 seconds later.

* Kerri O’Bric’s layup cut the deficit to 29-28. Moulin’s three-pointer came 26 seconds later.

* Philman’s three-point play cut the deficit to 32-31. Moulin’s three-pointer came 16 seconds later.

Said Moulin: “The best shooting game of my life.” She was seven of 13 from behind the arc, nine of 17 overall.

“That second quarter was crucial,” Sink said. “Our offense stagnated (with Kiyoko Miller and Dawn Metz on the bench with two fouls) except for Lee. That’s when you need an outstanding effort.”

Miller (16 points, four steals) and Metz (17 points, nine rebounds, four blocks) rejoined the game in the third quarter, but Edison’s 6-0 run gave the Chargers a 38-37 lead. Brea’s Marissa Bradley scored 34 seconds later, and the next two times down the court, Moulin made two more three-pointers--the second one giving Brea a 45-40 lead. It was a 13-point game going into the fourth.

“(Moulin) was the difference,” Edison Coach Dave White said. “They had a little too much firepower for us. We played great defense all year (opponents averaged 48) and they scored 79; they deserved it.”