SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : Moulin Comes Through as Brea Olinda Gets Past Alemany

If there weren’t doubters among the Brea Olinda fans, then there were certainly doubters on the bench.

Forward Lee Moulin wondered if her team had what it took to get past Mission Hills Alemany, given that Jennifer Saari had a bum knee. Brea’s bench is deep, but not at point guard.

Coach Jeff Sink wondered, too. He didn’t find out Saari could play until 18 minutes before tipoff, and even then, he had a player who was only 70% because of slight tear in the kneecap. And falling behind by nine points in the first quarter didn’t do anything for his confidence.

But afterward, there were only believers.

Brea Olinda scored a 56-52 victory over Alemany (25-6) Thursday to advance to the Southern California Regional Division II final Saturday against Woodbridge. And like the semifinal victory over Edison to get to the Southern Section final, the Ladycats (30-2) got another huge performance from Moulin.

Moulin matched her career high with seven three-point baskets--same as in the Edison victory--to send the Ladycats to their seventh consecutive Regional final.

Moulin was seven for 13 from beyond the three-point arc, including three for five in the fourth quarter. Brea trailed, 43-40, with less than four minutes remaining when her consecutive three-pointers gave the Ladycats a 46-45 lead with 2:54 to go.

“It was Edison all over,” Moulin said. “I think I relaxed after the first couple of shots. Toward the end, I felt I could make it no matter where I was at.”

That’s what Alemany Coach Melissa Hearlihy said..

“She was the difference,” Hearlihy said. “Every time we got a run, Moulin came back with a three.”

Brea trailed, 11-2, before Moulin warmed up. Her second three-pointer tied the score at 11-11, and her third made it 14-14.

Saari--who got the OK to play from her parents after they watched her warm up--had a three-pointer to give Brea a 21-19 lead, and Moulin’s fourth three-pointer made it 24-19. Saari--who scored seven points, all in the first half--had a layup to give Brea its 26-21 halftime lead.

But Brea scored only five points in the third--all by Kiyoko Miller, who finished with 11--and Alemany took a 32-31 lead into the fourth. During the next four minutes, there were nine ties or lead changes.

After Moulin made it 46-45, Alemany’s Samantha Rigley (11 points, one rebound), missed a drive to the basket; 5-foot-10 Brea sophomore Rochelle Anthony outmuscled 6-4 Carly Funicello for the rebound and was fouled in the process.

Anthony made two free-throws, and after Funicello (team-high 13 points, 11 rebounds) missed at the other end, Miller’s drive made it 50-45.

Brea was 10 for 10 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter.

“I didn’t think we’d win that,” Sink said. “We were down, 11-2, and I took my second timeout (with 1:37 left in the first quarter) and I had a bunch of kids looking at me with that ‘What are we going to do?’ look on their face. I told them we have to execute and the game will come back to us.”