Bryant’s Return Pushes Marina Past Esperanza

Sonya Bryant returned to the Marina lineup with a flourish on Thursday, entering the game in the second quarter, sparking a comeback from a 14-point deficit and helping the ninth-ranked Vikings to a 59-51 Sunset League victory over No. 7 Esperanza.

“I would say she was intent on making an impact,” Marina Coach Pete Bonny said of Bryant, who missed seven games with a bruised knee.

The Vikings (14-3, 2-1 in league) are tied with Esperanza (15-2, 2-1) and No. 6 Edison (12-6, 2-1) for second place.

“I think the emphasis the last couple of weeks has been on the other Sunset League teams,” Bonny said, “and now we’re back in the thick of things.”

Marina, which won its first 12 games, seems to be back on track with consecutive victories after losing three out of four. Clearly, the Vikings were better with Bryant.

Esperanza led, 21-7, early in the second quarter. Then Bryant (12 points) scored six of the next eight points, including a steal and layup that gave the Vikings momentum they never lost.

She was also part of an 18-point second-half run that finished off the Aztecs. But she was not alone.

Marisa Emde scored 14, and Kirsten Cappel had 11 points and 20 rebounds. Cappel also disturbed Esperanza’s Lindsay Foss enough that she made only two of 14 shots from the field; Foss (five points) was averaging 17.5.

“I don’t know that we denied [Foss] the ball,” Bonny said, “but maybe we kept her from getting it where she was comfortable, 15 feet away instead of 12.”

But Esperanza’s real shortcoming came at the free-throw line--it made only 11 of 28.

Heidi Hill scored 18 points for the visiting Aztecs.

In other league games:

Fountain Valley 81, Los Alamitos 53--Nicole Strange scored 17 and Jennifer Ludwicki 16 for No. 3 Fountain Valley (18-2, 3-0).

Edison 68, Huntington Beach 61--Kerry O’Bric’s career-high 26 points, and Shauna Steward’s 18, lifted Edison, which played without leading scorer Marie Philman (back injury). O’Bric’s basket with 2:31 left broke a 57-57 tie and began an 11-1 run for Edison, which made 15 of 20 fourth-quarter free throws.

Renee Kimoto had 11 points and 10 assists for Huntington Beach (10-8, 0-3).