Brea Olinda Has Free-for-All to Close Out Alemany Girls

The Brea Olinda High girls’ basketball team put on a free-throw exhibition Saturday night at L.A. Baptist and Alemany paid for it.

Brea Olinda converted all 12 of its free throws in the final minute to stymie a comeback try by Alemany and beat the Indians, 58-50, in a nonleague game between two of the top teams in Southern California.

Alemany’s Kelli Kobayashi made her first field goal--a three-point basket--with less than a minute remaining to get the Indians (14-5) within striking distance, 46-40, but Brea Olinda, led by Marissa Bradley’s eight-for-eight shooting at the line in the waning seconds, was able to maintain a comfortable lead and head home with a victory.

Brea Olinda (18-3), top-ranked in Southern Section Division II-A, was 17 of 22 from the line, all in the second half.

“That’s what wins your ballgames,” said Alemany Coach Melissa Hearlihy.

Hearlihy is winless eight times in 11 years against the perennial powerful Lady Cats, winners of eight consecutive section championships.

Alemany’s Carly Funicello, with 29 points, 13 rebounds and six blocked shots, got little help from the rest of the starting lineup, which had accounted for only eight points after three quarters.

“We needed some other kids to score tonight and it just didn’t happen,” Hearlihy said. “Carly had to work for everything she got tonight.”

Kobayashi, who scored nine of her 10 points in the final minute, missed her first 12 shots and seemed overmatched against Brea Olinda’s scrappy defense. The Lady Cats forced 15 turnovers in the second half.

“She wasn’t sure what to do at times,” Hearlihy said. “But it’s tough in a game like this.”

Alemany, which lost to Brea Olinda in the semifinals of the Southern California Division II regional last season, led only once, 5-4, on a bucket by Funicello.

Brea Olinda claimed its first lead at 11-9 on a short jumper by Lindsey Davidson, and didn’t relinquish it.

A 7-0 run got Alemany within a point, 28-27, with 2:10 left in the third period, but the Indians didn’t get closer.

Bradley, who was 11 of 12 from the line in the fourth period, finished with 18, and Jennifer Saari had 15.