Channel Islands Circles the Wagons

The Channel Islands High girls’ basketball team had already come this far, so why not make it just a little tougher?

Winners of only four games last season, the Raiders lost one starter to ineligibility last week, then went into Thursday night’s regular-season finale against Royal without senior Eleanor Ecoffey, a double-digit scorer and rebounder who is sidelined with a sprained ankle.

Still, Channel Islands withstood a late Highlander charge to come away with a 44-42 victory at Royal and a share of the Marmonte League title with Thousand Oaks.

The Raiders (19-7, 12-2 in league play) started the season with mostly the same team but with a a new coach, Patrick Bell, and a new attitude.

“I saw a couple of games last year and the only thing missing was a family atmosphere,” Bell said. “That’s the first thing I had to change.”

One of the few additions to Channel Islands was senior forward Judy Tuimoloau, who scored 15 points against the Highlanders (15-8, 10-4), including a three-point basket with 2:00 left to give the Raiders a 41-37 lead. She also made two free throws in the final 30 seconds.

Tuimoloau was ineligible last season.

“I had to make something of my senior year,” Tuimoloau said. “This was my last chance.”

Even without Ecoffey, who was hurt in Tuesday’s victory over Simi Valley, Channel Islands appeared in command after taking a 33-23 lead with 6-0 run late in the third quarter.

Channel Islands led, 35-27, going into the fourth quarter, but Royal’s Jessica Sanders scored five of her 15 points and Alicia Weber (eight points) made a three-point shot to tie the score, 37-37, with 4:00 to go.

The Raiders broke the tie on a free throw by Alma Perez with 2:49 left and never trailed again. Perez finished with eight points.