Jitters Strike Nordhoff in Loss

During Nordhoff High’s 54-35 loss to Bishop Montgomery in the Southern Section Division III-A girls’ basketball final on Saturday, it became evident that the Rangers suffered from a condition common this time of year.

It’s called Pyramidophobia--the fear of making baskets in the Pyramid at Long Beach State.

The only cure is a single-digitectomy, which disables a team’s propensity to score in single digits for a quarter or have a single-digit shooting percentage for a half.

Nordhoff (23-5) did both against the Knights, shooting 9.5% (two for 21) in the first half and failing to score more than 10 points in every quarter but the fourth--a quarter in which the Bishop Montgomery reserves played most of the time.

Nordhoff, which shot 21% for the game, suffered similar shooting woes in last year’s final at the Pyramid, a 63-28 loss to Morningside.

“Last year was worse,” Nordhoff Coach Jack Smith said. “I’m just puzzled. We’re usually a competent shooting team.”

Smith, who said his team shot about 55% this season, took solace in remembering that Bishop Montgomery (26-2) is the defending Division III state champion, defending Southern Section Division III-AA champion and was appearing in its third consecutive Southern Section final.

“They are considered one of the best teams in California and on the West Coast,” Smith said. “The game changes because of the level we’re at. You get the ball and they are a little quicker to defend you.”

The Rangers were never in the game.

Guard Erin Barker, who had 14 points and eight rebounds, drove through the lane and scored Nordhoff’s first basket to make the score 6-2 with four minutes, 42 seconds left in the first quarter.

The Rangers then went 11:15 without a basket until Christen Roper hit a turnaround jump shot late in the second quarter to make it 31-9.

The score was 52-22 early in the fourth quarter when Bishop Montgomery emptied its bench.

The Knights, led by forward Danielle Graham, outrebounded Nordhoff, 47-34. Graham had 16, seven on the offensive end.

Roper, who became the focal point of the Nordhoff offense in the second half, scored six of her 11 points in the fourth quarter. The 6-foot-4 post player made five of 11 shots.