Oxnard Unravels in Second Half

The Oxnard High girls’ basketball team thought it had this intimidation thing figured out.

Faced with playing a road game against perennial City Section power Crenshaw before a boisterous crowd, the Yellowjackets scored the final eight points of the first half to break open a tie game and appear firmly in control.

But the third quarter turned into a torrent of turnovers and easy baskets for the Cougars, who went on to a 73-52 victory on Tuesday before 1,000 at Cal State Dominguez Hills in the first round of the Southern California Regional Division I tournament.

The loss ends the Yellowjackets’ Cinderella postseason during which Oxnard, the fourth-place finisher in the Channel League, became the Southern Section Division I-AA champion.

The playoff run was only part of a roller coaster of emotions for the Yellowjackets (18-12).

Hours before the section final Saturday, the father of senior guard Donya Walker died from a terminal illness, although she wasn’t told until after Oxnard won the title. Players and coaches wore a black stripe on their jerseys Tuesday in his memory.

Still, Oxnard held to its playoff form in the first half, with point guard Jaline Bradley having little trouble maneuvering through the Cougars’ full-court press.

Oxnard led, 32-24, at halftime after an 8-0 run over the final 90 seconds.

However, the second-seeded Cougars (24-3) switched to a half-court pressure defense in the second half, forcing 17 turnovers.

“We had to lay into them at halftime,” said Crenshaw co-Coach Major Dennis. “We were being a little lackadaisical on defense.”

The Yellowjackets were held scoreless the first four minutes of the third quarter as Crenshaw stormed to 11 straight points and a 35-32 lead.

Nicole Black finally hit a baseline jumper to cut the lead to one, but by the end of the quarter, Oxnard trailed, 45-38, and would get no closer.

“We just totally lost our composure in the second half,” said Oxnard senior forward Danielle Curtis, who scored 14 points. “We weren’t patient at all.”

Bradley made only two of 14 shots and scored six points. Black scored 21.