Brea Rolls Past Cerritos Gahr

One can only wonder what Laguna Hills players must be thinking today.

Brea Olinda, playing Cerritos Gahr, which Laguna Hills beat by 14 points over the weekend to win a Southern Section title, decided to make a statement on Tuesday.

And won by 40.

The Ladycats, in pursuit of a sixth state championship but their first in three years, beat Gahr, 80-40, in the first round of the Division II Southern California Regionals at Brea.

For the third consecutive game, 5-foot-11 center Stephanie Wettlin turned in an MVP-type performance, scoring 19 points, pulling down 10 rebounds and sparking a third-quarter run that was similar to what happened to Gahr three days earlier against Laguna Hills, the state’s second-ranked team.

Brea Olinda (28-3), ranked No. 1 in the state and apparently primed to do their part to make a Saturday showdown with Laguna Hills at the Pond, scored the first 15 points of the third quarter as part of a 41-5 run opening the second half. The Ladycats host Fresno Edison on Thursday.

Wettlin said her team was a little more juiced than usual for this game, knowing that the Gladiators (19-10) had just faced Laguna Hills in the Division II-AA finals.

“Considering we won by 40, I think we were making a statement that we can win against Laguna Hills regardless of their height advantage,” said Wettlin, who scored nine of the first 11 points in the third quarter and held Monet Sykes to seven points--nine less than her average.

Brea committed 12 turnovers in the first half and looked out of sync much of it. The Ladycats even trailed after one quarter, 14-12. Lindsey Davidson’s three-point basket with 50 seconds left in half provided most of the 31-27 halftime cushion.

Wettlin had three rebounds, a steal and five points in the first 1 minute 44 seconds of the second half that sent Gahr Coach Tom Pryor scrambling for a timeout. Wettlin followed with a putback and ended a fastbreak for a 42-27 lead. From there, it just got ugly.

“Our interior passing made the difference,” Brea Coach Jeff Sink said. “In the first half, we were content to shoot jump shots. In the second half, we went inside.”

Brea made 29 of 55 shots (52.7%). Rochelle Anthony had 13 points and 10 rebounds. Marissa Bradley also had 13 points.

“[This] says we’re prepared,” said Jennifer Saari, who was feeling under the weather and scored four. “We want to go all the way. We want another state banner.”