San Clemente Gets Past Esperanza in Tournament

San Clemente’s Debby Caine must have felt right at home during Friday’s pool-play game against Esperanza at the Woodbridge Tip-off Classic.

So comfortable that she didn’t hesitate attempting a three-pointer with her team clinging to a four-point lead late in the game.

It was a key basket in the second-ranked Tritons’ 42-37 victory over No. 3 Esperanza. One that the former Woodbridge player probably wouldn’t hesitate to take again.

“That’s because she’s been in these types of games before,” San Clemente Coach Mary Mulligan said.

Caine’s three-pointer with two minutes remaining gave San Clemente a 40-33 lead, which was enough to hold off the late-charging Aztecs.

Esperanza (2-1) had a bad first half in which it made just five of 24 shots and committed 14 turnovers. The Aztecs trailed by as much as 16 points in the first half before getting as close as 25-12 in the final minute of the second quarter.

“We came out with so much emotion,” Mulligan said. “They didn’t play well with our up-tempo style.”

Esperanza turned it around in the third quarter, forcing six turnovers and outscoring San Clemente, 17-8, to cut the lead to four. “That’s when we were forced to play their style,” Mulligan said.

San Clemente (3-0) started the fourth quarter by turning the ball over on its first two possessions. Esperanza made two of four free throws in that stretch to make it 33-31. But the Aztecs missed their next four foul shots, allowing San Clemente to stretch its lead back to six with four minutes remaining.

Kim Omer, who led Esperanza with 13 points, was able to grab a defensive rebound and drive for a quick layup, which made it 37-33. Two possessions later, Caine grabbed Kristen Peters’ miss and clinched the victory with her three-pointer.