Raring to Go, Brea Olinda Pounds Ayala

Brea Olinda guard Lindsey Davidson told a story at the Wooden High School Classic postgame press conference about last week’s practices.

She said the girls’ basketball team had a walk-through on Thursday because Wednesday’s practice had become too much like a game.

“We were going to hurt each other because of the intensity,” Davidson said.

So when Davidson and her teammates finally walked on the floor to play Chino Hills Ayala Friday, they were more than ready.

Davidson scored 15 points and Chelsea Trotter scored 21 as Brea defeated Ayala, 72-46, at the Arrowhead Pond.

It was payback of sorts for Brea, which lost a meaningless summer league game by 10 points to Ayala (0-1). It might have just passed had unflattering comments about the Ladycats not appeared in a San Bernardino-area newspaper.

“We wanted to prove it was a fluke,” said Trotter, who had 15 rebounds and three steals. “Our pride was on the line.’

Coach Jeff Sink admitted as much.

“There are some games,” Sink said, “you have to make a statement.”

The Ladycats (1-0) chose this one, a 26-point victory over a team ranked No. 4 in the state. The Bulldogs had four returning starters from a squad that finished 28-3, but were never in the game, falling behind 12-2 and 17-3 in the first quarter.

“They’re ranked No. 2 in the nation [by one publication], and based on the score, deservedly so,” Ayala Coach Mel Simms said. “The score wouldn’t indicate it, but we’re a very good team, too.

“But the score spoke for itself; they took us out of everything we tried to do.”

Brea won with a good transition game and a defensive effort that surprised even Sink against the usually aggressive, high-pressure Bulldogs.

“I knew we’d look good on defense,” Sink said, “but I didn’t think we’d look this good this early.”

Ayala’s Candice Allen scored 14, but was hardly a factor; Ligaya Dozier scored 15, but only four going into the final three minutes of the third quarter. By then, Brea had a 45-25 lead that would stretch to 30 points, 64-34, with 5 minutes 11 seconds left.

Jackie Lord (six points) guarded Allen in a game where several Ladycats contributed. Kate Ides had 11 points and 11 rebounds. Jeri Costello had eight points and eight rebounds. Jill Trader had four points and seven rebounds in relief of Trotter, who got in first-half foul trouble; Trotter scored 19 second-half points.