Sluggish Alemany Rallies Past Dorsey, 77-71

The Alemany High girls’ basketball team is mastering the art of the comeback.

The Indians fought back from a 13-point deficit in the second quarter and held on for a 77-71 victory over Dorsey on Friday night in the semifinals of the Bell-Jeff tournament.

Alemany (9-3) fell behind, 28-15, early in the second quarter before coming to life.

“Lethargic is the term,” said Melissa Hearlihy, Alemany’s coach. “They were just running around us and we were standing still.”

The Indians, who trailed 45-36 at the half, pulled ahead in the third quarter behind the shooting of guard Kelli Kobayashi and forward Alma Sandoval.

Guard Kate Beckler, Alemany’s leading scorer this season, then got into the act with nine of her game-high 24 points to help put away Dorsey (6-7).

Hearlihy said the comeback was a sign that the young Indians are maturing. Alemany has only one senior starter, Kobayashi.

“It’s exciting to know your kids aren’t going to quit and I lit them up at halftime,” Hearlihy said.

The Indians got 17 points each from Kobayashi and freshman forward Karina Siam. Crystal Vernon scored 30 points for Dorsey.

In other tournament games:

Royal 58, Bell-Jeff 29--Guard Alicia Weber scored 14 points, including four three-point baskets, and the Highlanders (12-1) cruised in a semifinal game.

Weber made her four three-point attempts in the first half, when Royal opened a 34-20 lead.

The Highlanders turned to their defense in the third quarter, outscoring the Guards, 12-0, to pull away for good. They led by as many as 33 points.

Kristen Galbreath scored 13 points and Jessica Sanders had 12 for Royal.

Laura Lunsford finished with 11 points for Bell-Jeff (5-8).

Glendale 65, Sacred Heart 45--The Dynamiters (8-6) broke out to an 14-0 lead in the first quarter and coasted in a consolation semifinal.

Alina Markari had 17 points, six rebounds and four assists for Glendale, which led by 25 points in the third quarter.

Glendale’s Hilary Driffill finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Mania Houspian had 14 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds.

St. Monica 40, La Canada 23--Nina Han scored 10 points but the Spartans were overpowered in a consolation semifinal.

Monica Flores had 17 points for St. Monica (8-3), which opened a 15-2 lead after one quarter and held La Canada (3-9) to nine points in the second half.