Brethren Christian Rouses Itself in Time to Win Title

Cindy Oparah and her Brethren Christian teammates were in a funk for most of regulation Saturday in the Southern Section Division IV-A girls’ basketball final at the Pyramid.

That Cerritos Valley Christian was playing just as poorly was about the only thing the Warriors had going for them.

Oparah, who had one point by halftime, responded when it counted by tying the score with a basket with 15 seconds left in regulation.

Then she put the finishing touches on a 22-point, 14-rebound effort with five points in overtime to lead Brethren Christian to a 44-37 victory over the perennial division champions.

It was the first time in more than five years--12 tries in all for Warrior Coach Kim Harris--that Brethren (19-10) has defeated Capistrano Valley Christian (23-7), co-champion of the Olympic League. Brethren finished third.

For much of the game it didn’t look as if the Warriors, who made 21 turnovers, 12 of 37 field-goal tries and 17 of 32 free throws, would be able to pull it off. They trailed by as many as six points three different times in the second half.

But Capistrano Valley Christian made only five of 17 free throws, 16 of 52 field-goal tries and committed 18 turnovers. Many of those mistakes led to Brethren scoring opportunities, including Oparah’s consecutive three-pointers that tied the score, 30-30, with 1 minute 24 seconds left in regulation.

In overtime Oparah banked in a free throw to tie the score, 34-34. After teammate Rachael MacDonald (10 points, 12 rebounds) put the Warriors on top for good with the second of her two free throws, Oparah put a rebound back for a three-point lead with 1:46 left.

Brethren Christian was on the way. The Warriors stepped up their defense and gave up only one field goal in overtime--a 17-foot baseline jumper from Christy VandenAkker with 2:47 left. It was Capistrano Valley Christian’s last lead, 34-33. The Crusaders missed their final four shots and could only make three free throws after VandenAkker’s shot.

“We were a little nervous in the first half,” Oparah said. “Coach gave us a good pep talk at halftime. She reminded us seniors that this was the last time we would play against them and we had never beaten them.”

Harris said she put the ball squarely in Oparah’s court at halftime.

“I told Cindy she had the game in her hands and it was time for her to step up,” Harris said.

Two free throws by Katie Mullins with 50 seconds left put the Warriors ahead, 39-34. The Crusaders made two free throws to get as close as three points, but a free throw by Oparah made it 40-36. Crusader forward Sarah Middlebrooke made another free throw, but Mullins countered with one for a 41-37 lead with 21 seconds left.

When MacDonald grabbed a rebound and put it back after Mullins missed her second attempt, they started celebrating on the Warrior bench.

Capistrano Valley Christian Coach Eleanor Dykstra called the game “ugly.”

“Both teams were uptight,” she said. “A lot of shots were missed. We missed a lot of shots. Everyone was out of control. The game didn’t flow. Nothing was smooth about it.”