Orange Coast Trying to Look Ahead

Orange Coast, deprived of enjoying its emotional victory Saturday in the Southern California women’s basketball playoffs, is looking for another chance to celebrate in this week’s state tournament.

The Pirates (25-9), a 74-66 winner over Canyons in the regional final Saturday, take on De Anza (28-7) at 2 p.m. today at Concordia. Pirate Coach Mike Thornton said it was the best game he has been part of in his nine years at the school.

The game featured inspired performances and amazing plays, but all that became secondary when Canyons Coach Greg Herrick collapsed and was hospitalized after suffering what was most likely a seizure a few minutes after the game ended.

Herrick was released Sunday morning from Hoag Presbyterian Memorial and telephoned Thornton about 8:30 a.m. the same day to congratulate him.

Thornton gave his players Monday off, but talked with them and others who were at the game in order to help them deal with seeing something so serious.

“It really shocked our kids quite a bit,” Thornton said. “It was a very traumatic thing. I told the team that they never really got to celebrate the victory, but we had a good practice [Tuesday] and are ready to go.”

As always, the Pirates will look to sophomore guard Jennifer Ludwicki, who is averaging 23 points and has an Orange County single-season record 99 three-pointers.

Canyons had players front Ludwicki the entire game and she took only 12 shots, but she also made 12 of 12 from the free-throw line and finished with a game-high 23 points.

Ludwicki also turned in the game’s biggest assist. She was driving with the ball and just as two Canyons defenders closed in, she wrapped a pass around her back to an open Loshak, who caught it on a bounce and went in for a layup, giving the Pirates a 68-63 lead with three minutes to play.

“She’s the only player I’ve ever let do that,” Thornton said. “I told her she can do it if she’s not doing it just to put on a show. That was a perfect bounce pass and a perfect decision.”

While Canyons was able to limit Ludwicki’s shooting, the strategy also opened opportunities for other Pirates, including Loshak, who had a season-high 16 points, and center Natalie Weeks, who also scored 16.

Notes

Fullerton joins Orange Coast as representatives of the Orange Empire Conference in the women’s state tournament. The teams tied for the championship. The Hornets (27-8) open against San Jose (31-2) at 6 p.m. In the other first-round games: Cerritos (25-9) and Sierra (27-8) play at 4 p.m. and Ventura (34-1) and Merritt (25-9) play at 8 p.m. The tournament moves to UC Irvine’s Bren Center the next two days with the semifinals at 1 and 5 p.m. Friday. The title game is 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

The men’s tournament starts today at UC Irvine with Mt. San Jacinto (30-6) and Porterville (28-5) playing at 2 p.m. In the other first-round games, West Valley (30-3) and Compton (24-3) play at 4, Cerritos (30-4) and Canada (27-5) at 6 and Bakersfield (30-3) and San Jose (31-4) at 8.

Tickets at either site are $8 per day and good at both venues.