San Clemente Can’t Overcome Turnbull Injury

Facing the top-seeded team didn’t seem to faze San Clemente, but losing its top player early in the second quarter eventually took its toll.

With the Tritons’ Colleen Turnbull sidelined with a sprained ankle, San Clemente went scoreless for a 10-minute stretch in the second half and Los Angeles Palisades rallied for a 53-40 victory in the first-round of the Southern California Division I girls’ basketball playoffs Tuesday at Palisades High.

Junior guard April Freeney scored 16 points, Nicole Funn added 13 points and 12 rebounds, and Leilani Estavan had 15 points for top-seeded Palisades, which advanced to host Oceanside El Camino Thursday.

Palisades (27-4) trailed, 30-18, with six minutes remaining in the third quarter before it made its big push. The Dolphins scored 25 consecutive points in 10 minutes to move ahead, 43-30, midway through the fourth quarter before coasting to the victory.

It was an unfortunate ending for San Clemente (23-10).

The Tritons raced to an early 10-point lead, then even after Turnbull left the game with the injury two minutes into the second quarter, San Clemente responded with a 13-0 run to take a 26-13 lead.

“We’re used to playing the top teams,” San Clemente Coach Mary Mulligan said. “We’re used to playing on the road. My girls came in here knowing they could win.”

San Clemente’s second-half frustration finally boiled over when Mulligan received a technical foul with 30 seconds remaining and Palisades comfortably ahead, 52-40.