Redondo Union Puts It All Together Against Foothill

After losing to Brea Olinda in a Southern Section girls’ basketball final last season, Santa Ana Foothill was looking forward to getting another shot at the Ladycats in this year’s Division II-AA title game.

But Redondo Union ended Foothill’s hopes, beating the Knights, 71-53, Tuesday night in a semifinal at Villa Park High.

Redondo advances to Saturday’s final at the Pyramid and will face the winner of tonight’s game between Brea Olinda and Norco.

“Their speed, athleticism and the way they shoot the ball makes them a dangerous team,” Foothill Coach Ty Watkins said.

Redondo (26-5) used those three facets of its game to break out to an early lead.

Redondo’s full-court press helped force 17 turnovers in the first half. The Seahawks shot 54.2% (13 of 24) in the opening 16 minutes, including making four of five three-pointers to go ahead, 31-11, at halftime.

Foothill scored only four points in the second quarter. The Knights had more turnovers than shots (17-15) in the first half.

“We wanted to get them into our game, a running game,” Redondo Coach Marcelo Enriquez said. “We wanted to go up and down. We felt we could pressure them.”

Redondo took its biggest lead at 34-11 after Stephanie Wong made a three-pointer 15 seconds into the third quarter. Wong led Redondo with 24 points.

“They were on fire,” Watkins said.

In other games:

Fullerton Troy 54, Huntington Beach Edison 42--Katie Hardeman’s defense and team-high 14 points led the Warriors to the I-A semifinal victory at Sunny Hills.

Hardeman stifled Michelle Zylstra of Edison all night. Zylstra, who was averaging 15.8 points, finished with 11, but nine came in the final 10 minutes with Troy holding a 13-point lead, 39-26.

Zylstra managed only two shots in the first half, only three more in the third quarter. She finished three for nine from the field.

Riverside J.W. North 61, San Clemente 46--Shandrika Lee scored 19 points as top-seeded J.W. North won the I-A semifinal at Riverside Poly.

North will play Troy in the final.

Lynwood 58, El Toro 55--The Knights used a balanced offense and pressure defense to win the I-AA semifinal at Laguna Hills.

Laconia Hatcher scored 13 points, Aliza Gardner and Andrea Adams each had 12 and Willnett Crockett added 10 for Lynwood, which led 29-25 at halftime.

Lynwood will play for the championship against the winner of tonight’s game between Chino Hills Ayala and Long Beach Wilson.

Giuliana Mendiola scored 27 points for El Toro.