Moorpark Feels at Home in Defeating Burroughs

There’s no place like home.

Moorpark High, a good girls’ basketball team, plays like a great one in its own gym.

The Musketeers outlasted Burroughs, 65-59, in overtime on Saturday night to win a Southern Section Division II-AA first-round game and improve to 11-0 in home playoff games.

“Our home floor, our fans, our heart, that was the difference,” said center Kristin Nadas, who had 16 points, 15 rebounds and nine blocked shots before fouling out in the extra period.

Moorpark (18-6) plays Santa Margarita on Wednesday in a second-round game at a site to be determined by a coin flip today.

Guess where the Musketeers would like to play?

“Hopefully, we’ll get to play here again,” said Coach Brent Milburn, whose team is 8-2 on its floor this season.

At the outset, it was Burroughs (14-13) that made itself at home, using a full-court press to force 31 turnovers, including nine in the first three minutes when it took a 12-2 lead.

But by the end of the first quarter, Moorpark had tied the score, 18-18.

Burroughs led, 29-27, at halftime. It was tied, 39-39, after three quarters and 53-53 after four.

Sloppy at times, dramatic throughout, the Musketeers won for the second time in three meetings with Burroughs.

Gracie Coronado scored 26 points for the Indians, who made only 24 of 71 shots and nine of 25 free throws.

“When you play an overtime game, it’s kind of hard when you miss 16 free throws,” Burroughs Coach Doug Nicol said.

Moorpark took advantage, rallying from a 53-49 deficit with baskets by Taryn Milburn and Natalia Worth in the final 90 seconds of regulation to force overtime.

Worth scored 14 of her 19 points after halftime, including seven in overtime.

Libby Cantwell made five three-pointers and finished with 20 points for Moorpark.

Danica Cunningham scored 10 points for Burroughs. Tulyah Gaines had eight points, 10 assists, nine rebounds and five steals, and Sara Larquier added eight points and 17 rebounds for the Indians.

Burroughs took a 56-55 lead on Coronado’s free throw with 2:56 left in overtime, but Moorpark answered with a 6-0 run--four points by Worth--to put it away.