Rosary Wins With Power of Press

Rosary’s full-court press was too much for University of San Diego High, as the Royals advanced to the second round of the Southern California Regional Division III tournament with a 66-40 victory at University of San Diego Tuesday.

The Dons lost to fifth-seeded Rosary (24-8) for the third consecutive time in the state playoffs.

“The press killed us,” Don Coach Demetrius Laffitte said. “I know this team, I knew what they were going to do. If we were able to get the ball past half court I knew we would be OK. But we couldn’t and they killed us.”

Rosary’s press forced eight of the Dons’ 11 turnovers in the first quarter. The Royals took a 14-2 lead despite converting only 27% from the field on five-of-18 shooting.

“I think the bus ride did it to us,” Rosary Coach Richard Yoon said. “We looked a little hesitant in the first half.”

However, the Royals’ defense made up for their dismal shooting. They held the Dons’ scoreless until freshman Alexis Castro scored their first basket with 2 minutes 55 seconds left in the first quarter.

Castro, the Dons’ leading scorer, who averages 18 points and nine rebounds a game, was held to four first-half points, thanks to Jen Farner’s defense. Castro was forced to leave the game with a knee injury with just under six minutes left in the half, and her team trailing, 23-5. The Dons (18-13), the San Diego Section Division III champions, committed 20 turnovers in the first half.

Castro returned in the second half, but by then the damage was done, with Rosary leading, 37-12, at the break. Castro finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds, nine of those points coming in the fourth quarter after Yoon had sent in all the reserves.

“We knew we would be in trouble if Castro started shooting out the lights,” Yoon said. “But our pressure defense held and gave us control of the game. It’s what we do, and everyone knows that’s what we are going to do.”

Rosary got over its shaky first quarter, and finished the game shooting 56%, making 28 of 50 from the field.

Jenise Karcher, the Royals’ leading scorer who averages more than 15 points a game, had 20 points and five steals. Farner, who averages 13.5, scored 14 points. Cara Enright, who came into the game with early in the third quarter to replace a foul-troubled Farner, scored 14 points, well above her 6.5 average.

Rosary will play top-seeded North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake in the second round. Harvard-Westlake was a 41-36 winner against Bakersfield Liberty. The Wolverines (27-5), were the Southern Section Division III-AA champions, and upset second-seeded Rosary in the semifinals, 64-59.