Troy Picks Up the Title

Stingy defense is the trademark of the Fullerton Troy girls’ basketball team. It’s on the offensive end that the Warriors can sometimes be generic.

Nicole Hayman made sure Troy wasn’t overshadowed Friday night in its third consecutive Division II state final appearance. Hayman, one of only two seniors on the team, scored eight of her 10 points in the fourth quarter in a 47-41 come-from-behind victory over San Jose Mitty at Arco Arena.

“It kind of just hit me, this was the last game I was ever going to play,” Hayman said. “I put all my heart and all my soul into it.”

Troy (33-2) and Mitty (29-6) each entered the game with 22-game winning streaks and both made 10 of 27 shots in the first half.

Troy, which had not allowed more than 33 points in a playoff game this season, began the final in typical fashion. Lauren Sims made consecutive three-pointers to give the Warriors a 6-0 lead, and the defense forced seven turnovers in the first 4:15. But the Monarchs closed out the quarter on an 11-2 run, and they scored the first two baskets of the second quarter to take a 17-12 lead.

“I think we were a little surprised at first,” Hayman said. “But then we picked it up.”

Rheya Neabors, who finished with 18 points, then scored 10 consecutive for Troy and Sara Yee scored on a drive to give the Warriors a 24-23 lead at the half. The Warriors stretched their lead to as much as six in the third quarter, but the Monarchs came back to take a 35-33 lead on a jump shot by Lanesha Owens early in the fourth quarter.

Hayman tied the score with a pull-up jumper from the baseline, hit another jump shot from the top of the key and then made a three-pointer to give the Warriors a 42-38 lead with three minutes remaining, and Mitty never came any closer.

“She hasn’t been the same player all year,” Coach Kevin Kiernan said of Hayman, who broke her nose in last year’s regional final and was slowed at the start of this season by a sprained ankle. “She has really had to sacrifice individual stuff. She’s only averaging about seven or eight points for us this year, which is kind of down for her. It was kind of nice to see her come through with a big game.”