Jim Riggio With Tulyah Gaines in the...
Jim Riggio
With Tulyah Gaines in the lineup, the Burroughs High girls’
basketball would be hard pressed to defeat Rancho Santa Margarita
High, ranked No. 2 in CIF Southern Section Division IIA.
But Gaines, the team’s star player, sat out with flu Tuesday, and
Burroughs could not overcome the visiting Eagles’ depth, losing,
45-29, in a nonleague game at Burroughs.
“They’re good defensively,” Santa Margarita Coach Richard Schaaf
said of the Indians.
Schaaf said his team sensed Burroughs’ star wasn’t playing, and as
a result, didn’t play well.
“She’s very good defensively,” Schaaf said of Gaines. “They’re
good because [Burroghs Coach Doug Nicol’s] got a helluva team
defensively.”
The contest was a rematch of last year’s Division IIA quarterfinal
playoff game in which Santa Margarita rolled to a 74-57 victory at
home.
Burroughs (11-6), coming off of a fine performance in the Chino
Hills Ayala Tournament, fought hard to stay with the Eagles and only
trailed, 11-7, at the end of the first quarter.
The Indians -- ranked No. 7 in the Division IIA -- got within two
points to start the second quarter on a basket by Val Rico.
But the Eagles (11-3) flexed their muscles and showed their depth.
Six players scored in the first half for Santa Margarita, whose
three losses have come at the hands of San Clemente -- No. 1 in
Division IA -- Fullerton Troy -- No. I in Division IIAA and Fullerton
Rosary -- No. 3 in Division IIIA.
In the Ayala Tournament, Burroughs -- with a healthy Gaines --
lost to Brea Olinda, 41-35, a team that is ranked No. 1 in Division
IIA.
Burroughs went into the half down, 23-15, but could never make a
serious push to get back into the game.
The Indians got as close as, 24-18, on one of Fabi Zavala’s three
three-pointers.
While the inability of Gaines to play hurt the Indians, Burroughs
Coach Doug Nicol noted there was one good thing about not having his
star in the lineup. Nicol said Burroughs was the only Foothill League
team in action Tuesday night and he expected the rest of the league’s
opponents to scout the game.
Without Gaines, Nicol said Burroughs would have had to greatly
change its game plan.
The Indians open Foothill League play at 7 p.m. Friday at
Valencia. Burroughs finished third in league last season.
BOX SCORE
Santa Margarita 11 12
12 10 -- 45
Burroughs 7 8 6
8 -- 29
SANTA MARGARITA
Frazee 10, Pederson 9, Mai 8, Cooper 4 and 10 rebounds,
Hollison 3, Walker 6, Taylor 3, Powers 2.
* Three-pointers: Frazee 2, Walker 2, Mai, Taylor.
BURROUGHS
Zavala 13, Stephan 7, Rico 4, Galindo 2, Carranza 3.
* Three-pointers: Zavala 3, Carranza.