Morgan posts big effort for Guards

Jeff Tully

The girls’ basketball game between Bellarmine-Jefferson and Crescenta

Valley highs had all the makings of tough inside battle between two

premier post players.

On one side was the Falcons’ 6-foot-1 intimidator Lindsay Myers,

who had knocked around her share of opponents during the 19th annual

Bell-Jeff Summer Hoop Finale.

On the other side was 6-1 Guard center Andrea Morgan, an

up-an-coming force who has spent the summer perfecting her game.

Although Myers played well, Morgan was the player who shined in

Saturday’s fifth-place tournament game, as she led the Guards to a

41-33 win at Bellarmine-Jefferson High.

“I have been working on some of my footwork,” Morgan said. “That’s

what I’ve been trying to improve.

“But what has been big for me is that my confidence has gotten

better. I am getting to the point where I’m believing in myself and

realizing I can do a good job against some of the better players.”

Bell-Jeff Coach Bryan Camacho -- whose team went to the CIF

Southern Section Division IVA final last season -- said he has seen

the improvement in his post player.

“Along with getting better with her moves, Andrea is showing a lot

more heart out there,” Camacho said. “She is also attacking the

basket more.

“She has the skills, it was just a matter of convincing her that

she can play at a high level. And now she knows that she can.”

Bell-Jeff was able to gain the win without one of its best

players, Julie Van Dyke. The All-Sunshine League player is

concentrating on volleyball during the summer.

In all fairness, CV was without its best athlete, Jeanine Deno,

the 2002-03 Co-Pacific League Most Valuable Player who averaged 22

points and 7.5 rebounds last season. Deno has been sidelined with an

undisclosed medical problem.

The Guards -- who have never won a championship in their own

tournament -- and Camacho are happy to end their event with a win.

However, Bell-Jeff wasn’t in a happy mood when it was trounced on

Thursday by Pasadena Muir, 48-15, in a second-round game.

Led by Idessa Reyes’ 15 points, the Guards rebounded by downing

Woodland Hills Louisville on Friday, 51-40, to set up the game with

CV.

“Playing well against a good team like CV is a great way to end

the tournament, and a great way to end the summer,” Camacho said.

“After that terrible loss to Muir, I am really happy with the way

we responded with our last two games. This is the way we wanted to

play, and the way we should be playing.”

In the early moments against the Falcons, Morgan served notice she

was a force to be reckoned with in the middle. On CV’s first shot,

Myers’ attempt was blocked out of bounds by Morgan. Morgan also

tipped CV’s inbounds pass, leading to a turnover.

Twice during the game, Morgan put on nice spin moves against

Myers, going to the basket on points that left the Falcon player

flat-footed.

Morgan finished with 17 points, six rebounds and three blocks.

Myers scored 12 points and had 10 rebounds and five blocks.

The Guards had the game well in hand for three quarters, until the

Falcons mounted a brief comeback in the fourth.

A basket by Myers with 2:16 left got the Falcons to within three

points, 36-33.

However, Morgan responded with two baskets in the paint in the

last two minutes to quell the threat.

“It was a matter of us keeping our composure down the stretch,”

Camacho said. “I think we did that [Saturday] and that’s why we were

able to stop them in the fourth quarter.”