Gaels get a better effort in tourney loss
BURBANK — The Holy Family basketball team accomplished something Tuesday afternoon that it didn’t do Monday — score in the first quarter.
Unfortunately for the Gaels, the end result remained the same.
Holy Family did indeed get a better effort Tuesday, but it still suffered a 50-41 loss to St. Genevieve in a consolation contest of the 14th annual Pioneer Shootout at Providence High.
Holy Family dropped to 1-7 and lost its fifth game in a row. It will meet Canoga Park or Armenian General Benevolent Union of Canoga Park in another tournament game at 3:30 p.m. today.
“We got a better effort compared to [Monday], but we still had some turnovers and reaching fouls in the second quarter,” said Holy Family Coach Ernest Siy, whose team was held scoreless in the first quarter of Monday’s 71-24 opening-round loss against L.A. Baptist. “Basketball is a game of runs and St. Genevieve capitalized and we couldn’t execute on our chances.”
The Gaels did get some quality efforts from several of their players, including one from junior forward Jennifer Rodriguez. Rodriguez finished with 10 points and a game-high 15 rebounds.
Holy Family saw its top player, senior guard Gayle Lachica, get into foul trouble early. Lachica, who was named to the All-Horizon League second team last season, picked up her third personal foul with 6:48 left in the first half. Siy said he had no choice but to take Lachica out of the game.
“She had those three fouls and we had to take her out,” Siy said. “This team rises and falls with her and you can tell that.
“They need her to be out there.”
Holy Family scored just 29 seconds into the game on a layup by junior forward Elena Lomeli. The Gaels extended their lead to 9-2 on a jump shot by junior guard Gaby Diaz with 5:01 remaining in the first stanza.
The Valiants (7-3) regrouped and tied the game with 5:01 left in the second quarter and held a 19-18 halftime lead.
The Gaels had seven third-quarter turnovers, which played a factor in St. Genevieve racing to a 35-29 lead entering the fourth quarter.
Holy Family, which dropped a 36-27 nonleague road game against St. Genevieve on Dec. 14, opened the fourth quarter on a 5-0 run to cut the lead to 35-34. Senior guard Clarizza Merino made a three-pointer and Lachica converted on a pair of free throws with 7:07 left.
The Valiants finished the game on a 15-7 run.
Lachica finished with 10 points, seven assists and five steals.
