Girls’ basketball: Santa Barbara falls in Division III state final
Sophomore guard Amber Melgoza did her best, scoring 30 points and grabbing 14 rebounds, but Santa Barbara was beaten by Modesto Christian, 64-55, in the Division III state championship game on Friday at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento.
Melgoza’s 30 points tied a Division III record. She made 20 of 28 free throws on the day before fouling out.
The Dons (30-6) trailed, 37-35, late in the third quarter, then started losing the ball on turnovers and lost their aggressiveness. Modesto Christian (27-8) had four players in double figures, led by Lexi Tubbs and Meagan Warwick with 11 points apiece. Modesto Christian had a huge edge in rebounds, 64-37.
Offensive rebounds proved decisive because of the many missed shots by the two schools. Santa Barbara shot 24% and Modesto Christian was at 35%.
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