Coach Andrew Butcher came home on Saturday night in a crabby mood, telling his six-year-old son that his Santa Barbara girls basketball team had had a rough night.
Then came a question that put things in perspective.
“Did your players get hit in the face and karate-kicked?”
No, which is a good thing. They did, however, absorb their third straight loss, 49-34, at Oaks Christian.
Brandi Blackwell had five points with 16 rebounds and Rebecca Griffin scored 14 points for the Dons, who sputtered at the start and end with only three points in the first and fourth quarters. The game was knotted up early in the final period before the Lions (10-1) went on a 10-0 run to pull away.
“We have to execute better on both ends of the floor and put it together for a full four quarters,” said Butcher. “I’ll watch the video about 19 times tonight, because everything that happens in basketball becomes crystal clear on video. The trick is applying it to the next game.”
The three losses have come against formidable opponents in Ventura, Rio Mesa and the Lions. It doesn’t get any easier on Tuesday when Santa Barbara (14-5) plays at Buena.
OAKS CHRISTIAN 49, SANTA BARBARA 34
SANTA BARBARA — Blackwell 5, Ramirez 8, Griffin 14, Lavender 2, Emerson 1, Kerns 4. Totals 11 6-8 34.
OAKS CHRISTIAN — Barrett 11, Rice 3, Brooks 16, McAmis 3, Cooper 6, Owusu 5, Howard 2. Totals 19 9-17 49.
Santa Barbara…..3 14 14 3 — 34
Oaks Christian….13 12 10 14 — 49
3-point goals — SB 6 (Griffin 4, Ramirez 2), OC 2 (Rice, McAmis).
Total fouls — SB 16, OC 14.
Team records — SB 14-5, OC 10-1.
