Providence Hall’s Lacey Gonzalez takes a running jump shot that goes in in the second quarter.
Having just one the school’s first Southern Section CIF Championship, Providence Hall’s girls basketball team gave the Lions faithful another first on Wednesday as the Lions won their first State Tournament game over AGBU of Canoga Park 46-26.
Providence Hall (20-5) advances to play top-seeded Horizon on Saturday. The Lions, winners of eight straight, will travel to San Diego for the second-round game.
The Lions started slow on Wednesday but never trailed after the first quarter.
“Coach Ernie (Quiroz) always talks about how he trusts us on the court and how we can take any shot we’re open for and that he supports us all the way,” explained Providence Hall’s Lizzy Beebe. “I think that’s been huge as to why we’ve gone so far this season.”
The Lions’ defense finished the job in the fourth quarter, holding the Titans to just three points.
“Noelle and Livi, and also Lacey played great defense on top for us,” Quiroz said.
Sydney Hedges overcame dealing with a shadow defender to lead the Lions with 14 points. Lacey Gonzalez, Lizzy Beebe and Noelle Oppenhuizen all added nine points each.
The game started with the Titans holding Providence Hall scoreless for nearly four minutes.
“We just did what we usually do, the shots weren’t falling at first, but we weren’t going to give up so we just kept shooting and it was really awesome that they started falling,” said Gonzalez, the Lions’ senior point guard.
Sophomore Alin Zarafian matched Hedges with a game-high 14 points for AGBU. Michelle Maloyan was the only other Titan with more than one basket, scoring six points in a 13-point third quarter for AGBU.
Down 11 points early in the third quarter, AGBU rallied to cut the lead to five points half-way through the period.
But Providence Hall pushed the lead back to eight by the end of the third, followed by a 7-0 run to start the final quarter, making it an all-but-done 15-point game.
“I’m really glad they didn’t keep pounding the ball into (Maloyan) because we had no answer for her, but they didn’t go inside much,” Quiroz said.
AGBU finishes its season with a 15-8 record.
BOX SCORE
AGBU ? Zarifian 14, Pogharian 3, Costanian 2, Kotajan 1, Maloyan 6. Totals – 9 FG, 2-11 FTs.
PROVIDENCE HALL – Barroca 3, Hedges 14, Gonzalez 9, Oppenhuizen 9, Beebe 9, Park 2. Totals – 17 FG, 8-11 FTs.
AGBU 5 5 13 3 – 26
PH 8 11 12 15 – 463-Pointers – AGBU 4 (Zarifian 3, Pogharian), PH 3 (Gonzalez, Beebe, Oppenhuizen). Total Fouls – AGBU 8, PH 11.
