Girls basketball: Oxnard's run in Div. 1 ends with quarterfinal loss to defending champ
It was nothing new to the Oxnard High girls basketball program this season.
The battle back to forge a tie for first place in the Channel League, only to lose its regular-season finale.
The fourth-quarter comeback to beat San Dimas in the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 second-round game.
"We had that survival mentality," offered Oxnard junior Sofia Salgado.
Against defending Division 1 champion Orange Lutheran, when shots weren't falling and too many possessions ended in turnovers, Oxnard needed all the moxie it could draw.
It wasn't enough as Orange Lutheran, ranked No. 29 in the state by Cal-Hi Sports, advanced to the semifinals with a 60-47 win over host Oxnard on Wednesday night.
"We have to give credit where it belongs," said Salgado. "They're a very good team."
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Salgado and Mikayla Oliver had 15 and 14 points, respectively, for Oxnard (24-7).
Orange Lutheran (21-7) jumped out to a 12-4 lead in the game's opening minutes as Emalynn Vong hit two 3-pointers and Princess Cassell turned a pair of steals into field goals.
Oliver scored off an inbounds pass and Kayla Lumas converted a steal into a bucket as Oxnard made a 10-0 run for a 14-12 lead.
Down 10 points with one minute left in the second quarter, Oxnard trimmed the margin to 32-27 at halftime as Salgado hit a 3-pointer and scored inside.
The closest Oxnard would get in the second half came after Sienna Angell hit a pair of free throws and Oliver scored inside with 3:35 left in the third quarter to pull within 34-31.
Orange Lutheran scored nine of the last 11 points of the quarter for a 43-33 lead.
Oliver scored eight points, including Oxnard's only 3-pointer of the second half, early in the fourth quarter to narrow the margin to 47-39.
Oxnard scored only eight points the rest of the game.
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"We knew we had to work hard to get the open look," said Oliver. "Our shots were just not falling."
That wasn't Oxnard's only problem.
"It felt like we were not confident ball handling," said Oxnard coach Dave Guenther. "We were not ball faking and wound up throwing the ball into their hands. Orange Lutheran is the defending champion and their point guard (Shea Joko) was the Player of the Year for a reason."
The loss doesn't diminish the program's three-year run. Oxnard is 70-20 over that stretch with two quarterfinal appearances.
To put its run of three straight 20-win seasons in perspective, Oxnard has only had seven total in program history.
"The senior class did a really good job of changing attitudes," said Guenther.
Oxnard will return seven players, including three starters, next season.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Oxnard's run in Div. 1 ends with quarterfinal loss to defending champ
