LIONS ROAR BACK TO DEFEAT MISSION HILLS: The @jserra.girlsbasketball team stormed back from an 11-point third quarter deficit to knock off the Mission Hills Grizzlies by a final score of 54-51 in a Southern Regional first round match-up of the CIF State Basketball Championships on Tuesday at JSerra Catholic High School.
The Lions improve to 21-8 overall and will take on Rancho Christian in a second-round game on Thursday at Rancho Christian High School in Temecula.
JSerra led by four points after the first quarter, but the Grizzlies outscored the Lions 26-13 in the second period to take a 31-22 lead at halftime.
Mission Hills held a 42-31 lead with 1:20 remaining the third period, but junior Vivian Grenald (who scored 10 points in the quarter) helped spark a 7-1 burst to close the period and bring the Lions to within five points heading into the fourth quarter.
Junior Rosie Santos scored five points in the first two minutes of the final period to bring the Lions to within two and Grenald tied the game at the free-throw line with less than three minutes remaining.
Senior Reese Katkin’s lone basket of the game put the Lions in front with just over a minute remaining, but the Grizzlies tied the game at 51-51 on their ensuing possession.
Grenald came through in the clutch with the game-deciding play with just over 35 seconds remaining, as she caught a well thrown pass from junior Kayla Rice and converted a short shot in the lane while getting fouled.
Grenald made the ensuing free throw for the game’s final point of the night and finished with a team-high 22 points and 10 rebounds.
Santos added 17 points and three blocks for the Lions
#lionnation #jserragirlsbasketball #jserraathletics
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