Centennial crushes Faith Lutheran in Southern semis — PHOTOS
Centennial’s girls basketball team allowed 12 points Wednesday to Faith Lutheran in the first quarter of their Class 5A Southern League semifinal.
And 11 in the ensuing three quarters.
Combined.
“Satisfied by the way we responded,” Bulldogs coach Karen Weitz said. “But we had to shuffle some kids in and out. We weren’t happy with our defense. And that’s the one thing. We’re going to try to find five kids who want to come out here and play defense.”
Centennial did just that against the Crusaders, mixing and matching a variety of lineups en route to an 85-23 home victory and a berth in the Class 5A Southern League championship opposite Coronado.
The 85 points represent a season-high for the Bulldogs, who host the title game at 6:30 p.m. Friday.
“A big part of our team is that we’re aggressive and we don’t give up,” said junior guard Jada Price, who accounted for 16 of those points. “… You’ve just got to keep going and going.”
The Bulldogs (21-1) are seeking their eighth consecutive state championship, having cruised again through their local schedule after successfully navigating a challenging slate of out-of-state competition.
They played the Crusaders (20-7) on Feb. 6, winning 77-37 and foreshadowing their playoff rematch.
Faith Lutheran kept pace with Centennial for the first five minutes thanks to three triples that would trigger a pair of timeouts from Weitz, who called for more intensity and focus. The Bulldogs led 23-12 after the first quarter and pounced in the second, outscoring the Crusaders by a 25-2 margin.
“It’s a mentality,” Price said. “We learn it, we live it. That’s who we are.”
Once again, the Bulldogs employ a deep roster rife with collegiate talent that utilizes uncanny chemistry to overwhelm their opponents on both ends of the floor. The second unit is as effective as the first, relying on pressure defense and crisp ball movement to create open layups and 3-point opportunities.
Senior forward Charlece Ohiaeri also scored 16 to lead Centennial, while junior guard Kaniya Boyd added 14 points.
Despite their dominance, the Bulldogs know better than to relax at this time of the season.
“There’s a reason you play the game. You never know what can happen. You never know the way things are going to go,” Weitz said. “We’ve just got to come out, and like I say, ‘We’ve got to worry about Centennial.’”
Junior guard Sami Monighetti and sophomore guard Emma Herpin scored eight points apiece to lead Faith Lutheran.
Contact Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.
