 |
|
|
|
|
Mustangs win CCS title, advance to NorCal
By DICK SPARRER
The Homestead and St. Francis girls basketball had played twice already this year, each team winning one of the two games. But when they met again last weekend, there was more on the line than just local bragging rights--they were playing for the Central Coast Section Division II championship.
The Lancers had beaten the Mustangs early in the season in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League, then Homestead evened the series with a win later in the league campaign.
When they met again on Saturday, the Mustangs nailed a 49-44 overtime victory to break the tie in the mini-series between the two clubs. But, more importantly, the win gave the Mustangs the CCS championship.
Senior Vickie Chiang and juniors Julie Randall and Chris Strombel sparked the Mustangs to the crucial victory.
Chiang was the top scorer for Homestead in the title-clinching win. The 5-foot-9 guard pumped in a team-high 19 points, hitting a pair of three-pointers among her six field goals and adding five points at the free-throw line.
Randall, Homestead's 6-foot-1 center, joined Chiang in double digits with 10 points, three buckets and four free throws, and she led the Mustangs on the boards with 16 rebounds.
Junior guard Chris Strombel fired in six field goals and a couple of charity throws to wind up with 14 points for the winners. Tanya Green added four points and 12 boards, and Andrea Sandoval hit two points to round out the scoring for Homestead.
The Mustangs led by a bucket after a period, 11-9, and upped that lead to six by intermission, 26-20. But the Lancers dominated the third quarter 12-2 to take a 32-28 lead, and Homestead had to battle from behind to tie the game by the end of regulation.
Randall tossed in a jumper at the buzzer to knot the game at 42-42 and send it into overtime. Homestead topped St. Francis 7-2 in the extra period to clinch the win.
Both clubs will advance to the Northern California playoffs this week, but Homestead, by virtue of its win over St. Francis, will open the tournament at home. The Mustangs will put their 22-7 season record on the line March 7, but the opponent had yet to be determined by presstime.
It marks Homestead's second straight trip to the NorCal tournament and second straight CCS championship under second-year head coach Wade Nakamura.
The Mustangs won league and CCS titles last winter, then made it to the finals of the NorCal tourney before losing. Homestead finished the 1999 season with a 30-4 record.
|
|
|
|
Cupertino, California Since 1947
