Westmont's Mia Takahashi, going up for two points in a 58-44 win over Overfelt, scored 35 points in two games as the Warriors split a couple of decisions in the CCS playoffs.




Photograph by Jeff Kearns







Takahashi hits 20 for Westmont

Warriors, Panthers, Vikings all split in the CCS playoffs

By Dick Sparrer

Mia Takahashi had a hot hand.

But the Westmont guard wasn't hot enough to lead the Warriors to a victory over St. Francis in the second round of the Central Coast Section Division II playoffs last week.

Takahashi's 20 points sparked Westmont to a 58-44 win over Overfelt to open the tournament, but even a 15-point night for Takahashi couldn't keep the Warriors from avoiding a 50-37 loss to powerful St. Francis on Thursday.

Takahashi was brilliant in the win over Overfelt to open the week. She tossed in nine buckets from the floor and added two free throws to finish with 20 points to lead all scorers in the game.

Jennifer Brownridge supported with 13 points for the Warriors, including a three-point bucket, and Jennifer Brown had 13 points in the win, including nine points from the free-throw line.

Shantale Higginson and Shannon Stenzel chipped in with six points apiece in the win.

The Warriors opened up a 20-12 lead in the first period and stretched that to 33-21 by intermission. They coasted from there to the win and into the second round of the playoffs.

But that's when Westmont ran into powerhouse St. Francis.

Takahashi pumped in 15 points and Brownridge nailed another 12 points, but the Warriors were outscored in every period but the fourth as they dropped a 13-point decision. Brownridge buried three threes for Westmont.

Brown added six points for the Warriors and Higginson hit four.

Westmont finished the season with a 13-15 record.

The Westmont boys, meanwhile, lost their CCS Division II opener 56-47 to Woodside to finish the season at 19-7.

The Warriors, champions in the West Valley Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League, were even after a quarter at 12-12 and were up 27-20 at the half. But the Wildcats topped Westmont 18-10 in each of the last two periods to win by nine.

Caleb Pitts and Brandon Sligh, a couple of 6-foot-4 senior standouts, were the scoring leaders for the Warriors. Pitts pitched in 14 points for Westmont and Sligh added 13 to the cause.

Clay Tolbert and Chad Nelson chipped in with six points apiece for the Warriors and Todd Bethke, David Jennings, Todd Betti and John Baumgardner had two each.


Photograph by Tsutomu Fujita

Prospect's Ryan Sainsbury (24) and Josh Miner, fighting for a loose ball in an early season win over Monta Vista, helped the Panthers to a playoff win last week.




Panthers split

Prospect also sent two teams to the CCS basketball playoffs, and the boys and girls came home with identical results--a split in two tournament games.

The Prospect boys opened with a 67-45 win over Terra Nova, but they were eliminated from the CCS Division III playoffs 87-56 by Seaside.

The Panthers were impressive in their opener, dominating Terra Nova 23-7 in the second quarter to take control of the basketball game.

Senior forward Josh Miner tossed in nine buckets to finish the night with 18 points and lead all Prospect scorers. Chris Stone supported with 12 points in the win.

Roma Ngaleo, Prospect's 6-foot-6 junior center, joined Miner and Stone in double digits, tossing in 11 points.

Mike Stephens added eight points for the Panthers, Ryan Sainsbury had a three-pointer among his seven points, Chad Holan and Brent Hughes canned four points apiece, Alex Polovetsky hit three points and Caleb Clausen popped two. Hughes drilled a three-pointer in the win.

But the Panthers finished the year 16-13 when they lost 87-56 to powerful Seaside later in the week.

The Prospect girls opened the playoffs with a solid 39-31 win over Los Altos, but the Panthers were knocked out of the tournament after a 47-21 loss to Los Altos. Prospect finished the year 11-17.

Carolyn Okazaki fired in 10 points to lead all Prospect scorers in the win over Los Altos to open the playoffs.

Vikings fall

The boys and girls teams at Lynbrook lost in playoff action last week.

Lynbrook's boys ended up 12-13 for the season after a tough 60-59 loss to Overfelt in the first round of the CCS Division II playoffs.

Junior Ryan Fujihara had a big night for the Vikings, tossing in 18 points to lead the club. Fujihara had three threes among his five field goals and added five points at the charity line.

Senior Justin Flood supported with 16 points for the Vikes. Brian Seip tossed in nine points, Sean Imai six and Ray Supan and Jeff Chan five apiece.

The Lynbrook girls, meanwhile, lost 52-48 to South San Francisco in their first playoff game. Julie Stevens popped 12 points, including four threes, to lead the Vikings.

Lynbrook finished the year 17-10.

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