Saratoga News Mahaffey leads Warriors to Shirakawa Classic title Junior enjoys 28-point game By Dick Sparrer Sheryl Mahaffey had a game to remember. The 6-foot-1 junior forward poured in 28 points to lead the Westmont girls basketball team to a 60-54 win over Hollister in the finals of the Shirakawa Classic basketball tournament at Yerba Buena last week. Mahaffey buried five three-pointers among her nine field goals, and she added five points from the free-throw line on her way to a game-high 28 points. The junior sensation ended up earning the tournament most valuable player award after leading the Warriors to the tournament championship. She was joined on the all-tourney list by teammate Alyssa Parsons, a 6-foot junior forward. Kim Castillo supported Mahaffey's effort in the title game with seven points for Westmont, including a three. Jenny Brown and Stacey Simmons had six points apiece, Victoria Sifuentez five, Zuleeka Mohamed four and Parsons and Jennifer Payne two each. The Warriors, now 6-3 for the year, opened up a 16-10 first-period lead against Hollister in the title game. Westmont took a 10-point lead in at intermission, 35-25. The Haybalers cut the lead by five in the third period, but Westmont held on in the fourth to win by six. Saratoga advanced to the third-place game in the tournament, but lost a tough 41-33 decision to Notre Dame of San Jose. Junior Nancy Fathali led the Falcons with 10 points in the third-place game and ended up earning a place on the all-tournament team. Mari Gomes of Lynbrook was also picked to the all-tourney list. Junior forward Karin Bencala supported Fathali in the final game with nine points. Nicole LaMore, a sophomore forward, added seven points, including a three-pointer. The Falcons are now 4-5 for the year. In boys basketball action, Prospect ran its season record to 9-3 with nonleague wins over Homestead 53-43 and Freedom 65-48. Barry Sharpe poured in 20 points to lead the Panthers to the 10-point victory over the Mustangs. Thomas Turner had 14 points to join Sharpe in double figures. Jerome Ort added six, Chris Hudson four, Gil Vasquez three and Mike Senteio, Devon Jackson and Bryan Spratling two each. Prospect came back with a 17-point win over Freedom. Vasquez was the big scorers for the Panthers with 17 points, and Jackson tossed in 14. Ort supported with eight points, Senteio and Jeremiah Evans had six apiece and Turner, Kyle Stephens and Slaven Moro added four each. The Panthers will host Monta Vista on Jan. 2, 7 p.m., before opening play in the Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League on Jan. 8 at home against Willow Glen, 7:30 p.m. Westmont, meanwhile, suffered a 63-44 loss to Silver Creek in the Fremont- Sunnyvale Holiday Tournament. Kyle Collins drilled a pair of three-pointers on his way to 10 points for the Warriors. Feras Elrayas and Daniel Sherburne each finished with nine points and each popped a three. Vincent Chung had eight points, Navdeep Hundel seven and Dustin Wong one. Hundel also hit a three. The Warriors, now 4-7 for the year, will host former Westmont players in the Gary Brinck Alumni Game on Dec. 30, 5 p.m., before hosting Saratoga on Jan. 2, 7 p.m., in a nonleague game. Westmont opens Santa Teresa Division play on Jan. 5, 7 p.m., at Del Mar. [ Back to Contents Page | Saratoga News Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Saratoga News, December 30, 1998. ©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.