By DICK SPARRER
There's no doubt about it-- that "Dream Team" could score.
Oh, no... not those guys in Atlanta. This "Dream team" was made up of girls from Santa Clara Valley high schools. And they were scoring--and winning--in games against other top high school girls from all over the northwest.
The South Bay Spirit All-Stars, a team of talented high school players from throughout the valley, put their efforts together to win three straight tournament championships this summer.
The girls went 5-0 to win the title at the BCI Nationals in Phoenix, Ariz., then backed that up with championship efforts at the Sacramento Basketball Festival and the Battle at the Bay.
The Spirit won four straight games to win a spot in the semifinals of the Battle at the Bay tournament at USF. But after winning 16 summer games in a row, the Spirit trailed the Washington Cascades by nine points at halftime in the tourney semi's.
The Spirit pulled out a 57-54 win, though, and went on to beat the Ventura Stars 61-50 in the championship game to clinch the title.
Ami Forney, a former Prospect star now headed to Newark, poured in 17 points and ripped down eight rebounds to lead the Spirit. Annie Garrison (Monta Vista) added nine points and blocked four shots.
The Spirit beat the Oakland Hoopsters 77-33, the Canada Lightning 70-20, the Washington Cascades 73-67 and Northwest Select 64-45 to open the tournament.
The Spirit had won seven straight games to take the title in the Sacramento Basketball Festival earlier in the summer.
In the two final games, Molly Shanley (Presentation) pumped in 37 points and had 12 reboundds and seven steals to lead the Spirit. Garrison had 22 points, 14 rebounds and eight blocked shots; Crissy DiLuzio (Sacred Heart Cathedral) had 13 points and six assists; Jenn Glysson (Mitty) had 12 points, nine rebounds, five assists and six steals; Trisha Felts (Sacred Heart Prep) had 20 points, eight assists and 12 steals; and Hilary Parker (Homestead) had 19 points, 12 rebounds and seven blocked shots.
The Spirit opened with an 89-36 win over the Metro Mirage, then topped the 100-point mark in three straight games, beating the Modesto Magic 110-32, the Colorado Force 103-45 and the Vacaville Basics 108-21. An 82-31 win over the Palm Dale Falcons pushed the Spirit in the semifinals.
This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, August 7, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.