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Panthers play for CCS title
But Presentation loses an overtime heartbreaker to ND-Belmont
By Dick Sparrer
Presentation wasn't supposed to play for a Central Coast Section girls basketball championship this winter. At least, not according to the CCS seeding committee.
The Panthers entered the post-season as heavy underdogs. They were seeded No. 7 in the 15-team CCS Division III tournament, and for good reason--the Panthers weren't even playing .500 basketball.
Presentation took a 12-14 season mark into the playoffs after laboring much of the year in the powerful Mt. Hamilton Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League.
So no one really expected Presentation to stick around too long in the Division III tournament. No one, that is, except head coach Paul Smith and his Panthers.
Presentation started picking off teams in the postseason. First it was Notre Dame of San Jose. Then Everett Alvarez of Salinas. And finally it was the tournament's No. 3 seed--the powerful Gunn Titans.
And after the three straight victories, the Panthers not only found themselves up over the .500 mark for the year, but they were also in the CCS Division championship game against the No. 1 seed, Notre Dame of Belmont.
Once there, the Panthers gave it all they had, and gave the Tigers all they could handle before losing a heartbreaker in overtime.
Presentation battled Notre Dame to a 53-53 tie through regulation, but ended up losing a tough 64-60 overtime decision to Belmont (22-9) to settle for second place in CCS.
But the Panthers certainly have no reason to be hanging their heads. Their second-place finish was quite an accomplishment, considering the impressive road they took to get there.
Presentation opened the playoffs with a solid 69-55 win over Notre Dame of San Jose (17-8), and backed that up with a 60-57 upset victory over No. 2-seed Alvarez (22-4). Then Presentation shocked Gunn (21-5) 65-62 to move into the finals against Belmont.
The Panthers had the Tigers by the tail most of the championship game, but Belmont battled from behind in the second half to tie it, then won it in overtime.
Presentation jumped out to a 20-12 first-period lead and held onto a 3-point cushion at the half, 30-27. Belmont cut the lead by two in the third period, then tied it before the end of regulation. The Tigers outscored the Panthers 11-7 in the extra period to clinch the win and the CCS championship.
Sophomore Sara Werner, Presentation's talented 6-foot-3 forward, led all scorers with 20 points in the game. Werner pitched in eight buckets from the floor and added four points at the free-throw line.
Senior Cheyenne Brown and soph Katie Passalacqua, a couple of 5-foot-10 forwards, joined Werner in double digits. Brown hit a pair of three-pointers among her seven field goals to finish with 16 points, and Passalacqua supported with 13 points.
Katherine McLaughlin tossed in four points, Stacey Cadman popped a three, and Jessica Maynes and Caitlyn Foley added two points apiece to round out the scoring for Presentation.
The Panthers had secured their place in the championship game with an impressive 65-62 win over Gunn earlier in the week in the CCS Division III semifinals.
Presentation had just five players score against the Titans, but all five finished in double figures to lead the Panthers to the exiciting 3-point victory.
McLaughlin had the hot hand for the Panthers in this one. The sophomore buried eight buckets, including a three, to finish with 17 points for the winners.
Werner was close behind with 16 points, all of them coming on eight field goals. Passalacqua and Maynes chipped in with 11 points apiece, and Brown tossed in 10. Brown dropped a pair of three-pointers, and Maynes hit one.
Presentation moved in front 17-13 in the first period, but Gunn came on strong in the second quarter to outscore the Panthers 18-11 to take a 3-point lead at the half, 31-28.
The Panthers scrambled back in front in the third period, though, topping the Titans 19-14 to lead by two, 47-45, and then hung on for the win in the fourth.
The win over Gunn, coupled with the loss to Notre Dame of Belmont, left the Panthers 15-15 for the year and second in the CCS.
It marked the second time this winter that a Presentation team had rolled to a second-place finish in the section finals. The Panthers had played their way into the CCS Division II soccer finals before losing a tough decision to Mitty to wind up second.
Brown capped an outstanding career for the Panthers with her 16-point performance in the CCS title game. The three-year varsity starter was playing her final basketball game for Presentation.
But while the Panthers may lose Brown to graduation, Smith has good reason to be optimistic about the future of Presentation's program. Werner, McLaughlin and Passalacqua--who combined for 81 in the final two games for the Panthers--will each return next winter as experienced juniors for Presentation.
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Willow Glen, California Since 1992
