Norco girls basketball coach Rick Thompson decided midway through the first quarter it was time to scrap the game plan.
Playing a man-to-man defense against Canyon in its home gym, the Comanches had torched the Cougars for 20 points in the first eight minutes of play and held a 15-point lead in the opening period.
There were no signs of panic from the Norco sideline between quarters, though, and a switch to a 2-3 zone in the second more than just weathered the storm.
Norco limited Canyon to just 12 points over the second and third quarters, and sophomore guard Naomi Yim notched a game-high 20 points as the Cougars earned a spot in next weekend’s CIF-SS Division 2A championship game with a 54-43 win Saturday night.
The second-seeded Cougars (22-9) will play Agoura in the championship game. A time and location will be announced by CIF-SS on Monday.
“We usually are a quick-starting team, but I think the team today kind of saved my butt,” Thompson said. “My game plan did not work, so we went to a secondary game plan, which obviously worked well for us.”
In switching to a zone, Norco limited Canyon’s drive-and-kick game, which was integral in it starting the night 8 for 13 from the field.
The Comanches (23-8) shot 20 percent from the floor (5 of 25) in the second and third quarters against the zone, and were outscored over that span, 35-12.
“When I saw them adjust to the zone, I knew we were in trouble,” Canyon coach Mark Lofink said.
Yim and fellow guard Dalis Jones (12 points) attacked the rim after settling for long jumpers in the opening quarter. The duo scored 11 of the team’s 19 second-quarter points, allowing the Cougars to take a 27-25 lead into halftime.
In Division 1AA:
Ventura 49, Orangewood Academy 34: For the second time in less than a month, the Cougars defeated the Spartans by double-digits. Estafania Giner and Elizabeth Garcia each scored 10 points for Orangewood Academy, but none of their teammates accounted for more than five points.
In Division 3AA:
Sonora 59, Patriot 34: Meghann Henderson (14 points), Marissa Dunn (12) and Elizabeth Yoshitake (11) each finished in double figures, and the visiting Raiders used their swarming defensive style to advance to the final against Orange Lutheran. Sonora drained 10 3-pointers.
In Division 3A:
La Canada 55, Corona del Mar 52: After the Sea Kings stormed back from a 14-point, fourth-quarter deficit and tied the score at 52 with 15 seconds remaining, senior guard Kristina Kurdoghlian sank the winning 3-pointer for the Spartans as the buzzer sounded.
In Division 4AA:
St. Paul 48, Rosary 46: The Royals led, 40-33, going into the fourth quarter, but were unable to fend off the Swordsmen, who are headed to their second consecutive CIF-SS title game.
In Division 5AA:
Mission Prep of San Luis Obispo 39 , Oxford Academy 24: The Patriots’ 19-game win streak came to an end as they were held to a season-low 24 points by the visiting Royals.
Contact the writer: kconnolly@ocregister.com
