First there was the 130-mile trip from San Juan Capistrano to Barstow.
After JSerra senior point guard Lexi Vail dropped a season-high 27 points in a first-round win over Barstow High, the Lions refueled the buses and were back on another lengthy road trip two days later, a 160-mile trek north to play Dos Pueblos High.
It was in Goleta where senior sharpshooter Julia Ackerman set the school record with eight 3-pointers in a second-round victory over Dos Pueblos, which simultaneously punched JSerra’s ticket to a quarterfinal appearance in a location it had longed for: home.
As one of two county schools remaining in the Division 2AA bracket, JSerra – an at-large entrant – will continue its postseason push Wednesday when it hosts fourth-seeded Los Altos in the CIF-SS quarterfinals.
“I almost don’t believe it,” Lions coach Mary Rossignol chuckled. “Finally getting a home game after two long road trips.”
While she joked about avoiding the highway for at least one round, there was never any doubt in Rossignol’s mind that this squad had the potential to make a late-season run, regardless of what the Lions record might have indicated.
Along with Rosary, which is the No. 1 overall seed in the division, JSerra played arguably the toughest slate of opponents of any team in the 2AA bracket. Headed into their final three games of the regular season, the Lions were 11-12 overall and in need of two wins down the stretch. By knocking off Santa Margarita and Orange Lutheran on the final day of the regular season, JSerra qualified for an at-large berth with a 13-13 record.
“Our backs were against the wall,” Rossignol acknowledged. “It truly shows the character of our student-athletes in the program. We battled, scratched, clawed and beat really good teams to get into the playoffs. Mentally we’re peaking at the right time.”
As two of only three seniors on JSerra’s roster, the Ackerman and Vail backcourt tandem has saved its best for last, as both veterans produced season-high scoring totals a week ago. Junior forward Kabreah Anderson has manned the boards and remains a viable option in the paint.
In Los Altos, the Lions will welcome a 24-3 squad that likes to get up and down the court and run.
“They’ve got some really good athletes that we have to slow down,” Rossignol said. “Defensively we have to do our jobs and rebound. And then we have to execute on the other end of the floor.”
While the sole focus is currently on the Conquerors, there’s the intriguing possibility that the Lions could very well see their Trinity League rival Rosary in the semifinals on Saturday with a win on Wednesday.
“We got to win this one first,” Rossignol said. “But it’s always great for the league when you have teams continuing to advance. And we’ll take on anybody.”
AROUND THE COUNTY
• Huntington Beach girls basketball coach Russ McClurg confirmed on Monday that the Oilers lost their privilege to host Wednesday night’s Division 1A quarterfinals game against Duarte after the team provided an illegal ball in its 65-41 win over Summit in this past Saturday’s second round.
“We mistakenly gave the wrong basketball (to the referees) and it’s a teachable moment for us,” McClurg said.
The Oilers were originally scheduled host the Falcons on Wednesday evening, but because a Rawlings brand basketball was used and not a Spalding brand, which is named on the CIF’s Official Ball List, they will make the 40-plus mile trip out to Duarte.
• The lone county-vs.-county matchup in Wednesday’s quarterfinals will pit Laguna Hills up against Oxford Academy in Division 4AA. The Hawks and Patriots are led by two of the more exciting youngsters in the area in Kayla Chang, a freshman averaging 18.8 points per game, and Austyn Masuno, a sophomore who also averages 18.8 a night to go along with 12.5 rebounds.
• Second-seeded Aliso Niguel opened its Division 2A run on Saturday with a decisive 70-47 win over South Pasadena. Junior guard Suzette Quinlan buried six 3-pointers to lead the Wolverines with 20 points. The sharpshooting junior has hit at least four 3-pointers in 12 outings this season. On four occasions she has hit six or more in a contest. Aliso Niguel will travel to play Glendale on Wednesday.
• In knocking off Alemany, 57-50, on Saturday night, Troy was the lone local squad to advance in the Open Division’s championship bracket. The Warriors will host Sierra Canyon on Wednesday night, meaning it will be a busy week for twins Aaliyah and Anaiyah Tu’ua. In addition to playing varsity basketball, the freshmen sisters both start for the girls soccer team, which is in the second round of the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs on Tuesday. Anaiyah starts at guard for Coach Roger Anderson and Aaliyah is the Warriors first player off the bench. The twins combined to score 10 points in the first-round win over Alemany.
