Curry Spices Up Palmdale Victory

THOUSAND OAKS — This was supposed to be a challenge for the Palmdale High girls’ basketball team.

But it was no contest from the beginning.

The Falcons (12-3) led from the outset and ran away with a 57-33 victory over Chino on Friday night in the championship game of the Thousand Oaks tournament.

Chino (9-5) was hurt partly by foul trouble. Center Jean Clark, who has signed with the University of Connecticut, sat out much of the game in foul trouble and was held to six points.

Of course, the Falcons had something to do with that.

“We pressured the ball so hard that they couldn’t get the ball to Jean, and when she got in foul trouble, that was a key,” Palmdale Coach George Corisis said.

Palmdale prospered behind guard Edniesha Curry, who was at the end of numerous fast breaks and finished with 20 points and seven assists. Curry, who will attend Cal State Northridge, was named the tournament’s most valuable player.

Monique Nolan had 13 points and six rebounds, and Marjorie Knott had nine points for Palmdale. Both players were named to the all-tournament team.

The victory provided a sense of relief for Corisis, whose team had played in the Thousand Oaks tournament final five previous times without a title.

“We’ve been bridesmaids too many times, so this is a nice feeling,” he said.

In other games:

Thousand Oaks 55, Oxnard 53--Jenn Detmer made the go-ahead basket on a layup with 26 seconds remaining and the Lancers (7-3) held on in the third-place game.

Oxnard (5-5) had a last chance but Nicole Black’s desperation three-point attempt fell short at the buzzer.

Thousand Oaks trailed, 34-22, at the half but bounced back in the fourth quarter behind Detmer and guard Lori Harimoto. Detmer finished with 18 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter, when Harimoto scored seven of her nine points.

The Lancers overcame Oxnard guard Janine Bradley, who had 29 points, including four three-point baskets.

Rio Mesa 42, Channel Islands 36--Guard Megan Bosserman scored 18 points, including four three-point baskets, to spark the Spartans (8-3) to a come-from-behind victory over Channel Islands (8-5) in the fifth-place game.

Rio Mesa trailed until Bosserman made a three-pointer midway through the third quarter.

Hart 49, Las Vegas 41--Amanda Hoaglund scored 12 points for the Indians (8-5) in the seventh-place game.

Hart took the lead, 22-20, on a basket by Emily Reyna.

Westlake 37, Lompoc 35--Michelle Morrow scored six points to lead a balanced attack for the Warriors in the 11th-place game.