SACRAMENTO – The early morning 10 a.m. game that kicked off this year’s state championships at Sleep Train Arena was a lot like a David versus Goliath type match-up, pitting undersized Eastside College Prep-East Palo Alto against a Village Christian-Sunland team with considerably more size and height.
The NorCal girls had to overcome two 13-point second quarter deficits but after the final buzzer sounded Eastside Prep won its first ever state title with a 57-50 victory in the CIF Division V State championship.
The win got Eastside Prep to 1-1 in state title games after they lost 40-36 in the D5 state final last season to La Jolla Country Day.
“I didn’t sleep last night thinking about this game,” nine-year Eastside Prep head coach Donovan Blythe remarked. “We had some unfinished business to take care of and we came back this year and took care of business.”
The underclass duo of sophomore Alayah Bell and freshman Zion Gabriel led Eastside Prep (20-11) with 16 points apiece, while the 5-4 Bell snagged seven rebounds along with 5-6 sophomore Kayla Tahaafe who also had 15 points.
Village Christian (29-6) used its superior size to mount an 11-0 run that gave them a 15-8 lead after one quarter they stretched to 25-12 after another 10-2 run, and although the Southern Regional champions still led 29-23 at the half the momentum was already beginning to swing to an Eastside Prep team without a starter over 5-7.
The biggest momentum changer of the game came with 2:37 left in the third quarter when Village Christian 6-4 junior post Mercy Odima picked up her third foul with the Crusaders clinging to a 35-32 lead. With the biggest girl on the court on the bench Eastside Prep closed to within 42-41 entering the final period.
Odima returned but less than two minutes into the fourth quarter she was back on the bench with her fourth foul, and by the time she returned Eastside Prep had a 49-44 lead they held until the final buzzer.
“When Merci picked up those fouls it changed the momentum of the game,” said Village Christian head coach Jon Sampang. “The Eastside defense threw us a curveball.”
Village Christian got 15 points and 19 rebounds from Odima, 15 points from sophomore Leslie Aguirre, and 12 points and seven rebounds from 5-11 sophomore forward Michaela Cacho-Negrete.
The Panthers may have had a big size disadvantage but for everything the girls from the Peninsula lacked in height they made up for in tenacity, plus they had the fresher legs in a fourth quarter that saw them outscore the Crusaders 16-8.
Nothing, including the huge NBA court at Sleep Train Arena seemed to bother Eastside Prep.
“I like running and we’re all in shape so it was fun playing on the big court,” said Gabriel with a giggle.
“Our girls are in great shape and I felt we could wear them down,” Blythe said. “Also, in the second half we changed it up on defense and doubled down on the big girl and fronted her.”
The result was of her total output Odima did snag 11 rebounds in the second half but only scored eight points in the final two quarters.
“I was comfortable with the ball in the second half even though they were pushing me around and doubling me,” Odima said. “I gave it all I had.”
As far as the match-ups down low Tahaafe was not intimidated despite giving up 10 inches to Odima.
“I tried not to think about my size difference and play her (Odima) like any other post,” said the 5-6 Tahaafe, who was charged with guarding the Village Christian big girl.
Although the final margin was seven points the game was still in doubt with Eastside Prep only leading 49-48 and just over three minutes left to play, however from there the Panthers closed out the game on an 8-2 run and the D4 state title was theirs.
“I told the girls this is a game of runs,” Blythe said. “We’ll make runs and they’ll make runs, but thankfully we made the final run.”
