ORINDA, CA – The fact Elite Is Earned New Year Classic host Miramonte was even close in the first half after shooting one of 18 on three-pointers and four of 11 on the free-throw line is a testament to the grittiness of the young Matadors.
After trailing 26-23 at the end of two quarters and 30-25 early in the second half, Miramonte, and in particular junior sharpshooter Rebecca Welsh, warmed up just in time to pull out a 53-42 Saturday afternoon victory over a short-handed Folsom.
Welsh finished with a game-high 24 points that included five three-pointers, with 11 points and two three-pointers coming in a fourth quarter that saw Miramonte (18-2) outscore Folsom 20-9 after the teams were tied 33-33 after three quarters. Welsh also had six rebounds, four assists and four steals.
Mia Mastrov did not have her best game, but expectations have become high for the Mats 5-11 sophomore sensation as she is continuing to blossom. Even so, Mastrov had a double-double 13 points and 11 rebounds with six steals and two assists. Seven of her points and four of her rebounds came in the final period.
Folsom (15-3) was playing without arguably its best player as super talented sophomore point guard Charity Gallegos missed the game to attend hers sister’s wedding.
The Bulldogs were led by junior forward Beth Pettingill. The sixth girl in came off the bench for 11 points and eight rebounds. Senior guard Parker Gordon added nine points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Miramonte was also at a handicap as this was the first game Coach Kelly Sopak and his girls had to play without senior point guard Amerika De Los Santos. Her high school career is over after she injured her knee the Saturday before last at the Mater Dei Matt Denning event.
Without her the Mats had trouble creating shots. Welsh and Mastrov got untracked but the other girls did not, and were unable to create their own shots effectively. Because of it the other five Miramonte girls that scored only combined for 16 points with only a single basket coming in the second half as Welsh and Mastrov accounted for 28 of the 30 points after halftime.
“We were a little worried about not having our point guard because she creates shots. We just had Becca (Welsh) create her own shots,” Sopak said with a grin.
For the second straight week Miramonte has a week off before meeting Nevada Bishop Gorman-Las Vegas at the St. Mary’s-Stockton MLK Showcase and then a date on MLK Day with Sacred Heart Cathedral at the Bishop O’Dowd MLK event.
Folsom has Del Oro-Loomis and Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills in Sierra Foothill League action this week before heading to Stockton on Saturday to face Maxpreps Xcellent 25 national No. 5 Nevada Centennial-Las Vegas at the St. Mary’s MLK Showcase.
