The Santa Monica High School girls’ basketball team (24-5) couldn’t find a way to stop Los Osos’ junior center Cierra Warren in its quarterfinals CIF-SS Division IV AA playoff matchup Saturday, leading to a second-straight third-round road-playoff exit for the Vikings.
Samohi lost 52-49 to Los Osos of Rancho Cucamonga (24-5), snapping the Vikings’ season-high 11-game winning streak and ending their hopes for a CIF championship.
“We weren’t ready for it to end yet,” said Samohi head coach Marty Verdugo. “But we had some great memories. As one player said, ‘We felt like we got on the basketball map this year.’”
Samohi was the Ocean League champion, compiling a 9-1 record in league play, setting up the makings for a strong playoff run. The Vikings won easily against their first two playoff opponents — Redlands East Valley and Blair of Pasadena. — but were overmatched by the 6’4 Warren in Saturday’s contest.
“She was everything we heard she would be, and better,” Verdugo said. “We double and tripple-teamed her… She used her strength to dominate on the offensive end.”
Warren scored 27 of the Grizzlies 52-points, and she didn’t relax on the other end of the court either.
“She had a double-double in blocks and rebounds, which made it really difficult for us to drive,” Verdugo said.
Playing without standout senior center Katy Keating due to injury, the Vikings were forced to play small, which weakened their inside game and made it difficult to spread out their offense.
Samohi senior shooting guard Daisy Feder had 16-points and continued her impressive post-season play alongside senior point guard Karlia Batilla, who scored 11-points and made several key baskets down the stretch to keep the game close.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 26, 2008. Read the original PDF.