GIRLS BASKETBALL: Young Panthers Lose in Semis

The Score: Terra Nova Tigers 73, Burlingame Panthers 50.

The Star: Sophomore guard Dana Michaels kept an overmatched Burlingame High team in the game for most of the first half of the Peninsula Athletic League tournament semifinal on Friday night. She led the host Panthers with 14 points, including four 3-pointers. She hit two of her 3-pointers midway through the second quarter during a run in which Burlingame closed a 12-point deficit to 27-21. 

The Turning Point: Just when upset-minded Burlingame was starting to get some traction, Terra Nova went on a 10-0 that stretched the Tigers' lead to 37-21 late in the second quarter. Terra Nova kept forcing the issue, opening up a commanding 61-32 lead late in the third quarter with a decisive 18-5 run that put the game out of reach.

The Quote: "Our game plan tonight was to try to slow it down, but we got some early scores and we kind of got confident that we could run with them. Not that many teams can run up and down the court against Terra Nova. That's the kind of game they thrive in." -- Burlingame coach Marvin Lui, on how the Panthers played into Terra Nova's hands by not sticking to their pre-game strategy.

What's Next? Burlingame (12-13) awaits the Central Coast Section playoff seeding meeting on Sunday to learn its postseason fate. The Panthers are playoff eligible because of their winning record in non-league games. Meanwhile, Terra Nova (22-4) plays Mills (17-11) in the PAL tournament championship today at 6 p.m. in Friday’s earlier semifinal.

The Bottom Line: Burlingame took its lumps in going 2-8 in the tough PAL Bay Division and was overmatched against mighty Terra Nova, No. 3 in , in Friday's PAL tournament semifinals. But the young Panthers return nearly their entire team intact and figure to benefit from the experience. The Panthers may qualify for the CCS playoffs for the first time in two years. Regardless, their outlook is bright heading into next year.

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Terra Nova 73, Burlingame 50

B – 11 16 10 13 -- 40

TN – 23 16 24 10 -- 73

B: Gee 2 0-0 4, Gutierrez 2 4-6 8, Michaels 5 0-0 14, Gustafson 1 0-0 2, Rally 4 2-2 11, Newman 3 0-1 6, Montgomery 1 0-0 2, Saucedo 1 1-2 3. Totals: 19 7-11 50.

TN: CookTaylor 6 1-2 14, Alapati 5 1-2 12, Moe 10 6-8 29, Elliott 5 2-2 14, Smathers 1 0-0 2, Afoa 1 0-0 2. Totals: 28 10-14 73.

3-point goals: B: Michaels 4, Rally. TN: Moe 3, Elliott 2, CookTaylor, Alapati 1.

Records: Burlingame 12-13. Terra Nova 22-4.