Despite Late-Game Heroics, Diamond Ranch Loses in OT, 70-82

As fatigue set in, the Lady Panthers dug deep to keep themselves in the competition, but the fearless shooting and tenacious press of Serra overcame Diamond Ranch in overtime, ending their CIF hopes, 82-70, in a CIF Division 3AA semifinal at North Torrance HS.

Frustrated by Serra's full-court press most of the night, the quickness and court sense of Panther junior guard Erika Williams allowed her to break Serra and land a layup as time expired in regulation, sending both teams into overtime at 66-66.  

Although Serra had inconsistent free throw shooting in regulation, the Cavaliers were almost perfect behind the free throw line in overtime, never allowing Diamond Ranch a chance to climb back into the game.

“We had the mindset that if we could keep it close in the fourth quarter than we might have a chance to win it,” Panther’s head coach Mike James said.

Erika Williams ended the game contributing 23 points and Chelsea Barnes’ clutch free throw shooting and aggressive post play earned her the exact same amount, finishing with 23 points as well.

“Once again I’m very proud of Chelsea and Erika’s efforts at the end of the game” Coach Mike James said. “I knew they were exhausted but they and the team kept fighting back”.

Although eliminated from the CIF championship, Diamond Ranch is still alive in the state championship, seeding and location to be announced next week.

Coming into tonight’s match-up, Serra was ranked #2 in the Del Rey League with a 25-5 overall record.

Despite being tied at halftime, 37-37, the full-court press of Serra started to wear out the Panthers. Serra jumped out to a seven point lead in the third quarter and never looked back.

Diamond Ranch went on a 7-0 run after Serra’s senior forward Camille Duncan scored the game’s first points, forcing the Lady Cavaliers to call a timeout at the four minute mark.

Ending a six minute scoring drought, Serra’s junior forward Nicole Collins landed a jumper and scored from a fast break steal, adding to their momentum and bringing the game within seven points at the end of the first, trailing 12-19.

Serra owned Diamond Ranch in the second quarter by crawling back with quick shooting and an effective full court press, led by Serra’s Camille Duncan and Nicole Collins. With two minutes in the half, Serra had their first lead of the game since the opening minute of the first quarter with a score of 33-32. Senior captain and point guard Bria Richardson led this run by draining a three pointer from way behind the arc.

Diamond Ranch’s Barnes and Williams had a combined 24 of the Panther’s 37 first half points.

Unable to recover from a poor second quarter, Diamond Ranch started the third quarter sluggish and slow. Serra took full advantage, continuing to execute a productive full court press, leading to Diamond Ranch turnovers and Serra points putting the Cavaliers up 48-41, their largest lead of the game at the three-minute mark.

By the end of the third, fatigue set in for Diamond Ranch. However, the Lady Panthers were able to muster the strength to kept them in the game, closing out the third quarter down by six points with a score of 45-51 going into the fourth.

The late heroics of the clutch junior forward Chelsea Barnes kicked into full gear, tallying in ten points in the fourth, including sinking two free throws with thirty seconds remaining in regulation, putting Diamond Ranch up one, 64-63.

But the unstoppable shooting of Serra and Camille Duncan put the Cavaliers up by one point 66-64 after draining a three pointer far behind the three-point line with five seconds remaining, answered by Barnes' last-chance layup to send the teams into overtime.