Sports
Mount Miguel Girls Stay Alive with 4th-Quarter Rally
The Matadors advance to the semifinals of the Southern California Regionals with a 48-40 win over Bishop Amat.
Mount Miguel High School’s “Fourth Quarter Kids” are beginning to enjoy the script they’ve adopted in their last three girls basketball victories. Make no mistake about it, the Matadors have been living on the edge of elimination since the San Diego Section CIF semifinals.
For the first three quarters of Tuesday’s Southern California Regional opener, the CIF-SDS Division III-champion Matadors were playing as if this were going to be their final game of the year.
Trailing 34-25 as they entered the fourth quarter, the Matadors (24-7) suddenly came to life. They outscored visiting Bishop Amat of La Puente 23-6 over the final eight minutes to collect a 48-40 victory.
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Junior Shay Young keyed the Matadors’ furious comeback, scoring nine of her 16 points in the final period.
“We pulled together and played more as a team in the fourth quarter,” said Young, who also grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds.
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Known for its ball-hawking defense, Mount Miguel was able to force 18 turnovers but recorded a season-low three steals. Ironically the smallish Matadors had one more block than steals.
“This team just finds different ways to win,” said Mount Miguel coach Robbie Sandoval.
Myishia Watkins landed two long 3-pointers down the stretch that seemed to provide an emotional lift for her team. Both of the bombs came from nearly 28 feet.
“I know it’s pretty far, but it doesn’t look that far to me when I shoot,” Watkins said. “It really excites our team when I make them.”
Danielle Miller had 19 points to lead the Matadors, who have won 13 games in a row.
Mount Miguel travels to Orange County in Thursday’s second round of the regionals to face No. 2 seed Orange Lutheran (23-7) at 7 p.m.
Bishop Amat 11 12 11 6 — 40
Mount Miguel 6 11 8 23 — 48
Bishop Amat scoring – Villanueva 16, L. Galarza 13, Austin 4, Powell 3, Chamois 2, Ramirez 2.
Mount Miguel scoring – Danielle Miller 19, Shay Young 16, Myishia Watkins 10, Dejanay Pope 2, Chantel Yell 1.