Hall's free throws lift Armijo girls to Nor Cal tourney win

PALO ALTO – Marshanique Hall made two free throws with 20 seconds left in the game Tuesday to lift Armijo High’s girls’ basketball team to a 50-49 win over Gunn High in the first round of the Northern California Division I Tournament.

"We had run a set play out of a timeout," said Armijo head coach Christian Stoll. "It broke down, so we reversed the ball to the top to Marshanique. She had success the entire game doing it, so she drove to the middle and was fouled."

With a partisan, capacity Gunn crowd roaring -- Hall made the free throws.

"It was really loud," Stoll said.

Armijo’s record improves to 25-6. The Indians have won 15 of their last 16 games. Gunn ends its campaign with a 19-7 mark.

After Hall’s two free throws, Armijo’s Erica Bossett came up with a game-clinching steal for the Indians after Allana Burnham made a big play in the post.

"We used a man-to-man full-court press there and it forced Gunn to take more time getting into their offense than they wanted," Stoll said. "They didn't really get set until it was under 10 seconds. They tried to get the to their big post player, but Allana fought over the ball and knocked it free to seal it."

Armijo advances to play second-seeded Carondolet on Thursday in Concord.

Carondolet will be opening Nor Cal play after drawing a first-round bye. The Cougars are 26-4 this season, ranked ninth in the Maxpreps.com California poll. Carondolet is second in the MaxPreps.com Division I ratings, ahead of fifth-rated Armijo. The website ranks the Indians 106^th in all of California.

Armijo led by 10 points with just over six minutes left in the game. The Titans turned up the defensive pressure and rallied to take a brief lead, then tie the game 49-49 before Hall was fouled on her way to the basket.

Hall, the Monticello Empire League Most Valuable Player, led the Indians with 18 points. Chloe Dawkins added nine. Allana Burnham scored eight to go with seven by Bossett.

Sophomore Claire Kausner paced Gunn with 14 points.