Lions see lead trimmed

SAN DIEGO — Though he seldom gets to it in prime time, Coach Bill Westphal said when he watches his Point Loma Nazarene University women’s basketball players on game videos, he always enjoys the way they compete.

Conversely, after the host Sea Lions’ 79-73 victory in a battle of Golden State Athletic Conference powers Tuesday night, Vanguard Coach Russ Davis said he could not have the same viewing experience of the preceding 40 minutes of action.

“I don’t know how you can come down here and just have them out-compete you,” Davis said. “It’s very disappointing.”

It was the third straight loss at Point Loma for the No. 2-ranked Lions (18-3, 11-1 in conference), who, with a victory, could have established a three-game cushion atop the GSAC standings with eight regular-season conference games remaining.

Instead, No. 11-ranked Point Loma (17-4, 11-2 in conference) gained ground on the Lions in the Sea Lions’ quest to defend their regular-season conference crown.

“[The Sea Lions] just wanted it more than we did,” said Davis, who bristled at the 43-27 rebounding advantage earned by the hosts, who procured 17 offensive boards. “I’ve been telling them the whole time, we can’t give up second-chance shots. We’re just not very good.”

The Lions were good enough to require a strong second half by the hosts to prevail.

Vanguard sank eight first-half three-pointers to build a 40-32 advantage at intermission. The Lions, who thumped Point Loma, 72-57, in their first-round meeting in Costa Mesa Dec. 2, collected their first two second-half field goals from beyond the arc to claim a 46-36 lead with 18:31 left.

But the Sea Lions, who made 14 of 27 field goals after the break (51.9%), answered with a 10-0 run to pull even, then eventually took a 49-48 lead when 6-foot-2 junior center Colleen Planeta made a three-pointer with 13:10 left.

Vanguard, which received 26 points from junior guard Diana Neves (who made five of the Lions’ 11 three-pointers), gathered itself to regain the lead and was up, 59-57, with 11:34 left.

But with Planeta producing 14 of her team-high 20 points after halftime, and junior Liah Ector hauling in six of her nine rebounds in the final period, the Sea Lions pulled away and never led by fewer than two the rest of the way.

Point Loma made 11 of 14 free throws in the final 2:47 to quell any Vanguard comeback.

And the Lions didn’t help their cause by making just one field goal in the final 5:09.

Vanguard was just three of 14 from threedom in the second half (21.4%), to finish 11 for 33 from distance. The visitors finished at 39.1% from the field.

“It was a battle of strengths,” Westphal said. “They have the shooters, but they don’t have a lot of size. We have the two big girls (6-1 freshman Kaitlyn Trotter had 12 points and eight rebounds in the first half and finished with 18 points and 10 boards).”

Ector, who had 11 points before fouling out, was a constant thorn in the Lions’ paws.

“She may not be much of a shooter, but she is a great competitor,” Westphal said of Ector. “And that is a trait that really carries throughout our team. We have five competitors on the floor at all times. When I watch the games on video, I have fun watching our team.”

Junior Rachel Copeland added 13 points for Vanguard, which did not have any player collect more than four rebounds.

Point Loma point guard Amanda Franz gave the Sea Lions four scorers in double figures with 10, while starting guard Bonnie Zabinsky scored seven of her nine points in the final half.

Planeta had nine rebounds, four blocked shots, and three assists as she continues to bid for conference Player of the Year laurels.

Bridgette Reyes chipped in seven points and five assists off the bench for the Lions, who received eight points each from frontline starters Lauren Gregory and Molly Pfohl.

Pfohl, however, fouled out and backup forward Nondi Johnson had four fouls in 10 minutes, as Vanguard struggled to match Point Loma’s size inside.

“I think they wanted it as badly as we did,” Westphal said of the visitors. “But there’s definite value in playing at home.”

Just as they did last year, the two teams may wind up facing one another a third time, possibly in the title game of the conference tournament. Now that’s a video Westphal said he’d just as soon do without.

“I’m afraid so,” he said of a potential third meeting with Vanguard this season. “I don’t like playing them.”

Golden State Athletic Conference

Point Loma Nazarene 79, Vanguard 73

VU – Pfohl 8, Gregory 8, Neves 26, Copeland 13, Boyd 5, Reyes 7, Blied 4, Johnson 2.

3-pt- goals – Neves 5, Copeland 2, Boyd 1, Gregory 1, Reyes 1, Blied 1.

Fouled out – Pfohl.

PLN – Trotter 18, Ector 11, Planeta 20, Franz 10, Zabinsky 9, Colon 8, Lee 2, Hanson 1.

3-pt- goals – Planeta 2, Colon 2, Franz 1, Zabinsky 1.

Fouled out – Ector.

Halftime – VU, 40-32.

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at [email protected].