Reseda Lands First Blow in North Hollywood Series

The pattern, according to North Hollywood High girls’ Coach Rich Allen, was set last season.

Reseda and North Hollywood squared off three times last year. North Hollywood took the first two meetings but Reseda came back to win the City Section 3-A Division championship.

And after Reseda defeated North Hollywood in overtime, 65-64, Friday in a West Valley League opener at North Hollywood, Allen was hoping the loss just meant a win later on.

“Maybe someone’s watching up there and wants to reverse the roles,” Allen said.

Reseda Coach Andrea Francola would rather make sure someone was watching on the court. After two controversial calls by the officials late in the game may have cost the Regents a chance to win in regulation, Francola wondered how her team pulled out the victory.

“It certainly wasn’t the officiating,” Francola said.

Instead, it was Reseda’s Aggie Garcia. The 5-11 junior scored 4 of her team’s 6 overtime points on back-to-back baskets early in the period that gave the Regents (8-1) a 63-59 lead. North Hollywood (6-3) eventually closed to within one point, but a three-point attempt by Michelle Cabaldon at the buzzer fell short.

Cabaldon, who also missed a free throw with 1:06 to play in overtime that could have tied the score, made a three-point shot with 17 seconds left in regulation to tie the score, 59-59.

Sandrine Rocher scored a game-high 24 points for North Hollywood and Cabaldon scored 18 points on 8-of-14 shooting. Cheryl Hightower led Reseda with 23 points and Garcia finished with 14.