Orange County Sports / Prep Basketball : Girls’ 2-A Championship Game : String of Comebacks Ends for Woodbridge in 47-41 Loss to Chino

The Woodbridge High School girls’ basketball team could not continue its previous pattern of late rallies Friday night as the Warriors fell behind by 16 points at the end of the third quarter against Chino in the Southern Section 2-A championship game Friday night at Cerritos College.

Woodbridge, which had come from behind for victories in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds, lost too much ground on Chino and was defeated, 47-41.

Chino (23-6) won its second 2-A title in the last three seasons and advanced to the Southern California regional tournament Tuesday. Pairings will be announced today.

Woodbridge finished its season 25-6.

The Warriors fell behind, 41-29, at the end of the third quarter. And, although they crept back into the game behind the shooting of Kathy Millat, a senior forward, and some aggressive play by Gina Krouse, a reserve center, Woodbridge could only get as close as five points in the fourth quarter.

Millat, who led Woodbridge with 13 points, made a jumper with 2:36 left that brought the Warriors to within 42-37. But Chino awoke from an offensive slumber soon after and put the game away by making three of five free throws down the stretch.

Chino went 4 1/2 minutes without scoring before Felicia Franke, a senior forward, made a layup and gave the Cowboys a 44-37 lead.

Franke dominated the game inside, scoring a game-high 18 points.

Guard Michelle Meanor added nine and fellow guard Serena Murillo, the Cowboys’ leading scorer with 18.7 points per game, had just five.

Randee Mahony, a senior guard, added 10 points for Woodbridge.

The Warriors were at a decided height disadvantage. Franke and Erika Brown, a junior center, are 6 feet and 6-2, respectively. Woodbridge’s tallest player is 5-9 center Angie Hubner, who did not score Friday night.

Woodbridge had been able to overcome its lack of height with superior quickness and a pressing defense. Though they got the fast break, the Warriors seldom were able to convert.

Often, Chino was back in time to stop a layup. The Cowboys were, at times early in the game, just as fast as Woodbridge.

The pressure defense was rendered ineffective by Meanor, who handled the Warriors’ full-court press easily. She passed over the top of the shorter Warriors and when she did get trapped, she passed to Franke, who helped out in the backcourt.

Chino led, 30-19, at halftime, getting all the bounces and taking full advantage of its size. Franke had 13 points in the half and had three blocked shots.

Woodbridge trailed, 14-10, at the end of the first quarter and played Chino even on the boards. But in the second quarter, the Warriors went cold. They missed short jumpers, got shots blocked and were only 3 for 9 at the free throw line for the half.

Chino held Woodbridge scoreless for the first 4:10 of the second quarter and that, in part, accounted for the big lead. Chino’s biggest lead in the quarter was 14 points, 24-10, before Woodbridge’s Lisa Wehren made two free throws for the Warriors’ first points of the quarter.

In the fourth period, Woodbridge suddenly got hot. Millat, who had 10 points in the quarter, led the comeback.

But the Warriors still couldn’t cut substantially into the lead. Chino got a free throw by Becky Turmezei with 6:49 left for a comfortable-looking 42-29 lead.

But Chino went without a basket for the next 4 1/2 minutes, a span that saw Woodbridge outscore the winners, 10-1. Franke broke the dry spell with a layin.