Buena Girls No Friend to Depleted Palisades

VENTURA —  There was no booing or jeering from the sold-out crowd at Buena High on Tuesday night during the Bulldogs’ first-round game in the girls’ Division I Southern California Regional basketball game against Palisades.

The Buena crowd gave the Dolphins a down-home Ventura welcome, politely applauding each player during pregame introductions.

The Buena team, however, was not as friendly on the court, trouncing Palisades, 63-27.

Buena advances to face Palmdale, a 54-40 winner over Washington, on Thursday.

The Bulldogs (29-1) used a full-court pressure defense to harry the Dolphins, who had only seven players suited up for the game.

The Buena defense forced 35 turnovers, including eight on consecutive Palisades possessions to begin the second half as the Bulldogs went on a 14-0 tear and opened a 35-16 lead.

“We were trying to wear them down,” Buena Coach Joe Vaughan said. “We wanted to keep the pressure on with kids who wanted to get after it.”

The Bulldogs forced 13 third-quarter turnovers, and Renae Hofmann scored nine of her 12 points in that span, putting the game out of reach at 44-20 after three quarters.

“Our guards shot really well,” said Buena center Nicole Greathouse, who had 17 points, despite being double- and triple-teamed all game.

“It’s not going to break us if they collapse on me because we have so many other options.”

One of those options was Kori Sebek, who had 14 points. She made four of eight three-point shots, including three of four in the second quarter, as Buena took a 24-16 halftime lead.

Sebek’s accuracy from long range extended the Palisades 1-1-3 zone defense and opened up the middle for Greathouse, who scored 11 points in the second half.

“Kori hit some big baskets,” Vaughan said. “She stepped up and got us over the hump.”

Palisades jumped to a 9-4 lead in the first quarter, but the Buena defense held the Dolphins (19-9) scoreless for 6 minutes 38 seconds during the first and second quarters.

“We came out flat and not ready to play,” Vaughan said. “We did a good job in the second half but at this point in the season we better be ready to play.”

Hofmann and Greathouse each had five steals as the Buena defense seemed to get a hand on every Palisades pass and held the Dolphins without a field goal for the last 5:10 of the game.

“Our girls were awful,” Palisades Coach Kevin Hall said. “We turned the ball over way too many times and we kept picking up our dribble and wasting possessions.”

Palisades played without starting point guard Porsche McAllister, who injured her back during practice on Monday.

Meresaini Malaki had 14 points for the Dolphins but was limited to just four in the second half.

Kelly Sabey added nine points for the Dolphins.