Brea Olinda Defeats North

BREA —  With a key player out, Brea Olinda needed a hero. Catherine Solorio stepped up for the Ladycats.

Brea Olinda advanced to the second round of the Southern California Regional Division II girls’ basketball championships Tuesday with a 63-49 come-from-behind victory against Riverside North behind a team effort and a spark by Solorio.

They will host Ocean View on Thursday. It was against the Seahawks on Saturday that point guard Jennifer Saari reinjured her knee; she will miss the rest of the playoffs.

With Saari on the bench, freshman Lindsey Davidson had the task of solving North’s pressure defense. After a rocky start, Solorio took over the point and Davidson went to shooting guard.

“Lindsey weighs all of 17 pounds and they were forcing us to start our offense at half court,” Brea Coach Jeff Sink said. “Solorio went in there and muscled her way past the defense so we could start it at the top of the key.”

And Solorio flexed her muscle everywhere on the court. She finished with 12 points, six rebounds, six steals and a three assists.

Marissa Bradley scored 19 with four steals, and Rochelle Anthony scored 13.

“We targeted Bradley and Anthony,” North Coach John Reinhold said, “and when you work so hard to stop two players, sometimes a utility player can step up.”

And Solorio did.

“I think that’s everyone’s dream and desire, to want to be the go-to person,” said Solorio, whose previous career high was nine points. “I knew I had to play my game and this was the game to play it.”

Brea shot only three for 11 from the field in the first quarter, but shot 67% (20 for 30) the rest of the way. The Ladycats were 17 for 19 from the free-throw line.

But the game was North’s until late in the third quarter.

Trailing 36-33, Brea went on an 8-0 run over the last 69 seconds of the third quarter, capped by Bradley’s steal and basket at the buzzer, to lead, 41-36.

“You could see the lights go out in North’s team,” Sink said.

Although two Jeanine Horton three-pointers pulled North to within three, Brea outscored the Huskies 18-7 over the final 3:51.