Brea Gets Defensive, Defeats Valencia, 60-26

A strange thing happened in the Orange League girls’ basketball game between Brea Olinda and Valencia Tuesday night: Valencia went the final 20 minutes 10 seconds without a field goal.

Valencia, a team many observers felt had an opportunity to stop the Wildcats’ league winning streak at 123 games, didn’t make a basket in the second half and fell, 60-26, in front of about 700 at Valencia High.

Brea (14-5, 3-0 in league) held Valencia (16-2, 2-1) to six free throws in the second half. The Tigers were 0 of 20 from the field in the half, and finished seven of 39 (18%) for the game.

The Wildcats, who led, 37-20, at halftime, didn’t fare much better after the break, making just 10 of 45 (22%) shots from the field. Brea missed 14 consecutive shots during a third-quarter stretch and 11 consecutive to start the fourth.

The Wildcats were 26-74 (35%) for the game, leaving many wondering what was going on.

“If I knew that, there probably would have been more scoring,” said Brea’s Chelsea Trotter, who scored 19 points on nine of 20 shooting. “Sometimes in big arenas it’s tough to shoot but at Valencia High we have no excuse.”

Adding to the atmosphere was a vocal crowd, including one fan ejected by referees in the fourth quarter, and tough, physical defense, especially by Brea.

“If you play good defense, good things will happen,” Brea Coach Jeff Sink said. “Well, I played 15 girls tonight and they all played [defense]. No field goals in the second half--you can’t get any better than that.”

Valencia had 13 turnovers in the first quarter and Brea took a 23-7 lead. The Tigers rallied to within 27-18 on a three-pointer by Michelle Pietka with 4:10 left in the second quarter, but that was Valencia’s last field goal of the game.

Jackie Lord, Brea’s point guard, had 15 points, including three of five from three-point range. Pietka and Monika Jackley each had 10 for Valencia.