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JSerra girls basketball coach Rachael Ziemann directed her players’ focus to a certain number on the scoreboard after a clash against Fairmont Prep on Tuesday night in San Diego.
“Look,” she said in the reference to Fairmont Prep’s tally in the finals of the SoCal Holiday Prep Classic.
One night after Fairmont Prep delivered a California record-setting offensive output, JSerra sliced that total by more than two-thirds en route to a 51-33 victory in the Premier Division final at Canyon Hills High.
In capturing the top division of the tournament for first time, JSerra held Fairmont Prep — ranked No. 1 in Orange County — to 76 points fewer than its record-setting total from a 109-89 win against Rancho Christian in the semifinals on Monday.
“The significance is that’s a very good team and we know that if we can hold opponents under 40 (points) in general, we have a good chance of competing and hopefully winning,” the Lions’ first-year coach said.
“(But it’s) a reminder why we’re here. It’s not always just the win but the goals going up to the win. We’re all about the process. This was just another game to get us prepared for the Trinity League, so I’m just really proud of the girls.”
JSerra (14-2), No. 3 in the last O.C. rankings, played consistent man defense. The Lions held Fairmont Prep (8-6) without a field goal in the second quarter, forced 27 turnovers for the game and held the Huskies to 1 for 15 shooting from beyond the arc.
Fairmont Prep made 13 3-pointers against Rancho Christian as the teams tied the state record for most combined points in a game (198) and tied for third in state history for combined 3-pointers (23).
The Lions’ defense received three blocks from post Vivian Grenald, five steals from Kayla Rice, three steals from point guard Rosie Santos and a steal from Shae Talleur.
JSerra guard Reese Katkin was an unsung hero by guarding high-scoring Adyra Rajan.
One night after the Harvard commit scored 37 points, including nine 3s, Katkin and her teammates helped limit Rajan to eight points.
“We all knew our personnel today and since our coaches have such great scouting on the other team, we all knew exactly what we were coming into,” Katkin said. “Each of us had our own assignment and everyone fulfilled that assignment.”
Ziemann praised Rice for her defense against Fairmont Prep freshman post Aaliyah Mack and Katkin for accepting the assignment of guarding Rajan.
“A lot of people would under-estimate her,” Ziemann said of Katkin, the team’s lone senior. “She is the epitome of heart of a Lion. She is gritty. She does not give up. She has big belief in her defensive capability.”
Rice and Grenald shared tournament MVP honors after scoring 17 and 11 points, respectively. Rice grabbed eight rebounds while Grenald added 13 rebounds and three steals.
Talleur made three of her four 3-pointers in the second half to finish with 14 points.
Columbia commit Mathis Dritz scored on consecutive drives to help Fairmont Prep open an early 8-0 led. She finished with a game-high 18 points and added nine rebounds, two blocks and two steals.
JSerra seized control by closing the first half on an 11-0 run for a 40-25 lead at halftime.
Talleur sparked the surge with a go-ahead 3-pointer. Grenald later banked in a basket from beyond the arc and blocked a shot on the ensuing possession that led to two foul shots by Rice (8 for 11 free throws).
Rajan and Mack earned all-tournament honors for Fairmont Prep.
JSerra faces another defensive challenge Monday when it plays host to Centennial.
At the Holiday Classic in Oregon:
In the Emerald Division:
Sage Hill 67, St. Mary’s 57: Kamdyn Klamberg scored 22 points and Amalia Holguin and Addison Uphoff added 18 and 14, respectively, as the Lightning won the tournament’s No. 2 division. Sage Hill (13-4) won its second consecutive tournament and extended its winning streak to eight games.
More results to come.