Orange girls basketball loses to Schurr in CIF-SS Division 8 final

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ONTARIO — Orange’s girls basketball team enjoyed its own Hoosiers-type moment before the CIF-SS Division 8 final Friday.

Like the small-town team in the movie, the underdog Panthers marveled as they entered the large arena their playoff journey presented.

“That is so us,” fourth-year Orange coach Sara Esparza said. “All of the early mornings were worth it.”

Orange pushed Schurr deep into the fourth quarter but lost in its first section final 44-32 at Toyota Arena.

Orange (15-12), aiming for its first CIF-SS title in any girls team sport, cut Schurr’s lead to 29-27 entering the fourth quarter on a 3-pointer by Alina Gomez.

The Panthers’ Aubrey Macedo then sank two free throws early in the fourth to tie the score 29-29.

Schurr (16-14) responded with a 15-3 run to close the game and claim its first CIF-SS title.

Orange didn’t make a field goal in the fourth quarter. The Panthers shot 20 percent from the floor (10 of 50) for the game, including 5 for 26 from beyond the 3-point arc.

“We fought until the last buzzer,” said Gomez, a senior who sank three 3-pointers in the third period en route to nine points. “We still were keeping each other up and I’m just really proud of everyone.”

Macedo, a junior point guard, led Orange with 11 points and five rebounds.

Junior Jalyssa Loatman had seven points, 14 rebounds and four blocks.

She scored the final five points of the first half to trim Schurr’s lead to 18-17 at intermission.

Loatman’s putback basket snapped Orange’s scoreless drought in the second quarter with 1:37 left in the half and cut Schurr’s lead to 18-14.

She drove for a layup and added a free throw to cap the scoring before intermission.

“During halftime, we felt a lot of adrenaline,” Loatman said. “We were really excited to get back into the game.”

Loatman had nine rebounds and three blocks in the first half to help Orange overcome 2=for-13 shooting from beyond the arc.

Orange advanced to its first section final after being ranked 28th in the 32-team bracket. The Panthers defeated California Military Institute, Coachella Valley, Notre Dame of Riverside and University Prep by an average of 12.8 points per game in the playoffs.

Orange, the runner-up in the Grove League, continues its season next week in the CIF Southern California Regional.

“We’re hoping for a rematch with Schurr,” Esparza said.