On Saturday, plenty of solid teams took to the hardwood at the Corner Bakery Showdown at Bentley School in Lafayette. This was the 16th version of the event, which has changed names over the course of that time. A controversial ending to one of the marquee games and a couple of stars not in uniform removed some of the luster of the day, but there was still lots of great action. Harold Abend reported on Carondelet-Pinewood and Berkeley-Miramonte. The other games are highlighted in this article.
Campolindo beats Encinal, 71-35
Haley Van Dyke scored all 13 of her points and grabbed 11 of her 12 rebounds in the first half, when the Cougars built a 37-22 lead. Kaylyn Murray had 13 points as well. Encinal played without leading scorer Destiny Kelly. Caprice Taylor had a team-high 12 for the Jets.
St. Mary’s ekes out win over Heritage
It wasn’t the prettiest of wins, but St. Mary’s will take it. The Panthers emerged from a see-saw first half to hold off Heritage, 39-35. Playing without Ma’Ane Mosley, who was taking her SATs, St. Mary’s relied on Kennedi Villa and a flurry of backcourt steals and forced turnovers to get the team going. The Panthers raced to a 15-2 advantage, but Heritage warmed up to stay within distance. The Patriots whittled a 10-point first quarter deficit down to one, limiting St. Mary’s to a single bucket in the second quarter. With 2:36 to go in the game, Heritage had the ball down by five. A traveling call stalled the momentum, and Layla Ybarra-Harvey’s free throw would prove to be the only point the rest of the way for either team. No Panthers would reach double figures, while for Heritage Delaney Sparling and Brittany Dryer had 10 points apiece for the Patriots.
Clayton Valley tops Castro Valley
Hailey Pascoe powered Clayton Valley Charter with 37 points in a 70-62 victory versus Castro Valley. Pascoe was 15-of-19 from the free throw line and 10-of-22 from the field. Katie Kommer made three shots from beyond the arc and finished with 12 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. For Castro Valley, Franchesca Sousa scored 19 and Jenna Sparks added 12 points and eight boards. The Ugly Eagles led by 17 after one and 18 at the half. But Sousa had 10 points alone in the third quarter. In the fourth, the Trojans trailed by seven with 3:35 to go. Sarah Williams scored the next four points in the game to put it out of reach. She and three other players fouled out in the final quarter.
“We came out ready to play,” Clayton Valley Charter head coach Paul Kommer remarked. “That first quarter was probably the best quarter we played this year in terms of our defensive pressure, effort…(Later) we were getting a little bit tired and in getting into foul trouble. We had to do a little more zone and less man.”
Brookside Christian downs Presentation
Aarion McDonald tallied 23 points, 12 steals, seven rebounds, and five assists for Brookside Christian in a 54-35 defeat of Presentation. Ariana Vaughn hauled down 13 rebounds for the Knights, who also received strong games from Zhane Lewis (nine points, eight rebounds) and Ry’Kyra Gabriel (eight points, eight boards). For Presentation, Ashley McDonald had nine points and Maeve Kavanagh grabbed 10 rebounds. Brookside Christian led 10-8 after one and 25-13 at the half.
Pinole Valley defeats Alameda by 13
Pinole Valley enjoyed an inspiring 66-53 win over Alameda in the nightcap. Kiley Levesque and Ariell Cobb scored 19 and 18 points, respectively, and Jessica Rogers added 12 for the Spartans. Maddy Lewis had 15 for the Hornets. Rogers fortified the first half, while Leveque and Cobb rallied in the second half. Pinole Valley trailed 18-10 after one quarter. Rogers spearheaded an 18-8 second quarter, and Cobb and Levesque — who each made four three-pointers — scored the majority of their points in the third and fourth quarters.
