LJ g BB 63, Hoover 43

By Ed Piper

Katrina Kurtchi and her La Jolla teammates rode a 13-5 streak in the third quarter to break away from host Hoover and go on to a 63-43 win Tues., Jan. 15, in Eastern League play.

Trailing the Cardinals 30-29 with five and a half minutes left in the period, Coach Darice Carnaje's team saw mini-guard Carmen Ramirez score three baskets and sophomore Samantha Stark two with Kat adding a layup for a 44-32 lead to end the quarter.

The Vikings went on to outscore Hoover 19-11 in the fourth period to close out the win.

"We just have to have the mindset that we're going to win," said Kurtchi after the victory.

The 5'10" senior captain finished with 30 points. The other senior captain, Brooke Strowbridge, had 15 and made several instrumental plays to power the Vikings.

To open the game, Cardinal forward Jurnee Harnage scored at will from her low-post position at the left block, putting in five layups with her left hand in the first quarter, and two more in the second.

La Jolla made an adjustment, and the 5'7" front court player was no longer a factor. She only made made four points the rest of the game. Strowbridge and Kurtchi contributed blocks to help in the defensive effort.

During a streak from midway in the first quarter stretching into the second, the Vikings dug themselves out of a 10-2 hole--all of Hoover's points having been scored by Harnage--to outscore the hosts 22-10 to take a 24-20 lead late in the half.

Kurtchi scored on a layup and a banked-in three-pointer from near the sideline, sandwiched around Strowbridge's eight-foot jumper.

Ramirez forced a turnover that led to a basket to end the first period.

Then it was more of the same starting the second quarter, with Kat scoring on a runner, Ramirez hitting a layup, Kurtchi a one-hander, Carmen a jumper and then the first of two free throws by Kurtchi.

For the Vikings' first lead of the game at 13-12, Kat sent a long lead pass to the streaking Strowbridge for a transition basket. Brooke, from Washington state, also sank a three-pointer late in the quarter for a four-point lead.

The two teams went into halftime tied 24-24.