SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — San Juan Hills’ girls basketball was in search of a spark.
The Stallions were trailing by as many as 11 points in the first quarter.
So Anna Shreeve decided to take the game into her own hands.
The sophomore finished with 22 points and seven steals as San Juan Hills rallied to take down Fairmont Prep, 49-48 on Wednesday night to advance to the CIF-Southern Section Division 2AA semifinals.
“Man, I love Anna Shreeve,” said teammate Lily Sisson, who was celebrating the win. “When she gets going, everyone gets going.”
San Juan Hills was fresh off of a win over Downey this past weekend but couldn’t get its offense running smoothly.
Sydney Peterson scored on a bucket inside early but the Stallions struggled to make shots. On the other end of the court, the combination of some strong inside play by 6-foot-2 center Siyanda Salter and some clutch shoots by fairmont Prep’s backcourt, gave them a 16-6 lead after the first quarter.
We knew coming in this was going to be a dog fight and they came out and punched us in the mouth,” San Juan Hills coach Paul Edwards said. “But there was no panic and it started with Anna.”
Shreeve scored the next eight points and after she grabbed a steal at mid court, followed up by a 3-pointer, the Stallions were nipping at Fairmont Prep’s heels.
“I just think reading (Salter) who was guarding me, knowing if she was going to come up and guard me or back off to (make the decision to) shoot or drive. You just have to read it,” Shreeve said.
The Stallions came within two points but the Huskies closed the half of a 6-2 run and took a 29-23 lead into halftime.
When the second half started, Shreeve got a little help.
Senior Amanda Edwards hit back-to-back 3-pointers and with 1:18 remaining in the third quarter, Shreeve scored inside to give San Juan Hills its first lead of the game.
Fairmont Prep wouldn’t lay down as the two teams exchanged the lead six times.
Freshman guard Adyra Rajan hit a clutch three with inside four minutes but Amanda Edwards came back and hit a 3-pointer of her own. She added another basket while Kylie Ward put back a missed shot and the Stallions were in control.
The Huskies had one final chance in the final minute but Jada Umali Claros’ game tying 3-pointer from the wing was too strong.
“This game was won having to execute time after time and I think that’s what our team is realizing what we have been doing of late,” Paul Edwards said. “We don’t panic.”
Amanda Edwards finished the game with 15 points while point guard Aryanna Hudson finished with six points.
San Juan Hills will now host Hart High School from Newhall, Calif for a chance at its first CIF-SS final.
The Indians come in as the bracket’s No. 2 seed and have won 14 out of their last 15 games.
