3C2A Women's Basketball Quarterfinal #4: Moorpark guts out defensive struggle over Laney

(WALNUT) -- It didn't matter that Moorpark scored its season low on Thursday nor did it matter that the team's top player Rebecca Saidoff was held to nine points. What did matter was that Saidoff made the big play when it counted to draw a foul and sink two free throws with 20.7 seconds left, lifting the South #1 seed Raiders past a feisty North #4 Laney, 47-44, in the fourth 3C2A Women's Basketball Championship quarterfinal.

With the shot clock winding down and Saidoff guarded hard by NorCal State Player of the Year Jada Hunter, the sophomore got the ball at the top of the 3-point line, then bolted to the basket in drawing a Laney foul. After calmly sinking two free throws for the lead, Laney couldn't get the ball in the hands of Hunter as Leniyah Fulsome's short attempt missed with seven seconds left.

Keilani Peralta hit two more free throws to ice the victory and extend Moorpark's win streak to 23 in a row. Laney saw its 16-game win streak come to an end.

Moorpark (28-3) now faces #3 Orange Coast in the semifinals on Saturday, Mar. 16 at 3 p.m. North #1 Butte and South #2 Glendale face-off in the other semfinal at 1 p.m.

Laney nearly pulled off the upset despite not scoring for the opening five minutes of the fourth quarter. Tied 34-34 after three period, Moorpark scored just six points in the Eagles' drought, including a 3-pointer by Peralta for a 40-34 advantage.

The Eagles (24-5) trailed 43-36, but eventually grabbed the lead, 44-43, on Gianna Ghio's floater swish in the post with 1:37 left. That eventually set up the Saidoff heroics.

"Rebecca Saidoff has been our team leader, our MVP and we wanted the ball in her hands with the game on the line," said Moorpark head coach Kenny Plummer. "Laney is a well-coached team and give them credit. We made some unforced errors that gave them life."

Plummer noted Ramaundo Vaughn, Laney's coach, had beaten his Moorpark team for the 2019 state championship when Vaughn coached Diablo Valley to the title. "I'd have rather won that game, but we're extremely excited to advance this time and get by such a great team and coach."

Moorpark was led by Peralta's 11 points off the bench and nine each by Saidoff and Mika Jarrett. Success Prysock added six points, 13 rebounds and four assists. Laney was paced by Tali Fa'i whose 12 points (plus three steals) led four players in double digits. Hunter contributed 11 points, five assists, and three steals, Alayah Flucus 11 points and nine boards, and Gianna Ghio 10 points and three steals.

Laney took a 13-12 first-quarter lead and the teams then combined for just 15 points in the second quarter with the Eagles maintaining a 21-19 edge at halftime. 

Vaughn said: "This is what the players came here for and it's to play in these moments, and play at the highest level. We had our chances. We pride ourselves on our defense."

Moorpark also is a fine defensive team, holding Laney to its season low in points after averaging nearly 80 points a game, the fourth best offense in the state this season.

Release by Robert Lewis, 3C2A State Tourney Women's Basketball SID/CCCWBCA Publicist