Girls Basketball: Highlanders Run Out of Gas in Modesto

Modesto Christian 71, Piedmont 61

The Star: Fresno State-bound post Saidah Allen, in her final game for the Highlanders, scored 30 of her 35 points in the second half to spark a comeback bid that fell short.

The Turning Point: After the slower Highlanders went to a zone defense in the third quarter, MC freshman Charise Holloway hit back-to-back 3-pointers from deep in the right corner to boost the lead to 42-21. That triggered a 21-9 run.

The Quote: “I was getting tired, but I knew I couldn’t come out if we were going to have a chance,” Allen said. “If this was my last game, I was going out fighting.”** What’s Next: The Highlanders will bid farewell to the 5-foot-11 Allen, who has a scholarship to Fresno State. There is no one capable of replacing her, so coach Bryan Gardere will spend the offseason developing a balanced offensive scheme.

Bottom Line: With Allen being held to five points in the first half, MC built a 32-16 lead that was too much for the Highlanders to overcome.

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It was just one half, but it was enough to end season and the stellar career of 5-foot-11 Saidah Allen. One of Northern California’s elite players, she’ll be taking her talents to next season.

After struggling through their worst half of the season, the Highlanders rallied from a 29-point third-quarter deficit but eventually dropped a 71-61 decision to Modesto Christian in Saturday’s Northern California Division IV Regional semifinal.

It was a disappointing farewell for Allen, a red-hot scorer through Piedmont’s first five playoff games. She scored five points in the first half against Modesto Christian (25-8), which used a tag-team approach of 6-foot-1 Danielle Thompson and 5-10 Jasmine Hampton to keep her away from the basket.

“It was physical, lots of elbows and bumping back and forth, and I didn’t ever get into a rhythm in the first half,” said Allen, who also missed the front end of two one-and-ones late in the first half. “At halftime, I decided that if we were going to lose, we would lose playing as hard we could the rest of the way.”

Modesto scored the final nine points of the half to lead 32-16, and its lead rose to 29 after guard Mariah Brown stole a pass and converted it into a 3-point play for a 57-28 lead.

Just when it appeared the Highlanders (20-13) would be going down in flames, everything turned around.

Allen got things going with a traditional 3-point play, putting back a missed shot and adding the free throw. Lauren Seyranian’s four free throws made it 57-35 at the end of the third quarter, then Mandie Mills and Allen converted inside shots to open the fourth quarter and things began to get interesting.

Led by Allen, who scored 30 second-half points, the Highlanders began limiting Modesto to one shot per possession and hustled downcourt to score in transition.

A 16-0 run brought the Highlanders to within 57-44 with 5:35 left in the game.

“In the first half, we weren’t using any ball fakes and we were slow on our defensive rotations, and that was giving them open looks for threes,” coach Bryan Gardere said. “I’m glad with the way we finished, though. We didn’t go away quietly. We showed we could play with the passion I knew we had.”

Allen capped the comeback bid with two free throws and another twisting, inside shot and the Highlanders were within 13. Gardere called for fullcourt pressure in a bid to force a turnover, but Modesto was quicker in the backcourt and the aggressive defense began producing fouls rather than turonvers.

Alexus Tillman hit four consecutive free throws, Valerie Moore added two more and Mariah Brown had another to quickly push the lead back to 20.

Piedmont was hurt by its inability to score from the perimeter, hitting just one 3-pointer while Modesto was nailed eight. Jordan Welch hit Piedmont’s lone trey early in the third quarter, making it 36-19.

“The magnitude of the game, I think, had an affect on our younger players,” Gardere said. “This is the big one. You get this and you’re playing for a title.”

Modesto Christian 71, Piedmont 61

Piedmont

CIF Northern California Regional Semifinals

Boys

Division I

Castro Valley 63, Oakland 60 — Castro Valley Patch

De La Salle 47, Sheldon 45 — Concord Patch

Division II

Mitty-San Jose 70, Las Lomas 61 — Walnut Creek Patch

Woodcreek-Rosebille 58, Antelope 39

Division III

El Cerrito 63, Sacramento 51 — El Cerrito Patch

Bishop O'Dowd 52, San Marin 49

Division IV

Salesian 85, Santa Cruz 66

St. Mary's 65, St. Patrick-St. Vincent 44

Division V

St. Joseph 75, Vacaville Christian 71 (OT)

University-San Francisco 81, Pinewood-Los Altos Hills 75

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Girls

Division I

Berkeley 52, Lincoln-Stockton 42

Carondelet 77, St. Francis 66 — Concord Patch

Division II

St. Mary's-Stockton 56, Dougherty Valley 44 — San Ramon Patch

Del Oro-Loomis 63, Presentation-San Jose 59 (OT)

Division III

Bishop O'Dowd 48, St. Ignatius-San Francisco 39

Sacramento 58, Campolindo 54 — Lamorinda Patch

Division IV

St. Mary's 60, Notre Dame-Belmont 39

Modesto Christian 71, Piedmont 61 —  Piedmont Patch

Division V

Pinewood-Los Altos Hills 66, Bradshaw Christian-Sacramento 37

St. Joseph Notre Dame 46, Eastside College Prep 38