Sports
GIRLS BASKETBALL: 3-Ball Carries Pinewood Past Rincon Valley Christian
Panthers hot shooting and strong defense propels them to NorCal home triumph.
Pinewood 71, Rincon Valley Christian 52
The Star: Pinewood School senior guard Hailie Eackles couldn’t be stopped on this night. The star wing scored 25 of her game-high 31 points in the first half, helping Pinewood cruise to a 71-52 victory over Rincon Valley Christian in a CIF State Girls Basketball Division V Second Round Game Thursday night at Pinewood School in Los Altos Hills.
Pinewood didn’t score a field goal in the first three minutes and change before Eackles and company locked in. A scoop shot for two by the senior guard broke up the mini-drought. It was the first of 14 first quarter points for Eackles.
Find out what's happening in Los Altoswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The Turning Point: Pinewood (25-5) led 17-9 after one, pushed forward by the backcourt brilliance of leading scorer Eackles. In the second quarter, the rest of the Panthers shooters joined in on the fun. Seniors Miranda Seto and Caitlin Ciardella each knocked down 3-pointer’s early in the quarter, starting up a deadly trend for the host team. Pinewood hit eight treys in the first half, capped off by a feed from Seto to Ciardella to end the opening 16 minutes. Ciardella swished home a buzzer beating triple to put Pinewood ahead 42-22 at the half. The home team wouldn’t look back en route to the impressive home win.
The Quote: “It felt great to be back home,” Seto said about the first game back home for Pinewood after Saturday mornings Central Coast Section Division V Championship Game victory over Eastside Prep. “We know these rims and we’re comfortable shooting here.”
Find out what's happening in Los Altoswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Eackles hot start gave everyone on the team a boost early.
“Once we know that she’s (Eackles) on, it gets everyone pumped up,” Seto said. “We all want to play harder and contribute too.”
What's Next? Pinewood will host Bradshaw Christian Saturday night at Pinewood School. Since the boys Pinewood team won as well later on in the evening, the regional semifinal tip-time has not been determined yet.
Bottom Line: Pinewood feasted on the RVC zone from start-to-finish Thursday night. The Panthers used shot fakes to pull defenders close and then whipped the ball around the perimeter to the open shooters. The host team hit 15 shots from behind the arc by the time the game wrapped up. Seto scored 14 points and Ciardella had nine for the Panthers. Senior point guard Kelsey Morehead scored eight points, including a pair of treys.
—————————
