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GIRLS POST #6

The second half gets started and SM hits two quick buckets for a 33-29 lead. Mauldin didn’t get either bucket … Henton missed 2 FTs and it stays 33-29 … MC’s Taryn Garza picks up her third foul while trying to wrestle the ball away from Mauldin, but it stays 33-29 … MC is using its passing game now, running switchbacks at the top of the key and hoping to lose a defender in the process. With the shot clock winding down, MC’s Brandi Henton drives the lane and pops it in to make it SM 33-31 …

GIRLS POST #5

MC’s definitely got the edge at the point. Henton has it over both of the Panthers’ guards, but SM has the beast inside with Mauldin – who is 10x12 from the FT line and has 14 of the Panthers’ 22 points … History continues to repeat itself: SM goes inside to Mauldin and she’s fouled, then she hits a FT to get SM within 25-23. She’s 11x14 from the line …

GIRLS POST #4

MC Brandi Henton out on the break and she’s fouled on the shot, hits her first FT to make it 14-12 at 7:13 left in the quarter. Her second is up and good – a 1-point game … Stefani Agostini launches her first trey from the top of the key, but it lips off the rim and to SM. MC needs their 3-point ace to show her range to open the middle more …

GIRLS POST #3

MC is doing a good job dealing with SM’s quickness, batting away a few passes and looking to get out on the break … It’s SM 14-11 at 1:50 … St. Mary’s boys team – which knocked out MC and Reeves Nelson in Thursday’s semifinal – walks into the gym and gets a big cheer from its crowd …

GIRLS POST #2

There’s the tip … SM wins it and we’re off … Good news for MC, and it’s not that SM scored the game’s first bucket on a backdoor pass to Cody Sims for a layup to start the game … Taryn Garza, struggling the last two weeks with her shot, takes a quick pass and banks in a layup for the 2-2 tie … Garza was scoreless in Thursday’s win over Marin Catholic, so this is a good start.

We're about 10 minutes from tipping off for the NorCal final between top-seeded St. Mary's of Berkeley (29-4) and No. 2 Modesto Christian (26-7). Neither team had had to struggle in the first two rounds of the regional playoffs, each winning handily by at least double digits.

When these two met on December 30, St. Mary's was a 41-28 winner at the West Coast Jamboree. Some key stats from that game -- MC point guard Brandi Henton had 10 points (5 below her average) and 5-11 Taryn Garza had 8 (5 below her average). MC's 5-11 Lauren Lucchesi had just 5 points that night, and she's been producing a steady 15 points a game through the playoffs -- so she needs to step up big-time tonight ...

BOYS POST #9

Here we are with 3:00 to go and this one is toast … SM has stuck to its 2-3 zone the whole game, and MC has had little success penentating it. MC has resorted to casting long treys now …