Firehawks to advance to CIF quarterfinals after a dominant second-round performance against Mary Star of the Sea
SOAR: Senior Avital Jacobson goes up for a rebound in the Firehawks’ 71-46 victory over Mary Star of the Sea Feb. 17. The team has advanced to the quarterfinals of the CIF Division 4A playoffs and will play an away game at Campbell Hall in Studio City tonight at 7 p.m.
February 19, 2020
The Firehawk girls basketball team cruised to a commanding victory over Mary Star of the Sea Stars of San Pedro on Monday night, overwhelming the Stars 71-46 in the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division 4A playoffs.
Led by a game-high eight three-pointers by forward Hila Lasry, Shalhevet took command of the game and led by comfortable margins from the buzzer to the final horn. Ahead by as much as 25 points in the fourth quarter, the Firehawks were dominant in the paint, securing crucial rebounds on both ends of the floor.
Shalhevet Athletic Coordinator Jeff Remer reflected the Firehawks’ ability to pick apart Mary Star’s press defense and credited Coach Ryan Coleman.
“Coach Coleman had them tremendously prepared for the pressure defense and press that Mary Star put on them,” said Coach Remer, who coached the girls last season. “The girls really executed.”
He said the girls’ rebounding game enabled the team to lengthen possessions and attack the glass.
“They rebounded tremendously well — sometimes three to four shots for Shalhevet and only one shot for Mary Star,” said Coach Remer. “When you have a combination of all those things together you are going to be successful.”
The Firehawks were also helped by the home crowd, which was especially rowdy when Hila drained her three-pointers, four of them in the fourth quarter.
“I think we all came out with the right energy and effort,” said Hila, who is a junior.
Shalhevet hopes to keep its winning streak alive when it takes on the Campbell Hall Vikings Wednesday night in the Campbell Hall gym in Studio City.
The Firehawks beat the Vikings already this year, 45-31 in the Milken Tournament in December, but the Vikings reciprocated with a home win of their own, 61-53, a month later. The Firehawks expect tonight’s action to be highly competitive and evenly-matched.
“Two of their players in the starting five did not play the first time we played them in the Milken tournament,” said Firehawk captain Maital Hiller. “We are kinda even because they beat us one time and we beat them once.”
