By Jenny Tran
Last Thursday, the varsity girls’ basketball team rose victorious against Cypress High School. With a close score of 60-58, the team managed to bag a win, just unscathed.
A few seconds into the first quarter, senior Margaret Tengan opened the game with a three-pointer for the Barons; the gym swelled with excitement. Both teams continued to aggressively fight for the ball with strong plays on both ends.
While Cypress landed a foul shot, they largely only had close shots in the first quarter. The Barons managed to shoot in more successful ones. Notable shots include those of Margaret Tengan, sophomore Audrey Chow, senior Audrey Tengan and junior Mary Nguyen.
The first quarter ended with the Barons having a sizable lead on Cypress with a score of 23-1.
The second quarter began with the ball concentrated on the Barons’ side of the court and Nguyen quickly landed a shot in the opponent’s basket. The ball continued to shift between both sides with the same competitive energy as the first quarter.
While the Barons still made impressive scores and smooth plays, Cypress began to gradually catch up at a fast pace. Mainly through fouls, Cypress managed to land in many more successful shots this quarter.
The second quarter ended with a score of 35-25, with Cypress making a significant gain in points.
After halftime, there was a noticeable tension radiating throughout the court. With brisk passes and swift steals, neither team stopped to catch a breath. Some notable shots from the Barons came from Nguyen and Margaret Tengan.
Still taking advantage of the fouls, Cypress was still trailing behind the Barons. However, the Barons still managed to stay ahead, continuously landing many layups, jump shots and 3-pointers.
The third quarter finished off with a score of 51-37.
Senior Hannah Walsh quickly rebounded Cypress at the start of the fourth quarter, temporarily giving the Barons possession of the ball. Despite this rebound, the ball never stayed in one team’s possession for too long and it rapidly alternated from each end.
With just minutes before the end of the fourth quarter, the players’ efforts were at their peaks. The ball was being rhythmically stolen and passed; when one team made a shot, the other quickly followed.
Thirty seconds remained on the clock as Cypress landed a 2-pointer, making the score 59-58.
With five seconds left, the Barons made a foul shot, adding some cushion to their score. The timer switched back on, and the ball was in Cypress’s hand. The seconds plummeted; the ball flew toward the basket.
It missed, almost gracing against the hoop. The time hit zero, and cheers filled the air for the Barons’ win. The night ended with a final score of 60-58.
The girls’ next game will be against Upland High School in Fountain Valley High School’s gym at 1 p.m.
