By Jenny Tran
This Tuesday, the girls’ varsity basketball team pushed through a fierce match against the Huntington Beach Oilers. They slipped out with a final score of 55-37 in their favor and the game was largely composed of intense steals and blocks and recurring scuffles.
Key players include seniors Audrey Tengan and Margaret Tengan, who gained 17 and 13 points, respectively. Most notably, Margaret Tengan set a new school record for three-pointers made in a single season with a total of 40 three-pointers after the game. Head Coach Marianne Karp also pointed out Senior Sariah Loftis’s plays.
“We said that somebody has gotta produce somebody else because we have kids who aren’t scoring the normal amount,” Karp said. “And, she did that tonight. She was very aggressive on the boards too. And that’s great—a senior coming in to make a difference like that.”
Senior Hannah Walsh opened up the first quarter with a smooth two-pointer. A hurried fight for the ball continued throughout the quarter, with many quick passes between both teams. The Oilers made several fouls in the beginning, allowing seniors Sarah Henry and Ashley Nguyen to make a couple of free throws.
Neither side had clear control of the court as the game was filled with a back-and-forth struggle; several scuffles for the ball also periodically occurred. Junior Mary Nguyen was one notable carrier of the ball, making swift steals and passes. Audrey Tengan also made various layups with the help of Margaret Tengan’s steals.
Nearing the end, sophomore Audrey Chow joined the court and temporarily put the Barons on the offensive. The ball eventually moved back into Huntington Beach’s possession as the quarter came to a close.
The first quarter ended 12-7 with the Barons in the lead.
The second quarter started with a tip-off to Huntington Beach, who opened with a layup. The Barons quickly came back with Margaret Tengan making several two-pointers followed by Loftis slipping one in as well. Audrey Tengan also succeeded in several free throws throughout the quarter.
While the Barons still held onto their lead, the Oilers still managed to closely trail behind with three-pointers. With 40 seconds remaining on the clock, Huntington Beach held possession of the ball.
The second quarter ended 26-20.
After halftime, the third quarter opened with the Oilers scoring then subsequently fouling. Audrey Tengan followed through with two successful free throws.
A rebound from Walsh helped put the Barons back onto the offensive and allowed for Henry and Loftis to make two-pointers. Both teams continued to have close shots throughout the quarter. With around two minutes left, the ball flew between several players on the team before Henry made a smooth layup, with an assist from Audrey Tengen.
The final minute of the third quarter finished with Huntington Beach also making a layup after a series of succeeding passes between their team.
The third quarter ended 37-27.
The final quarter began with the ball in the Oilers’ possession. Though, Margaret Tengan managed to steal it and made a layup. Chow followed with a three-pointer, then Huntington Beach made a successful shot of their own.
While both teams had been steadily climbing in points so far in the game, these last few minutes were filled with a tense back-and-forth. Both teams were successfully scoring after each other, neither backing down yet.
Notable shots came from Henry, who made two two-pointers. Chow, who had been routinely passing the ball between Nguyen and Margaret Tengan, also made a layup at around the one-minute mark.
With 30 seconds remaining on the clock, the Barons made one final layup. The game came to a close with Nguyen dribbling the ball through the court as the seconds died out.
The Barons won with a final score of 55-37.
“I think we played very well and it just shows how much growth we have as a team,” Henry said. “[I see] a bright future for our season. We’re going to win League.”
The girls’ next game will be against Marina High School in Marina High School’s gymnasium on Saturday at 2 p.m.
