By Uy Pham
The Fountain Valley High School girls’ basketball team (2-4) won their second home game in a row against Artesia High School on Wednesday. The Barons dominated all four quarters of the game and finished the game with a score of 61-13, even holding the Pioneers to a scoreless third quarter.
Junior Candice Tran led the scoring for the Barons with 12 points, followed by senior Lizzie Fast’s three three-pointers for a total of nine points. On the defensive side, sophomore Sophie Hsieh recorded several steals throughout the night. The game featured various rotations of lineups, but freshman Kaylie Sasaki proved to be a prime facilitator for the Barons throughout the entire night.
For both the offensive and defensive side of the game, junior Krystal Pham led the Barons with six rebounds.
“Tran hit eight points when we needed that spark, Krystal Pham kept battling and battling and [Fast] found her shot,” head coach Marianne Karp said. “I am happy for them because they’ve been working so hard to get to that point.”
The Barons got off to a fiery start, with several steals from Hsieh leading to a layup and side-step shot by Tran for a 4-0 lead. Junior Melody Nishi contributed by securing a rebound which led to a layup on the offensive end.
This pattern was persistent throughout the rest of the first quarter, as the Barons maintained tight defense to force multiple turnovers from the Pioneers. Eventually, Tran would secure a steal on her own as Waite scored a layup for a double-digit lead.
With 4:21 remaining, the Pioneers responded by converting a free throw but drives from Krystal Pham and junior Dasani Pham again extended the lead to 14-1. Sasaki scored a pull-up jumper, and Artesia responded with another free throw to end the quarter with the Barons leading 16-2.
Early on in the second quarter, the Barons maintained their continual defense but struggled to convert baskets on the offensive side. However, sophomore Kailey Nishi opened up the scoring with a three-pointer. The Pioneers responded with a layup and a three-pointer, but Sasaki scored another pull-up jumper for a lead of 23-7 with 4:23 remaining.
“Defensively, we need to do a little bit better job help side,” Karp said. “We’re still reaching in and not moving out the front to get the stop.”
Hsieh yet again recorded two more steals, but this time joined by senior Samantha Nguyen recorded a steal as well. The Barons finished off the quarter with a 6-0 run, with Waite and Tran scoring several baskets to secure the halftime lead.
The beginning of the third quarter featured Tran’s personal scoring run, in which she scored two three-pointers and a drive to the basket to extend the score to 39-7. With 5:30 remaining, Waite scored a high-arching two-pointer, and Melody Nishi joined in on the three-pointer action.
However, as the third quarter progressed, the Barons continued their pattern of solid ball movement and defense but struggled to convert more three-pointers.
Fast ended the drought by sinking a three-pointer, and with 2:18 remaining, Krystal Pham and Kailey Nishi each scored a layup to end the quarter with a 49-7 lead. With the Barons’ steady defense, the Pioneers had been held scoreless in the third quarter.
To start the fourth quarter, Fast scored two three-pointers in rapid succession. Pham scored two points, and the Pioneers answered with a three-pointer of their own. Pham scored a put-back shot, followed by a mid-range shot from Samantha Nguyen.
Finishing the game, the Pioneers converted an and-one play for a final score of 61-13 in favor of the Barons.
“Super happy with their no quit. The focus is on the fundamentals, regardless of the score,” Karp said. “You have to practice perfectly because when you’re in a more competitive situation, you need to have that groundwork down.
The Barons will play their next away game against El Toro High School on November 30 at 7:00 p.m.
“I really like our energy. I like where we are at,” Karp said. “We started off playing some really good teams. It shows now because we’re really battling, working hard and not quitting.”
