A tough non-league matchup against a Hart team that reached the CIF-SS Division 2AA championship game last season was an investment into the future for the San Marcos High girls’ basketball team.
The Royals faded in the second half of s 61-50 loss, but the high level of competition was intended to battle harden a San Marcos team that is loaded with freshmen and sophomores.
“They won CIF in our division last year so I thought this would be a good matchup in the preseason to give us a barometer of where we are for league,” said San Marcos coach Tiffanny Simms. “We have five returning seniors and the rest of our players are freshman and sophomores. We are fairly young again.”
Hart’s Morgan Mack was a problem for San Marcos. She finished with a game-high 21 points and her aggression attacking the rim in transition and the half court was a driving force for the visiting Indians.
“She is strong so you’re never going to rip the ball from her,” Simms said. “She has a good move that when she gets stopped she {protects} the ball like a running back.”
Hart jumped out to a 9-2 lead on a mack layup with three minutes remaining in the first quarter. However, San Marcos closed the quarter on a 12-5 run capped off by basket inside by Carley Nielsen.
The Hart offense exploded for 21 points in the second quarter, including a three-pointer by Arleigh Eav as the buzzer sounded that put the Indians ahead 35-25.
An offensive rebound and putback by Natasha Stapf cut the San Marcos deficit to 41-35 with 3:30 remaining in the third quarter.
Another Hart basket at the buzzer, this time by Mack increased the lead to 48-40 going into the fourth quarter. A three-point play by Andrea Ania increased the Hart lead to 57-42 midway through the fourth quarter. San Marcos picked up the pressure and closed the game on an 8-4 run, but the deficit was too much to overcome.
“I’m happy overall with the outcome. It wasn’t for wins and losses. It was more so we got better than last game,” Simms said. “Our pressure on defense was better, our offense was more organized and it was better so every game up until league I’m just asking the girls to get better at the things we’re working on and I think we did that.”
Maria Shtykova was the only San Marcos player to finish with double figures in points as she scored ten. Natasha Stapf added nine points.
The next home game for San Marcos is on November 30 against Bishop Diego.