The Palo Alto High School girls’ basketball team (13-4, 7-0) defeated the Mountain View Spartans (7-11, 0-7) 59-51 this Friday at Paly. The Lady Vikes remain undefeated in Santa Clara Valley Athletic League play.
Although the Spartans have not won a game in the league season, they proved they had talent, keeping up with the Lady Vikes throughout the game. Paly was carried through the night by 23 points from guard Emilee Osagiede (‘12) as well as standout performances from post Katerina Peterson (‘11) and guard Mariah Philips (‘11).
The first quarter was filled with quick counterattacks from both sides. Mountain View captain, guard Sharissa Estremera (‘11), gave Mountain View an edge with back-to-back 3-pointers early on, as well as one coming later in the quarter. However, Paly had no problem matching up with Estremera’s strong 3-point shooting, and the quarter ended with Paly leading 16-13 due to ferocious offense from Osagiede.
“[Osagiede] was a big threat,” Estremera said. “We tried to handle her but she was a really strong player.”
After a slow start to the second quarter, the Lady Vikes found their rhythm, scoring two 3-pointers of their own, coming from point guard Sydney Davis (‘11) and guard Shamelia Clay (‘12) to close the half with the score standing at 33-25.
In the third quarter, however, the Spartans came out firing, scoring 11 points to Paly’s four. Early on in the period, the teams went back and forth with steals, but Paly seemed to be having some trouble at the basket on both sides of the court.
Paly needed something to turn the game around, and that something came from Peterson late in the third quarter. The Lady Vikes were ahead by two points, 38-36. Then, Peterson came up with an offensive rebound in the final moments of the quarter, and scored to bring the score to 40-36.
“I think that Kat’s rebound was critical to the game,” Paly head coach Scott Peters said. “It was an effort play, she got an offensive rebound, put it back in. Such a great hustle play was huge for us.”
The fourth period was the same back-and-forth action that had just passed in the third quarter, but this time both teams had success at the basket. Philips scored back-to-back 3-pointers to open the quarter, to which Mountain View’s Estremera responded to with a 3-pointer of her own. Paly led 46-43 with six minutes left in play.
“When you get in these type of games where it’s a struggle and it’s close with two or three points and they have a great 3-point shooter [in Estremera] — those are the games she’s going to put those threes in,” Peters said.
However, from those six minutes onward, the Spartans were only allowed eight points while Paly was able to put away 13 on offense.
“[I] think that the real girl that was a big factor was Mariah [Philips],” Peters said. “When we needed her today, she was ready. She’s a great teammate, she’s been shooting and preparing — and tonight was her night.”
Osagiede also came out ready for the game not only in her style of play but also in her mindset. Both Osagiede and her teammates are careful not to underestimate any team in their league.
“We just gotta come out the same way we came out against Gunn,” Osagiede said. “We gotta treat every team the same.”
The Lady Vikes face the Monta Vista Matadors this Wednesday at Monta Vista at 7:00 p.m.