Lady cagers win longest game in Bulldog basketball history
Ramona’s varsity girls basketball team won three Valley League games in one week for the first time in recent memory as they beat Valley Center and Oceanside on the road and came home to beat Orange Glen.
The Lady Bulldogs improved their record to 13-11 overall and are 6-3 in league play.
“We played excellent defense in all three games and got excellent position and controlled the boards at both ends of the court,” said coach Erin O’Connor. “That is how we like to play the game.”
The team won the longest game in school history by beating Valley Center 47-31. The game started on Jan. 20 and was completed on Feb. 1 after a rain delay.
The game resumed with the Lady Dawgs leading 8-4 in the second period. Both teams were cold but dry in the second quarter and Ramona led 15-8 at intermission.
Ramona then had its best quarter of the season as the team outscored Valley Center 23-8 to and led 38-16 going into the final eight minutes.
Kellie Schoepp recorded a double-double by scoring 17 points and hauling down ten rebounds. She also had an assist, a steal and a blocked shot.
Paige Conroy played a solid game and scored 9 points, grabbed five rebounds, and had two assists and three steals.
Tessa Balcom scored 8 points and had five steals. Tori Sheppard (2), Jessica Beam (1), Felisha Stead (8) and Courtney Robinson (2) also scored in the win.
The road continued to be kind to the Lady Dawgs as they beat Oceanside 47-23 on the coast.
Ramona used stifling defense to ensure the victory. They held Oceanside to 4 points in the first period, 6 points in the second period and 4 points in the final eight minutes by employing constant pressure and contesting every pass and shot.
Schoepp posted her second double-double of the week as she grabbed 11 rebounds and scored in double digits with 14 points.
RaeAnne Van Tol also registered a double-double as she scored 11 points and hauled down 13 boards.
Conroy scored in double digits with 10 points. Balcom (8) and Kim Whelehon (4) also scored for the Lady Dawgs.
The Lady Dawgs finished their most successful week in recent memory by coming from behind to beat Orange Glen 55-24.
The Patriots got off to an 8-4 lead halfway through the first quarter and then the Ladies of the Valley of the Sun got hot. How hot? They scored 23 straight points to rout OG.
Balcom was on fire from 3-point land as she scored all 18 of her points on six 3-point shots and she recorded three steals on defense. Schoepp sat out over half of the game because of foul trouble but still scored 17 points.
Van Tol had a torrid game as the sophomore post player grabbed a season high 19 rebounds and scored 10 points for a double-double. Conroy also continued to score as she posted 10 points.
Sheppard (9), Stead (2), Whelehon (3), Flores (2) and Beam also scored in the win. Beam contributed five rebounds and five assists.