The Monte Vista Christian girls’ basketball team, seeded No. 7, kept its cool and sunk its free throws in the closing minutes of Thursday night’s 48-44 Central Coast Section Division IV win over unseeded Pacific Grove High.
Sophomore guard Madison Hill had 22 points, and senior forward Lauren De Los Santos added nine points, including six in the fourth and a big steal in crunch time to help seal the victory.
“It was back and forth,” Hill said. “We just had to push through.”
M.V.C. (12-13) pushed right through to the quarterfinal round.
The Mustangs, fourth-place finishers in the Monterey Bay League Gabilan division, will play No. 2 Notre Dame-Belmont today at 6:15 p.m. at Scotts Valley High.
The Tigers (12-11) finished last in the West Bay Athletic League Foothill division.
Despite having only two seniors on the team, M.V.C. extended its streak of winning at least one playoff game to seven straight seasons.
“We started off shaky, and I think it was the nerves of CCS,” Hill said. “We’ve never had a crowd that big before. We were too energetic and spastic. By halftime, we got ourselves back together.”
• Carlmont 50, Watsonville 20 – No. 12 Watsonville High saw its season come to a close on Thursday night against No. 5 Carlmont High in the second round of the CCS Division I playoffs.
Senior point guard Savanah Quintana had 12 points and seven rebounds, and senior wing Evelyn Rios added seven points and seven rebounds for Watsonville (16-10), which this season won its first playoff game since 2008.
The Wildcatz will graduate six players from its roster of 12: Jackie Barocio, Maria Castillo, Julisa Vega, Janeth Salcedo, Rios and Quintana.
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BOYS
• Soledad 44, Aptos 40 – No. 5 Aptos High was stunned in the second round of the CCS Division III playoffs by No. 12 Soledad High on Thursday night at home.
Aptos finishes the season with a 17-10 overall record, and will graduate seven players from a roster of 12: Jackson Carver, Rashaun Wooden, Logan Southhall, Jose Mendoza, Forrest Hays, Gino Stefanini and Blake Welle.
