CIF Girls' BBall: Jordan Runs Past Redondo Union, 58-40

CIF Girls' BBall: Jordan Runs Past Redondo Union, 58-40 by J.J. Fiddler | Jordan | 02.19.10 | | Text Size: + - This website picked Jordan to finish second in the Moore League because of their speed and guard play. As if to validate our choice after the fact, the Panther guards shined and used that quickness to pull away from the visiting Redondo Union Sea Hawks in the first round of the CIF playoffs at Jordan High last night, and they never looked back. Senior guard India Burke scored seven of her 12 points in the first quarter as the Panthers built a lead they would not relinquish on their way to a 58-40 win. Senior guard Danesha Long dropped a game-high 16 points for Jordan and junior captain Kyasha Wilson added seven points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. Shayna Stuart led the way for Redondo with 13 points, four assists and two steals. "They did a good job of switching defensive looks on us," said Jordan head coach Adara Newidouski. "But we settled down and ran some plays off sets... the focus is always on us and what we're doing. In the second half we played good defense, and when we take it up a notch from where it was, we control the game... [Burke] is set for isolation early, and the more aggressive she is, the better we are." Burke was aggressive all right as Jordan stayed in the press for most of the game (15 first half turnovers for Redondo) and she turned two steals into those seven first quarter points to go up 15-4. Stuart got out behind the Panther pressure and her two lay ups near the six minute mark pulled Redondo to within four, but that's as close as they would get all night. Long, Burke and Wilson all made consecutive trips to the free throw line after the Sea Hawk mini run, and the Panthers took a 33-20 lead into halftime after grabbing 10 points at the charity stripe in the second quarter alone. Long led the charge to the line, and with fellow guard Armani Wiley on the bench with early foul trouble, she knew what she had to do. "I knew I had to lead for my team," said Long, who also had five rebounds and five steals. "That's what [the press] is there for... we just need to play smart and play hard on defense. Coach [Newidouski] is right, this is a special group. There's no reason we can't make it to the finals." Jordan opened the third quarter with a 15-7 run that was punctuated by a nifty pass from Erienei Alesana to Long on the baseline. That gave Newidouski her first honest smile of the night, and gave the Panthers their biggest lead of the night, 23 points. Jordan will most likely travel for the next round on Saturday, and will see the winner of the Schurr/Warren game. This website picked Jordan to finish second in the Moore League because of their speed and guard play. As if to validate our choice after the fact, the Panther guards shined and used that quickness to pull away from the visiting Redondo Union Sea Hawks in the first round of the CIF playoffs at Jordan High last night, and they never looked back. Senior guard India Burke scored seven of her 12 points in the first quarter as the Panthers built a lead they would not relinquish on their way to a 58-40 win. Senior guard Danesha Long dropped a game-high 16 points for Jordan and junior captain Kyasha Wilson added seven points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. Shayna Stuart led the way for Redondo with 13 points, four assists and two steals. "They did a good job of switching defensive looks on us," said Jordan head coach Adara Newidouski. "But we settled down and ran some plays off sets... the focus is always on us and what we're doing. In the second half we played good defense, and when we take it up a notch from where it was, we control the game... [Burke] is set for isolation early, and the more aggressive she is, the better we are." Burke was aggressive all right as Jordan stayed in the press for most of the game (15 first half turnovers for Redondo) and she turned two steals into those seven first quarter points to go up 15-4. Stuart got out behind the Panther pressure and her two lay ups near the six minute mark pulled Redondo to within four, but that's as close as they would get all night. Long, Burke and Wilson all made consecutive trips to the free throw line after the Sea Hawk mini run, and the Panthers took a 33-20 lead into halftime after grabbing 10 points at the charity stripe in the second quarter alone. Long led the charge to the line, and with fellow guard Armani Wiley on the bench with early foul trouble, she knew what she had to do. "I knew I had to lead for my team," said Long, who also had five rebounds and five steals. "That's what [the press] is there for... we just need to play smart and play hard on defense. Coach [Newidouski] is right, this is a special group. There's no reason we can't make it to the finals." Jordan opened the third quarter with a 15-7 run that was punctuated by a nifty pass from Erienei Alesana to Long on the baseline. That gave Newidouski her first honest smile of the night, and gave the Panthers their biggest lead of the night, 23 points. Jordan will most likely travel for the next round on Saturday, and will see the winner of the Schurr/Warren game.