Crescenta Valley finally ends drought against rival Muir
By Alonso Tacanga, Special to the Daily News
Updated: 02/01/2010 10:50:35 PM PST
Muir of Pasadena girls' basketball coach Gary Johnson had no explanation for what he witnessed Monday night from Crescenta Valley of La Crescenta senior guard Cassie Pappas.
"I don't know what Cassie came up with tonight," Johnson said following his team's 61-50 Pacific League loss to Pappas' Falcons. "But she probably had 40 points. She shot well."
Whatever Pappas - who actually finished with 22 points - thought of to finally snap the six-year winning streak Muir (13-7, 9-1) had over C.V. (19-4, 9-1), it came at the best possible time.
The Falcons' win split the season series between the teams and created a first-place tie with four games left.
Pappas, one of five seniors who had to endure Muir's dominance over the Falcons - which spanned 11 games - did it the long way. Pappas, who had 33 points in a 59-50 loss Jan. 11 at Muir, had five of her team's 10 3-pointers in the rematch.
"I was just feeling good today," Pappas said.
C.V. wasn't feeling good early on as the Mustangs built an 11-2 lead, which appeared to kill any kind of pregame momentum the Falcons might have had. But C.V. regrouped quickly and, behind an 18-7 run, took a two-point lead. The Falcons never trailed again.
"That showed the maturity of my team," Falcons coach Jason Perez said.
C.V. used a 16-6 second-quarter surge to blow open the game. Muir didn't pull closer than eight points and trailed by as many as 18 in the second half.
"(Crescenta Valley) just wanted it more," Johnson said.
The Mustangs lost a league game for the first time in 52 tries. Their last league loss had been a 56-54 setback to Pasadena on Feb. 9, 2006. Pappas was in middle school then.
Ani Ebrahimian had 10 points and Melanie Samvalian scored eight points and grabbed eight rebounds for the Falcons, whose last victory over Muir came Feb.6, 2004 at C.V. with a 45-44 triumph. Taylor Gomez led Muir with 14 points while Daysha Thomas had 13.
Updated: 02/01/2010 10:50:35 PM PST
Muir of Pasadena girls' basketball coach Gary Johnson had no explanation for what he witnessed Monday night from Crescenta Valley of La Crescenta senior guard Cassie Pappas.
"I don't know what Cassie came up with tonight," Johnson said following his team's 61-50 Pacific League loss to Pappas' Falcons. "But she probably had 40 points. She shot well."
Whatever Pappas - who actually finished with 22 points - thought of to finally snap the six-year winning streak Muir (13-7, 9-1) had over C.V. (19-4, 9-1), it came at the best possible time.
The Falcons' win split the season series between the teams and created a first-place tie with four games left.
Pappas, one of five seniors who had to endure Muir's dominance over the Falcons - which spanned 11 games - did it the long way. Pappas, who had 33 points in a 59-50 loss Jan. 11 at Muir, had five of her team's 10 3-pointers in the rematch.
"I was just feeling good today," Pappas said.
C.V. wasn't feeling good early on as the Mustangs built an 11-2 lead, which appeared to kill any kind of pregame momentum the Falcons might have had. But C.V. regrouped quickly and, behind an 18-7 run, took a two-point lead. The Falcons never trailed again.
"That showed the maturity of my team," Falcons coach Jason Perez said.
C.V. used a 16-6 second-quarter surge to blow open the game. Muir didn't pull closer than eight points and trailed by as many as 18 in the second half.
"(Crescenta Valley) just wanted it more," Johnson said.
The Mustangs lost a league game for the first time in 52 tries. Their last league loss had been a 56-54 setback to Pasadena on Feb. 9, 2006. Pappas was in middle school then.
Ani Ebrahimian had 10 points and Melanie Samvalian scored eight points and grabbed eight rebounds for the Falcons, whose last victory over Muir came Feb.6, 2004 at C.V. with a 45-44 triumph. Taylor Gomez led Muir with 14 points while Daysha Thomas had 13.