Flames tame Bobcats in tourney opener
Monica Valenzuela hit a 3-pointer that jump started the Lodi High girls basketball team on Thursday night.
Hosting the Ben Holt Academy squad in the opener of the three-day annual Lodi Flames Invitational at The Inferno, the Flames blasted into an early lead that led to a 66-16 win over the Bobcats. The win moves Lodi into tonight’s winner bracket of the eight-team tournament against Rio Americano of Sacramento, which beat Downey of Modesto.
According to Lodi coach Brandon Shea, Ben Holt Academy was a last second fill-in for Delhi, which had scheduled two tournaments for this weekend but opted to play in a Merced area tournament. But Ben Holt Academy agreed to play only the tourney opener. Notre Dame of Belmont has agreed to play in place of Ben Holt, in the loser’s bracket, on Friday and Saturday.
After Valenzuela, a forward who finished with nine points, canned her trey, the Bobcats countered with a Lodi turnover. That led to Ben Holt Academy guard Suki Garcha making a 3-pointer to tie the game at 3-3. Each team traded a possession each, then Lodi took the lead for good when guard Aliana Gravenkamp (game-high 15 points) sank 1-of-2 free throws for a 4-3 lead.
The first quarter ended with Lodi taking a 27-3 advantage. Most of the Flames’ points came off Bobcats’ turnovers, and then driving to the basket where either a Lodi player
passed the ball past the arc and baseline, if not took the shot.
“Run some half-court offense, run a few fastbreaks to establish a comfortable lead,” said Lodi assistant coach Todd Fabian.
Lodi pulled its starters in Valenzuela, Gravenkamp, forwards Alexa Brand and Alexis Costa and center Aubrey Andrews three minutes into the quarter. Shea and his assistant coaches Fabian, Del Enos and Kelsi Meier substituted freely for the remaining 13 minutes of the first half.
In the second quarter, Lodi continued its scoring spree with a 17-6 run, recording points almost similar to what it did in the opening quarter. That cushioned the Flames’ advantage to 44-9 at halftime. The Bobcats used a 2-3 zone defense, which didn’t slow down the Flames from scoring, mostly off Ben Holt Academy turnovers.
“We’ve been seeing zone defenses the last three, four games,” Fabian said.
Both teams agreed to a running clock in the second half. The third quarter saw Lodi outscore Ben Holt Academy 13-0 for a 57-9 advantage.
Behind Gravenkamp and Valenzuela in scoring for the Flames were guard Zoe Faulkner, who also had nine points. Ellie Van Tasse followed with five points, Katelyn Eproson and Veronica Alejandrez four points each, and Andrews, Marissa Fabian, Acosta, Abby King and Malina Nino two each.
Garcha had eight points for the Bobcats. Liszet Burgueno followed with four.
Lodi and Rio Americano are scheduled to tip-off at 8 p.m.
Bear Creek and Bella Vista won their tourney openers against Florin of Sacramento and Turlock Christian, respectively. Bear Creek and Bella Vista will square off in the other winner’s bracket today at 6:30 p.m.