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IRVINE — Coach Mark Decker still firmly believes his Corona del Mar girls’ basketball team will make the CIF Southern Section Division IV-AA playoffs.
If that’s true, the Sea Kings will have a lot to work on before said playoffs start next week.
Corona del Mar fell to Irvine, 57-37, on Friday night at Irvine High in a game that determined the third and final guaranteed playoff spot from the Pacific Coast League.
The teams split their two head-to-head meetings and both finished 3-5 in league, making the tiebreaker game necessary.
Corona del Mar now must apply for an at-large bid. The team’s résumé looks good, with an 18-9 record and a No. 15 ranking in Division IV-AA, although the third spot in league the Vaqueros got may earn them a more desirable first-round opponent.
“We’re expecting to get in,” Decker said. “I’m sure [Friday night’s loss] probably doesn’t help [CdM’s draw]. Nothing we can do now.”
What Irvine (14-10) did was pressure Corona del Mar all night, creating turnovers and easy chances. A 20-point margin wasn’t expected after the first two games were close, CdM winning, 42-41, on Jan. 13 and Irvine winning, 58-52, on Jan. 29.
But Decker said the turnovers hurt his club this time around.
The Vaqueros opened the game on a 10-2 run, but CdM responded with a 13-1 burst, capped by a three-pointer from sophomore Ellie Nadal, that gave the Sea Kings a 15-11 lead after a quarter.
The second and third quarters were totally different stories, though.
“[Irvine] probably had at least 20 points off turnovers,” said Decker, formerly the boys’ coach at Irvine. “I think some inexperience showed for us ... We made a great run at the end of the first quarter, then we come out at the beginning of the second and it’s turnover, turnover.”
Up by eight at halftime, the Vaqueros continued extending their lead in the second half. It reached as much as 23, at 54-31, midway through the fourth quarter.
Irvine junior forward Kristan Liddle owned the paint, finishing with 15 points, 17 rebounds, four steals and four blocks. Her hustle also hurt the Sea Kings on numerous occasions.
