Stallions fall late in semifinal game

Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune

Madera South’s Brianna Lorta drives the lane to score two of her team-high 16 points in a semifinal loss to Selma last Wednesday in the Cen-Cal Holiday Invitational basketball tournament.

The Madera South Stallions girls basketball team crumbled at the end while the Selma Bears outscored the Stallions 20-12 in

the fourth quarter for a 43-28 victory at Matilda Torres in the Cen-Cal Holiday Invitational.

The Stallions couldn’t find enough offense, especially in the fourth quarter against Selma. Madera South led most of the way in last week’s semifinal game, but couldn’t hit shots late while the Bears ran past the Stallions.

Brianna Lorta led the Stallions with 16 points, but she was the lone scorer in double-figures. Alannah Ward added eight points, but four other scorers combined for 14 points.

The Bears took the early lead, but almost three minutes passed before either team scored. Lorta broke the drought with a pair of free throws.

Selma took the lead, but Lorta hit a 3-pointer and Ward made a layup for a 7-4 lead.

The Bears made a layup at the end of the first, but Madera South still led 7-6.

The Stallions scored the first six points of the second quarter when Mayra Ceballos hit a 10-foot jumper, Ward drove to the bucket for a layup and Lorta made another layup. After a Selma free throw, Jocelyn Barrera made a bucket from underneath the basket for an 8-1 run and a 15-7 lead.

Selma answered with a 3-pointer and a free throw to cut the lead to two with 1:37 left in the half. Then, Jalissa Kirkpatrick came down with a rebound and threw a long pass to Ward for an easy layup.

However, at the end of the first half, Ward was hit with a technical foul and Selma made one-of-two free throws to cut the lead to

17-14 at the half.

Mayrlin Vasquez opened the second half scoring for the Stallions with a layup off an assist from Barrera and made another layup to open a seven-point lead.

After a Selma 3-pointer, Lorta made a layup and Ceballos made a free throw to get the lead back to seven. Selma hit a jumper and made a 3-pointer to cut Madera South’s lead to two.

Ceballos scored down low to get the lead to four, but Selma made a free throw for a 26-23 Madera South lead. Both teams didn’t score over the final 2:16 of the quarter ahd Madera South nursed its three-point lead.

Jasmine Marrero opened the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer to get the lead to six.

Selma made a free throw and put back a miss. They added back-to-back layups to take a 30-29 lead.

Lorta gave the Stallions the lead back with a 3-pointer, but Selma tied the score with a layup.

Unfortunately, it was the beginning of a 9-0 run for the Bears. A layup, two free throws and a 3-point play gave the Bears a 39-32 lead with about a minute left in the game.

Ward made two-of-three free throws to cut the lead to five, but Selma made a layup.

Selma was hit with a technical foul and Lorta made both free throws with 42 seconds left. However, Madera South was hit with a technical and Selma made one of its free throws for a 42-36 lead.

Lorta put back her own miss to get the lead to four, but the Bears made a free throw while Madera South turned the ball over for a 43-28 victory.