Going into the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV basketball playoffs as the number 10 seed, the Escalon varsity Lady Cougars headed to Roseville on Feb. 18.
Their season ended there, as the host number seven seed Valley Christian Academy team defeated them 67-58.
Escalon entered the playoffs on a bit of a roll, having finished the Trans-Valley League season strong and taking second place overall with a 10-2 record, just one game behind TVL champion Ripon.
But the road to Roseville was long and the varsity girls just didn’t have quite enough firepower to get past the host Lions.
“We weathered an early storm, being down 7-2, to tie it by the end of the first quarter,” head coach Joseph Dalpogetti said. “We pushed it to a 10-point lead midway through the second but I wasn’t pleased with how we closed the half. I thought we should have extended the lead to about 15 but instead we led by only six.”
A patient and determined Valley Christian team continued to chip away at the lead and eventually pulled ahead.
“In the third they went on a run to take the lead and we struggled to make the routine plays we had been making all season,” Dalpogetti noted. “They had a 6’ 3” post that killed us on the offensive glass. She finished with 27 points.”
The coach said the Lions main guard also had 23 points and got some favorable whistles during the contest.
“Despite a perfect storm against us we still had chances late but couldn’t convert or get defensive boards when needed,” Dalpogetti explained.
Sophomore Ari Velasco had 23 points to lead the team; junior Madi Babasa had 20 and Jayci Trimble chipped in with seven points.
“Definitely not the season we had hoped for,” admitted the coach. “It’s tough to lose in the first round after advancing to the NorCals back-to-back years.”
Part of the issue came down to lost opportunities earlier tin the season, he added.
“Playing at home in the postseason is so crucial and unfortunately we had three losses on the year that should have never happened so we got sent on the road,” Dalpogetti said. “Madi and Ari had two of the best individual seasons of any players I’ve ever coached. Luckily they’re back together next year.”
He also said the two seniors on the squad, Aiden Hohenwarter and Lilly Brasil, provided tremendous leadership throughout the campaign.
“Lilly and Aiden were great role models for the program and did things the right way every day,” the coach noted. “They worked hard and let me coach them hard. They both have bright futures and will be missed by their teammates and coaches.”
Escalon ended the season with a 17-11 overall record.
Valley Christian did lose in the quarterfinal round on Feb. 20, to former TVL team Riverbank; the Lady Bruins played in the Mother Lode Leage this season and were league champions, going into the playoffs as the number two seed.
