With a game on the road Tuesday and a home game on Friday, the Escalon varsity basketball girls put both in the win column, looking to solidify their playoff position.
“We went to Hughson on Tuesday (Feb. 4); got off to a little bit of a slow start and only led 9-4 after one,” said head coach Joseph Dalpogetti. “We had a big second quarter and led 33-11 at the half.”
Another 20-plus point quarter in the third saw the varsity girls taking a 54-17 lead entering the final frame and they put away the host Lady Huskies by a 62-26 final.
“They box and oned Ari (Velasco) all game so Madi (Babasa) stepped up,” the coach said. “She had 31 points in the game without playing the fourth quarter.”
The team had their league bye on Thursday but were back on the court Friday, Feb. 7 as they hosted Ripon Christian.
It was a game in which the home team took control early and never let up, rolling to a 64-21 TVL win.
“We led 19-9 after one and pulled away with a 24-3 second quarter to lead 43-12 at the half,” explained Dalpogetti. “RC threw the kitchen sink at us defensively. They opened up in a 1-3-1, went to a box and one, a 2-3 zone, and even a little man late. We just consistently hit shots.”
Babasa again led the way in terms of the scoring, putting 27 points on the board against the visiting Lady Knights. Velasco had a solid night with 20 points and Ayana Cocio had 15, with all five of her baskets coming from three-point range.
Babasa had 58 points in two games this week for the Lady Cougars.
“Her journey has been incredible,” Dalpogetti said of Babasa, a junior this year. “She’s the only one left in her class that played for me in eighth grade and we weren’t very good. Her freshman year she played varsity but didn’t start until the five playoff games we played that year.”
Originally told by her coach to focus on playing good defense, Babasa has evolved into one of the team’s elite scorers as well.
Also settling in is junior Cocio, playing her first full season at the varsity level. She enjoys all facets of the game and was happy with the three-point shots she hit against RC.
“I think it’s just a feeling; it’s just blocking out the external thoughts and trusting my ability to make the shot,” she said. “Overall, I feel more confident in my abilities as a player.”
She was quick to add, however, that her focus is the team’s success.
“Wanting what’s best for the team and prioritizing needs of the team over any individual kind of accomplishments,” Cocio said of what’s most important to her when she steps on the court.
She is confident the team will continue to work hard, and she’s hoping the season is a long way from over as they get ready to enter the postseason.
Putting together some solid minutes for the squad in the home win on Friday was senior Lilly Brasil, battling for some key rebounds and playing tough defense.
“We were hoping to just get another win under our belts; we need to step it up in TVL,” Brasil said of working for a high seed in the playoffs.
She also said the team has come together at the right time, moving toward a common goal.
“I think we’re doing great together, we’ve been doing a lot of team-building activities and I think that we’re starting to become a cohesive team,” Brasil added.
It couldn’t come at a better time, as the squad will wrap up TVL play this week and then move on to the playoffs.
Thursday night, Feb. 13, the varsity will have their regular season finale at home, hosting Orestimba with a tip off time of 7 p.m.
The Escalon JV girls did fall at home on Friday to the Ripon Christian team but lost by just a 27-23 final.
“We lost to them by a 40-20 score the last time so we are improving and we are a young team,” explained JV head coach Tanae McCurley.
Escalon had the lead 8-7 after one but went cold over the second two quarters before finding the range again to score 15 points in the final frame and get close to the win.
Carli Jones had 10 points on the night, Nadia Graham added seven.
Earlier in the week, the JV girls lost at Hughson, 41-22.
