Scripps Ranch continues hot streak, beats Morse

Just weeks before the season began, Scripps Ranch High School’s girls basketball team was dealt a serious blow.

Senior Clare Valentine, bound for Idaho State, a second-team All-CIF player as a junior when she averaged 19.9 points, underwent shoulder surgery and was lost for the season.

“We were shocked,” said 6-foot-2 senior Katrina Purcell. “We didn’t know what to expect.”

Added sophomore Marissa Antonio: “We were all shocked.”

After a sluggish 1-4 start, the Falcons have gathered themselves and are now on a roll.

Scripps Ranch opened Western League play Friday night at Morse and dealt the Tigers a 45-33 loss.

It was the Falcons’ ninth win in the last 10 games as the visitors improved to 11-6. Morse dropped to 9-8. The Tigers have lost five of six.

The key to Scripps Ranch’s run has been a spread-the-wealth, balanced attack. Six different players have led the team in scoring this season. The Falcons came into the Morse game with only one player, senior Averie Bristow, scoring in double figures; she averaged 10.7 points pregame. But three others averaged 7.1, 7.4 and 9.5 points per game.

“Any night, one can go off,” said head coach Roger DiCarlo, in his first season as the Falcons’ head coach after coaching at San Marcos for 20 years.

“We don’t have one superstar now. It’s a team,” said Purcell. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a freshman or senior or whoever. We all just believe in each other.”

Against Morse, sophomore guard Marissa Antonio carried the heavy scoring load, scoring 14 points. Bristow and freshman Maxine Long both scored nine.

The first half was not an offensive clinic. Scripps Ranch led 17-9. Both teams committed 14 turnovers.

In the third quarter, Scripps built its biggest lead of the night at 30-16. With 4:32 to play in the fourth quarter, Morse pulled to within six, 32-26.

Scripps, though, didn’t panic. First, sophomore Esme Martinez hit a 3 from the corner. Next trip down the floor, freshman Alex Hare dropped a 3 from the wing. The lead was up to 12 and Morse would get no closer than nine.

“Me, personally,” said Purcell, “I’m mature enough that I don’t get too panicked in those moments. I feel we’ll settle down, keep doing our plays, keep moving the ball, trust our shots will go in.”

Purcell is an inside presence. She grabbed seven rebounds against Morse, scored four points and recorded four blocks. She came in averaging a section-leading 4.3 blocks.

“I have a long wingspan to start,” said Purcell. “I played volleyball for two years, that helps. And I have good timing.”

“I think they’re playing with more confidence,” said DiCarlo. “The truth is, this is a very young team. (Two sophomores and two freshmen see significant playing time.) Earlier in the year we would have lost a game like this.”

Junior Khamyah Rockett scored 20 of Morse’s 33 points.