Girls have ups, downs

Laguna Beach’s girls’ basketball team earned a seventh-place finish at the Garden Grove Tournament by defeating Santa Ana, 49-40, in their tournament finale Saturday.

In the seventh-place game, the Breakers led by as many as 19 points in the fourth quarter to coast to the win. Three Breakers scored in double figures with Emily LaRose getting 15 points, Tess Grogan 14 and Lauren Kelly 12.

Emily Writer and Samantha Garner each scored four points and Garner also hauled in 19 rebounds.

“The girls played hard once again,” Laguna Coach Jon Hendrickson said. “Our three seniors led the way scoring in double figures and playing solid defense throughout the game.”

The Breakers opened the tournament Dec. 26 and beat host Garden Grove, 64-58. Laguna opened up a 15-point lead early but the Argonauts fought back to pull to within 31-30 at the half.

The Breakers regained control in the third quarter and LaRose hit a key three-point shot in the fourth quarter to hold off Garden Grove.

Grogan topped all scorers with 21 points, Writer posted 15 points and Kelly scored 17.

“We got off to a great start jumping ahead by 15 early,” Hendrickson said. “We put up 19 points in the third quarter however and Emily LaRose hit a huge three-pointer in the fourth quarter to stymie any comeback they might have made.

“Freshman Emily Writer played her best game of the year and seniors Lauren Kelly and Tess Grogan were solid as always.”

Laguna followed up that strong performance with what Hendrickson called “one of our worst games” of the year, a 41-31 loss to Segerstrom.

“We couldn’t convert easy opportunities and therefore lost by 10,” he said.

But the Breakers responded with what he said was one of their best performances of the young season, although it resulted in a 65-62 loss to Trabuco Hills.

Laguna was down by 10 at the half but staged a “great” comeback to take a one-point lead with under a minute to play.

Writer scored 20 points and Kelly 18 to pace Laguna.

“I was proud of our team’s effort all-around and thought they played great,” Hendrickson said. “Our tournament game ball went to Lauren Kelly who played solid throughout (the tournament), averaging more than 14 points a game and over 10 rebounds.”

Laguna, which is 4-8 following Wednesday’s 46-37 setback against Corona del Mar, next plays Jan. 11, when it opens Orange Coast League play at Calvary Chapel.