Almiranez continues to be Ocean View’s first option

Reporting from Villa Park — On Monday night, the Los Angeles Lakers retired Kobe Bryant’s No. 8 and No. 24 jerseys, honoring one of basketball’s greatest scorers.

On the same day as Bryant’s jersey retirement ceremony, Ocean View High was in a one-point game against Pacifica. The previous time Erica Almiranez had taken a last-second shot, it went off the glass before falling off the rim in a one-point overtime loss to Sage Hill in a tournament on Dec. 4.

Against Pacifica on Monday night and in another tournament, Almiranez took the shot with the game on the line again. She brought the ball up the court and drained a game-winner in the key as the clock ran out.

Growing in confidence, the senior guard has emerged as the leader of the Ocean View girls’ basketball team on a nightly basis.

Almiranez had 26 points, five rebounds and four steals to lead the Seahawks over El Modena 60-45 in a pool play game of the second annual Lady Spartans Winter Shootout on Tuesday night at Villa Park High.

“I want to be in that spot to do that multiple times,” Almiranez said of taking the key shots. “I think it’s a matter of just keep going. If I’m so hot, I’m shooting the ball, whether I make it or miss it. It’s just kind of unconscious.”

Almiranez connected on six three-pointers. She also made six shots from beyond the arc in a game against Costa Mesa on Friday.

Behind Almiranez’s shooting, Ocean View (5-4) is in line to advance to the tournament championship game on Saturday. The Seahawks will get there with a win over Capistrano Valley on Thursday at 6 p.m.

“It’s huge, but this is all Erica,” Seahawks coach Kim Morris said of her team being in position to make the tournament final. “She comes out, and she is a stud. She puts on a show, no matter what. She puts her own team on her back.”

Helen Reynolds complemented Almiranez’s outside shooting in the post. She scored 17 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. The junior center drew five shooting fouls against the Vanguards (6-5), primarily by making herself a presence on the offensive glass.

Morris said that her team did not lead until the very end of Monday night’s game against Pacifica. The Seahawks made a point of getting off to a fast start on Tuesday.

Ocean View’s Hosanna Walker (1) fights for a rebound against El Modena on Tuesday.

(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer )

Freshman forward Hosanna Walker was particularly active, scoring four points with seven rebounds, two blocks and a steal in the first quarter. Ocean View ended the quarter up 14-4, and it opened that lead to 30-11 at halftime.

“I was just giving my energy for the team,” Walker said. “I was hustling back on defense.”

Kasey Torres added 10 points and six rebounds for the Seahawks, while Michaela Fernando made a three-pointer from near the half-court line to beat the halftime buzzer.

*

Ocean View 60, El Modena 45

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Ocean View 14 – 16 – 18 – 12 — 60

El Modena 4 – 7 – 15 – 19 — 45

OV – Almiranez 26, Reynolds 17, Torres 10, Walker 4, Fernando 3.

3-pt. goals – Almiranez 6, Fernando 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

EM – Tjoa 14, Conner 12, Akemi-Takagi 5, Ando 5, Reyes 4, Sarinana 2, Cabrera 2, Bennett 1.

3-pt. goals – Ando 1, Reyes 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

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