Second quarter dooms Warriors in girls basketball playoffs

In three of the four quarters of the girls basketball playoff game Feb. 21 between Fallbrook High School and Helix High School each team scored the same number of points. Helix's 10-point advantage in the second quarter gave the Highlanders a 60-50 victory in the CIF Division II first-round playoff game at Helix.

Fallbrook held a 15-12 lead in the second period before a nine-point Helix run gave the Highlanders a lead they never relinquished. The Warriors were able to close the gap to 23-21 before a Helix run of six points provided a bigger cushion for the home team.

"We're just young and we need some experience with this kind of pressure," said Fallbrook coach Joe Barrios. "We made some silly mistakes."

"The team came out," said Helix coach Freddie Garrett. "They played 32 minutes. We kept making a lot of turnovers. We made our layups and we made our free throws."

The Warriors held a 6-0 lead before Helix scored its first points with 5:38 remaining in the first quarter. Fallbrook twice again obtained six-point leads with the final one being a 10-4 advantage with 2:21 left in the initial period. Three subsequent Helix baskets tied the game and the Highlanders took a 12-10 lead before Taylor Evans sunk her third basket of the quarter 20 seconds before the buzzer to create a 12-12 tie after the first eight minutes.

Eight seconds into the second period Kate Calhoun was successful on a three-point shot to give the Warriors a 15-12 lead, but they would not score again until Calhoun made a free throw with 5:53 remaining in the first half. Riley Sullivan's three-point bucket with 4:37 remaining in the period created a 23-21 score, but the next Fallbrook point was from an Iman Saadat free throw 1:33 before the end of the quarter.

During the halftime break Helix held a 32-22 lead. Each team scored 12 points in the third period for a 44-34 score entering the fourth quarter, and the Warriors and Highlanders each added 16 points in the final period.

"I'm disappointed," Barrios said. "We expected to win. We really did."

Sullivan, Saadat and reserve Alyssa Ware were Fallbrook's only seniors. All eight of the Helix players who scored are seniors. The Highlanders also had a height advantage, which accounts for one of Fallbrook's deficiencies during the game.

"We got out-rebounded again, and as soon as we can fix that we'll be good," Barrios said.

The Highlanders had 43 rebounds with 20 on offense and 23 defensive boards. Helix also blocked 12 Fallbrook shots.

Mariyah Howard led the Highlanders with 14 points, and she also led the team with 11 rebounds. Charity McWashington scored 11 Helix points.

Evans and Calhoun each scored 10 points for the Warriors. Nya Jackson, Sullivan, and Jessica Wilbert added eight points apiece. Saadat closed out her high school basketball career with three points. Faith Pilbin made a free throw for one point.

"I'm proud of these girls," said Barrios. "They fought hard. They fought hard all year."

Helix was given the fifth seed in the Division II playoffs. Fallbrook was seeded twelfth among the 16 playoff teams.

Fallbrook concluded the season with an overall record of 10-12 including a 4-4 statistic in Valley League play which gave the Warriors third place in the final standings.

"I think we underachieved, but I'm proud of them," Barrios said.

The team played the entire season without sophomore Riley Barrios, who is expected to be recovered from her ligament surgery by the 2018-19 season. Barrios was expected to be a starter, and sophomore Antonia Rosario had been a starter until a concussion during league play ended her season. The 2017-18 varsity roster included two juniors and seven sophomores. None of Fallbrook's players were varsity starters during the 2016-17 season.

"I look forward to the next couple of years with these girls," Joe Barrios said.