Nordhoff Misfires in Defeat to Muir

PASADENA — The Nordhoff High girls’ basketball team couldn’t have picked a worse time for a shooting slump.

After making 21% of their shots in the Southern Section Division III-A final against Bishop Montgomery, the Rangers were only slightly more accurate against Muir in the first round of the Southern California Regional Division III tournament.

Nordhoff made seven of 30 shots in the first half, when it fell behind by 15 points, and never recovered in a 66-54 loss Tuesday night at Muir.

The Rangers (23-6) didn’t help themselves by committing 25 turnovers.

But what might have hurt most was when 6-foot-4 sophomore center Christen Roper got into foul trouble. She picked up her third foul early in the second quarter and played sparingly the rest of the way before fouling out early in the fourth quarter.

She finished with four points, all in the first quarter.

“When she got her third and fourth fouls, that really hurt,” Nordhoff Coach Jack Smith said. “For us to lose her in the middle was very big.”

The loss of Roper left Nordhoff vulnerable inside against Muir (25-7), the Southern Section Division III-AA champion.

That made it easier for Mustang center Charel Bailey, who had 14 points, and forward Tiana Sanders, who had 13.

Smith said he was also impressed with the outside shooting of the Mustangs, who got 11 points from Chevonne Winters and 10 points from Tyrea Smith.

“I knew [Sanders] and [Bailey] were good,” Smith said. “I knew they had good post players, but they were a little better outside-shooting team than when I saw them against Alemany.”

Nordhoff, which made 15 of 36 shots in the second half, was led by Nell Becker with 18 points and Erin Barker with 15. Becker made four three-point baskets, all in the second half.

It was too little, too late for the Rangers.