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Santa Margarita’s new-look girls basketball team continued to show promise Thursday at the SoCal Holiday Prep Classic in San Diego.
Freshmen Elle Palmer and Gwen Julianel combined for 29 points and transfer point guard Madi Lam played strong man defense as the Eagles opened the NCAA Gold Division with a 61-51 victory against previously undefeated Cathedral Catholic of San Diego at Canyon Hills High.
Ranked seventh in Orange County, Santa Margarita (12-3) started two freshmen, two juniors and a sophomore against the Dons (6-1), who reached the CIF SoCal Regional semifinals last season in Division III.
“We beat a good team,” said Palmer, a forward who led the Eagles with 17 points, including two 3-pointers. “It’s good to be 12-3. (It’s) what we expected. We worked hard to be here.”
Santa Margarita received 12 points off the bench from Julianel and steady play at guard from freshmen Katie Wang (five points, four assists).
The freshmen trio has joined forces with Lam, a transfer from Esperanza, junior post Jennea Holmes and sophomores Taylor Black and Grace Anderson and senior Fallon Boyle.
“We’re coming along,” fifth-year Santa Margarita coach Seyram Bell said. “It helps that the girls are just a good bunch. They get along well. They’re fueled by each other. They want to play hard for each other. They motivate each other. I like that and I appreciate that.”
Wang and Palmer sank consecutive 3-pointers in the middle of the second quarter as the Eagles opened a 25-17 lead.
Lam scored six of Santa Margarita’s first eight points of the second half to push the advantage to 36-24.
The Eagles closed the third quarter strong and led 56-36 with about 5 1/2 left in the fourth period before Cathedral Catholic surged.
“I like the way we were competing,” said Cathedral Catholic coach Jackie Turpin, whose team played without injured point guard Lilly Teresi. “(Santa Margarita) shot the ball well, moved the ball well and I love the pressure defense they play.”
Lam mostly guarded senior Maddie Moeller, a Southwestern Oklahoma State commit who scored 12 of her game-high 21 points in the fourth. Mckinley Hanlon added nine of her 20 points in the fourth.
Lam finished with eight points and seven rebounds.
Palmer, the daughter of Santa Margarita’s recently-hired football coach Carson Palmer, had two blocks to share the team-lead with Anderson. Palmer added three steals and five rebounds.
On Friday, Santa Margarita faces the Sonora-Pleasant Valley winner in the semifinals.
In other games at the SoCal Holiday Prep Classic:
In the WNBA Premier Gold Division:
Beckman 60, La Jolla Country Day 52: Jeanette Fabella sank a 3-pointer from the corner for a 57-48 lead with 1:08 left in the fourth and the Patriots (9-4) knocked off the four-time state champion Torreys (7-5) at Canyon Hills.
“I think that might be the biggest win in the program’s history,” said Beckman coach Jason Edgmond, whose squad climbed to No. 11 in Orange County this week. “We thought we would come here and could win. It’s not a surprise to us that we won.
“We feel like we haven’t played four full quarters against a quality team yet,” the coach added. “Tonight was the first time that we played four full quarters, even through foul trouble. … Really proud of this group.”
Alexia Gallegos sank a high-arching 3-pointer early in the fourth for a 48-37 lead and finished with a team-high 15 points. Point guard Taylor Tam added 10 points as seven different players scored for Beckman.
The Patriots play the Palos Verdes-Oak Ridge winner in the quarterfinals on Friday in the tournament’s top division.
In the NCAA Premier Division:
San Juan Hills 41, Victory Christian of Chula Vista 25: Anna Shreeve scored 18 points at Canyon Hills to lead the No. 12 Stallions (8-6), who play the Acalanes-Paramount winner in the semifinals Friday.
At the Surf City Holiday Classic:
San Clemente 70, Fountain Valley 58: Reese Tremper had 18 points and 11 rebounds and Kiley Husbands added 17 points and 13 rebounds to lead the No. 5 Tritons (9-4) at Marina. Kailey Nishi scored 15 points — on five 3-pointers — to lead the No. 21 Barons (8-5).
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