Support our high school sports coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribe now
SAN CLEMENTE — San Clemente and JSerra’s girls basketball teams delivered a roaring encore Saturday to their “insane” game during the summer. This time, however, the stakes were much higher.
In a second round clash in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoffs, the Tritons rallied from an eight-point deficit with just over six minutes left in the fourth quarter to snatch a 70-68 victory at San Clemente High to advance to Wednesday’s quarterfinals at Moreno Valley.
The South County rivals didn’t quite reach the same scoring output from San Clemente’s 95-89 victory at the Girls California Live showcase but they certainly outpaced that June game with excitement.
“Oh my gosh, it’s unreal,” said San Clemente sophomore Kiley Husbands, who scored a game-high 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in Tritons’ 14th consecutive win.
“The environment was just amazing. The whole city really came out and supported us and I think we just really fed off the energy that was in this gym tonight, and we fed off each other as a team.”
San Clemente guard Kiley Husbands gets open to shoot a mid-range jump shot during a 70-68 win in a second round CIF-SS Division 1 game against JSerra on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
JSerra point guard Rosie Santos drives to the basket during a second round CIF-SS Division 1 game against San Clemente on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
San Clemente guard Kiley Husbands shoots a mid-range jump shot during a 70-68 win in a second round CIF-SS Division 1 game against JSerra on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
San Clemente guard Kiley Husbands shoots a mid-range jump shot, fouled on the play by JSerra forward Vivian Grenald, during a 70-68 win in a second round CIF-SS Division 1 game between the two teams on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
San Clemente point guard Andrea Rico drives to the basket during a 70-68 win in a second round CIF-SS Division 1 game against JSerra on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
San Clemente guard Kiley Husbands shoots a layup during a 70-68 win in a second round CIF-SS Division 1 game against JSerra on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
San Clemente girls’ basketball coach Kerri Husbands greats Izzy Sims as she returns to the bench during a second round CIF-SS Division 1 game against JSerra on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
San Clemente guard Kiley Husbands, left, and JSerra guard Addie Nolan battle for the ball during a second round CIF-SS Division 1 game between the two teams on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
San Clemente guard Kiley Husbands catches a pass as she drives to the basket during a 70-68 win in a second round CIF-SS Division 1 game against JSerra on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
San Clemente guard Izzy Sims shoots the ball during a 70-68 win in a second round CIF-SS Division 1 game against JSerra on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
San Clemente guard Ellie Anderson gets open to shoot a mid-range jump shot during a 70-68 win in a second round CIF-SS Division 1 game against JSerra on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
San Clemente players celebrate their narrow 70-68 win in a second round CIF-SS Division 1 home game against JSerra on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
JSerra small forward Kayla Rice shoots a layup during a second round CIF-SS Division 1 game against San Clemente on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
Show Caption1 of 13San Clemente guard Kiley Husbands gets open to shoot a mid-range jump shot during a 70-68 win in a second round CIF-SS Division 1 game against JSerra on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
ExpandIn a game that assembled several of Orange County’s top underclassmen, it was the lone senior on the floor that delivered the go-ahead basket in the final seconds for San Clemente (25-5). Uncommitted senior Andrea Rico scored on about a 6-foot floater with 13.6 seconds to give the Tritons a 69-68 lead.
The basket by Rico answered a dramatic 3-pointer by Addie Nolan, who made the basket from the wing while being fouled to give the Lions a 68-67 advantage. The ensuing foul shot missed but JSerra (18-11) appeared to have the momentum against Orange County’s No. 2 ranked team.
But after the missed free throw, Rico aggressively drove to the basket and bounced in her clutch shot.
“She just does an incredible job of getting to the rim,” San Clemente coach Kerri Husbands said of Rico, who finished with 17 points. “It was a really tough (game). We played them over the summer at CaliLive and it was insane. We knew it was going to be like again.”
The drama continued after Rico’s final basket. Trailing 69-68, JSerra missed two fouls shots with 4.2 seconds left that could have provided the lead and silenced the boisterous home crowd.
San Clemente’s Quinsey Bryan grabbed the rebound after the second miss and was fouled. The junior sank 1 of 2 free throws with two seconds left before a halfcourt shot by Rosie Santos bounced off the front of the rim as time expired.
“It was anybody’s game at the end and it just happened to fall San Clemente’s way. They’re a tough team,” JSerra interim coach Phil Talleur said. “It came down to those scrappy plays at the end.”
One of San Clemente’s scrappiest plays came off an offensive rebound by Husbands on a free throw with 1:58 left in the fourth.
The Tritons quickly turned the rebound into a pass from Bryan to sophomore Izzy Sims in the post for a three-point play to take a 67-65 lead.
“I knew I had to give everything or we’re going home, and I didn’t want to do that,” said Sims, who scored 10 of her 16 points in the fourth period and finished with 12 rebounds.
Sims made all six of her free throws in the fourth to help San Clemente finish 7 for 10 in the final eight minutes. JSerra went 1 for 5 at the foul line in the fourth period after making 9 of 10 through three periods.
Nolan finished with 19 points, including five of the Lions’ 10 3-pointers. Santos, a sophomore point guard, added 16 points, five assists and two blocks. Sophomore Kayla Rice chipped in 12 points.
JSerra, which won CIF-SS Division 3A last season, started five sophomores. “Next year, they’re going to be unstoppable,” Talleur said of his team. “Next year, they’re going to be Trinity League champion.”
Related Articles
High School Sports | Esperanza girls basketball continues hot shooting in win over ML King in playoffs High School Sports | St. Paul boys basketball upset effort comes up short against Mater Dei in second round of playoffs High School Sports | CIF-SS boys basketball playoffs: Friday’s scores, schedule for the quarterfinals High School Sports | Pacifica Christian boys basketball defeats neighbor Newport Harbor, advances in CIF-SS playoffs High School Sports | Victory for Irvine boys basketball also a tough ending for Pasadena’s ‘rally for the community’ Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( San Clemente girls basketball edges JSerra in dramatic Division 1 second round playoff game )
Also on site :
- BetMGM Bonus Code NW150: Get Latest $150 Bonus for NBA, NHL, UFC 315
- LSU sees 4-star 2026 WR flip commitment to SMU
- 43 Mother's Day Dessert Recipes to Satisfy Every Type of Sweet Tooth