Strong defense helps Lady Jags win two straight in basketball

Lauren Gilster (21) goes up for the opening tip-off against Canyon Crest. (photos by Ray Flores)

A suffocating defense an a balanced offense were the keys to a pair of Valley League wins for the Valley Center varsity girls basketball team this week.
The Lady Jaguars held their two opponents to a total of 52 points for the week, while racking up an average of 52 points on offense over those same two contests.
The first win came last Tuesday at home against San Dieguito Academy, as the Lady Jags clamped down on defense right out of the gate in taking a 51–29 win.
The Lady Mustangs couldn’t bury a basket to save their lives, especially in the first half, as Valley Center held them to just nine points in the two opening periods. The Lady Jaguars, meanwhile, patiently moved the ball around and scored eight in the first quarter and 12 more in the second to hold an 11-point lead at the break.
San Dieguito finally started hitting some shots in the third quarter and came up with 13 points in the period, but the Lady Jags scored 12 in the quarter and still held a ten-point advantage heading into the final period. In the fourth quarter, Valley Center outscored San Dieguito 19–7 to end any hopes of a comeback.
Miriam Zabinsky led all scorers with 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Sidney Reilly added 11 points and ten rebounds, Lauren Gilster had seven points and 12 rebounds, Vinessa Perryman had seven points, Andie Wagner had four points and seven rebounds, Sophie Hernandez had two points and Kelli Imgrund had one point.
The Lady Jaguars went on to host league rival Orange Glen on Friday, and this time turned up the defensive pressure in the second half to take a 53–23 victory.
In both of the first two quarters, the Lady Jags outscored the Lady Patriots 16–8, giving Valley Center a 16-point lead at halftime.
In the second half, the Lady Jaguars completely snuffed out any offense Orange Glen attempted to muster, holding the Lady Patriots to just seven points in the half. Meanwhile, the Lady Jags scored 13 in the third quarter and eight more in the fourth to put the game away.
Zabinsky once again scored 19 points to top the scoring, while Reilly added 11 points, Wagner had seven, Victoria Navarro had five, Gilster had four, Tyler Carr and Perryman each had three and Darin Gilmore had one.
Valley Center is now 12–11 overall and 3–1 in league. The next game is a home game against Canyon Crest on Friday at 5:30 p.m.