A big scoring night from Justine Katz powered Dos Pueblos girls basketball to a 62-51 win over Thousand Oaks on Tuesday inside Sovine Gym.
Katz dropped a team-high 26 points in the victory, including a 10-point first quarter to set the tone for the rest of the game.
“Justine came out strong right out of the gate and set the tone for our offense,” Chargers coach Manny Murillo said. “She can shoot, drive, and pass. She made some big improvements on her shot this last club season and has made it a strength of hers in her senior season.
“She was hot in the first quarter so her teammates kept feeding her. That’s one thing I love about this team: they recognize when someone is feeling it and will look for them.”
After a bit of a slow second quarter, Dos Pueblos turned it up in the second half with 37 total points to pull out the 11-point win. Eight different Chargers found the bottom of the bucket.
“We had good all-around scoring tonight,” Murillo said. “Having multiple scorers really makes my job easy as a coach. I trust all of my kids and their ability to score the ball.”
Following Katz’s big performance were Lauren Robles, Taylor Grant and Carly Letendre with eight points apiece.
“Lauren had a really good game tonight,” Murillo said. “She let the game come to her and played loose and confident. She got downhill and rebounded the ball well.
“Our staff was pleased with our effort on the offensive boards. Thousand Oaks is a big strong team. Our kids showed they can out-rebound a bigger team with anticipation and effort. If we defend, shoot, and rebound well we’re a tough team to compete with.”
The Chargers (12-4, 3-0 Channel League) will return to league play with a crosstown rivalry matchup against San Marcos at home on Thursday at 7 p.m.
