Bishop Diego girls basketball won their ninth straight game with a 59-46 victory over Santa Paula on Monday inside the Brickhouse.
“I was very happy with how we defended,” Bishop Diego head coach Jeff Burich said. “Santa Paula has some offensive talent and we made them work for almost every point.”
Bishop Diego got out to a hot start, dominating on the defensive end and holding Santa Paula to just four points in the opening quarter en route to a 14-4 lead.
After Santa Paula battled back in the second, Bishop Diego got 10 points from Jeisa Coronado in the third quarter to build up a 40-27 advantage with one quarter to play.
Eden Wynne then came through down the stretch for Bishop Diego, hitting four three-pointers in the fourth to seal the victory.
Wynne paced the Bishop Diego scoring attack with 19 points, while Coronado closely followed with 18 points.
Bishop Diego (16-2, 2-0 Tri-Valley League) will be on the road against Santa Clara on Thursday.
Royal 38, Santa Barbara High 32
The Dons narrowly dropped a non-league matchup with Royal High on Monday inside J.R. Richards Gym.
Santa Barbara High trailed by eight in the final minutes of the game but went on a 7-0 run to cut the deficit to one point with just over a minute left.
However, Royal then converted a second-chance opportunity and knocked down a three-pointer to earn the win.
Shea Gannon put up a monster double-double for the Dons with 12 points and 23 rebounds, while Amelia Lopez tallied eight points, four rebounds, four assists and four steals.
“Shea continues to develop at a rapid pace, not too many players can bring down 23 rebounds in a game,” Santa Barbara High head coach Andrew Butcher said. “Amelia Lopez continues to develop and will be a solid point guard by the end of the season.”
Despite the loss, the Dons recorded season highs in rebounds and steals with 41 and 16, respectively.
Santa Barbara High will remain at home against Rio Mesa on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Boys Basketball
Laguna Blanca boys basketball battled to a 60-47 crosstown rivalry win over Providence on Monday in Santa Barbara.
“Props to Providence, they brought the heat on defense and pushed us to be better,” Laguna Blanca head coach Darnell Campbell said. “The beauty of basketball is its ability to reveal character. Tonight, our team showed heart and resilience.
“Our guys rose to the occasion, played smart and executed. Respect to Providence coaches and the team.”
Max Miller led the charge on both ends of the court for the Owls, collecting 20 points, five assists and four steals. Holden Pak wasn’t far behind, tallying 16 points, four assists and four steals.
Meanwhile, Luke Popovich scored seven points and hauled in 11 rebounds, and Oliver Archibald ended the day with eight points.