Santa Clarita Valley basketball fans were treated to a thriller on Tuesday in the opening game of the girls’ basketball Foothill League season as Canyon outlasted Saugus at home in overtime, 47-46.
It was a game that tested the patience of both coaches after watching their teams struggle to make baskets throughout, only for players to come up in the clutch time and time again late in the contest.
Canyon freshman Darby Dunn hit the game-winning 3-pointer with 30 seconds to go in overtime to lift the Cowboys (3-1, 1-0) to victory over the Centurions (1-4, 0-1).
“I think a lot of people underestimated us, and I still think we’re gonna be a different team in February,” said Canyon head coach Jessica Haayer. “I pray on that, and I know it will be. But you know, what a way to start the Foothill season.”
Dunn scored 12 while junior Shannen Wilsen, who played at Saugus her freshman year, had a game-high 20 points. Wilsen opened the game with a seven-point first quarter.
Haayer said there may have been “a little vendetta” for Wilsen playing her former team.
“I think she wanted to win, you know,” Haayer said of Wilsen. “And I think Darby has played with some of those kids in club. There’s a lot of animosity that goes on in this valley. So, I think playing them in the Foothill league is fun. And it’s interesting, I’ll tell you that.”
Senior Lanie Rafkind helped out with nine points for Canyon, including a couple of key triples in overtime.
Saugus had led for nearly the entire game after running out to a 17-12 lead after one quarter and holding the Cowboys scoreless for the first two and a half minutes. Canyon didn’t lead until it was 30-28 late in the third quarter.
A back-and-forth fourth quarter saw a flurry of action in the final couple of minutes. The lead changed hands on seemingly every possession as both teams wanted to start league play off with a victory.
“Neither one of us had a great third quarter scoring-wise,” said Saugus head coach Anthony Falasca. “Fourth quarter and overtime, obviously we scored a lot more … If I could play the game again, I don’t know that I would change anything.”
The Saugus game plan seemed to be working for most of the game. High energy and tempo saw the Centurions constantly on the move, but a lid seemed to be on the basket for them after an impressive start.
“I’m excited to watch film and see what we didn’t do well, besides miss shots,” Falasca said. “I think we didn’t box out and rebound the way that I would have liked. But I thought energy, intensity — we had two girls in double-figure rebounds.”
Sophomore Rachel Correa led Saugus with 13 points. Junior Jasmine Garcia hit three 3-pointers on her way to 11 points, while junior EvaMarie Rios had eight points.
The Centurions were without junior Natalie Weathers, who was hurt in just the second game of the season. Falasca said the team is still learning to play without one of its veteran leaders.
“Unfortunately, we start league this early, and now we’re learning we got to learn to play a different way,” Falasca said. “The way we played tonight, we have not practiced playing that way. So, yeah, we got more shots, and we got the shots we wanted, but we were pounding the ball inside. We had two 6-footers starting, now we have one.”
It could be quite the Foothill League season if things turn out the way Falasca and Haayer think. Both coaches are of the mind that the league title is up for grabs after Hart won it each of the past two years, sharing it in 2023 with Canyon.
The two teams will meet again Jan. 17 for a highly anticipated rematch.
“Without a doubt, at their place especially,” Haayer said.
Saugus hosts Valencia on Friday while Canyon travels to West Ranch.
Around the league
The Hart Hawks got their league campaign started with an emphatic 65-35 home win over the Valencia Vikings on Tuesday.
Senior Morgan Mack led the Hawks (4-1, 1-0) with 27 points as four players scored in double figures. Seniors Andrea Aina and Emery Eav scored 10 points each, as did junior Faith Purfoy.
Valencia (5-1, 0-1) saw its perfect start to the season end. Junior Cara McKell had 14 points and five rebounds. Freshman Kamilla Basyrova had 12 points.
Hart has its bye on Friday.
Over at West Ranch, the Wildcats (4-2, 1-0) took down Castaic (2-4, 0-1), 42-21.
Castaic hosts Golden Valley on Friday after the Grizzlies had the first bye of the season on Tuesday.
