TEMPLE CITY >> The Temple City and Pacifica Christian of Newport Beach girls basketball teams both romped through the CIF-Southern Section Division 4A playoffs, winning their games decisively.
But Pacifica Christian had the more dominating performances and it showed Saturday night. The Tritons proved too much too handle for Temple City in a 69-44 win that gave the Tritons their first CIF girls basketball championship.
“Most people ask me why is (Pacifica Christian) in our division,” said Temple City coach Lyle Takeshita. “I’m thinking the same thing. But they are and we had to play them, so we did the best we could.”
Pacifica Christian (26-5) was the top seed in the division and earned a first-round bye. The team won its three playoff games prior to facing Temple City by an average score of 74-17. The most points allowed by Pacifica Christian in the first three games was 24.
Pacifica Christian celebrates after defeating Temple City 69-44 to win the Division 4A CIF-SS girls basketball championship game at Temple City High School in Temple City on Saturday, February 26, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Addison Deal #22 of Pacifica Christian celebrates with teammate Jamie MacKay #15 of Pacifica Christian after defeating Temple City 69-44 to win the Division 4A CIF-SS girls basketball championship game at Temple City High School in Temple City on Saturday, February 26, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Pacifica Christian celebrates after defeating Temple City 69-44 to win the Division 4A CIF-SS girls basketball championship game at Temple City High School in Temple City on Saturday, February 26, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Chelsea Lee #13 0f Temple City drives to the basket against Nola Mihaly-Garvin #3 of Pacifica Christian in the first half of a CIF-SS girls basketball championship game at Temple City High School in Temple City on Saturday, February 26, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Chelsea Lee #13 0f Temple City shoots against Pacifica Christian in the first half of a CIF-SS girls basketball championship game at Temple City High School in Temple City on Saturday, February 26, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Pacifica Christian celebrates after defeating Temple City 69-44 to win the Division 4A CIF-SS girls basketball championship game at Temple City High School in Temple City on Saturday, February 26, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Jamie MacKay #15 of Pacifica Christian celebrates after defeating Temple City 69-44 to win the Division 4A CIF-SS girls basketball championship game at Temple City High School in Temple City on Saturday, February 26, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Annika Jiwani #24 of Pacifica Christian goes up to block a shot against Chelsea Lee #13 0f Temple City in the first half of a CIF-SS girls basketball championship game at Temple City High School in Temple City on Saturday, February 26, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Temple City fans cheer against Pacifica Christian in the first half of a CIF-SS girls basketball championship game at Temple City High School in Temple City on Saturday, February 26, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Temple City looks on as Pacifica Christian defeated Temple City 69-44 to win the Division 4A CIF-SS girls basketball championship game at Temple City High School in Temple City on Saturday, February 26, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Kassandra Gewecke #5 of Temple City scrambles for the loose ball against Nola Mihaly-Garvin #3 of Pacifica Christian n the first half of a CIF-SS girls basketball championship game at Temple City High School in Temple City on Saturday, February 26, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Tallulah Trieu #22 of Temple City shoots against Annika Jiwani #24 of Pacifica Christian in the first half of a CIF-SS girls basketball championship game at Temple City High School in Temple City on Saturday, February 26, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Addison Deal #22 of Pacifica Christian drives to the basket against Temple City in the first half of a CIF-SS girls basketball championship game at Temple City High School in Temple City on Saturday, February 26, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Ava Carter #12 of Pacifica Christian drives to the basket against Temple City in the first half of a CIF-SS girls basketball championship game at Temple City High School in Temple City on Saturday, February 26, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Lauren Chee #23 of Temple City shoots against Pacifica Christian in the first half of a CIF-SS girls basketball championship game at Temple City High School in Temple City on Saturday, February 26, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Jamie MacKay #15 of Pacifica Christian blocks a shot against Temple City in the first half of a CIF-SS girls basketball championship game at Temple City High School in Temple City on Saturday, February 26, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Kassandra Gewecke #5 of Temple City scrambles for the loose ball against Nola Mihaly-Garvin #3 of Pacifica Christian n the first half of a CIF-SS girls basketball championship game at Temple City High School in Temple City on Saturday, February 26, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Head coach Chyanne Butler of Pacifica Christian looks on against Temple City in the first half of a CIF-SS girls basketball championship game at Temple City High School in Temple City on Saturday, February 26, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Chelsea Lee #13 0f Temple City drives to the basket against Pacifica Christian in the first half of a CIF-SS girls basketball championship game at Temple City High School in Temple City on Saturday, February 26, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Ava Carter #12 of Pacifica Christian derives to the basket against Temple City in the first half of a CIF-SS girls basketball championship game at Temple City High School in Temple City on Saturday, February 26, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Head coach Chyanne Butler of Pacifica Christian reacts against Temple City in the first half of a CIF-SS girls basketball championship game at Temple City High School in Temple City on Saturday, February 26, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Temple City fans cheer against Pacifica Christian in the first half of a CIF-SS girls basketball championship game at Temple City High School in Temple City on Saturday, February 26, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Head coach Lyle Takeshita of Temple City reacts against Pacifica Christian in the first half of a CIF-SS girls basketball championship game at Temple City High School in Temple City on Saturday, February 26, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Temple City fans look on as Pacifica Christian celebrates after defeating Temple City 69-44 to win the Division 4A CIF-SS girls basketball championship game at Temple City High School in Temple City on Saturday, February 26, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Head coach Lyle Takeshita of Temple City reacts against Pacifica Christian in the first half of a CIF-SS girls basketball championship game at Temple City High School in Temple City on Saturday, February 26, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
“It’s been a great season,” said Pacifica Christian coach Chyanne Butler. “We’ve seen them get better and better, and all I ask from them is to work hard and to be good people at the end of the day.”
Temple City (21-8) came into the championship game having won its first four playoff games by an average score of 54-35. It upset No. 2-seed Aquinas 65-49 on Wednesday in a game that saw the Rams lead by 32 points at halftime.
Temple City had won 11 games in a row, but it was overmatched against Pacifica Christian’s size, length, speed and defensive pressure.
“We tried to hang around,” Takeshita said. “That was our thing. If we could hang around, we would have a chance. But they’re pretty tough.”
Temple City did hang around. The Rams trailed 18-8 after the first quarter despite nine turnovers as a result of Pacifica Christian’s tough defense.
Temple City cut the lead to 18-11 early in the second quarter when Tallulah Trieu hit a 24-foot 3-pointer. She finished with a team-high 14 points off the bench.
The Tritons wasted no time by answering with a quick 7-0 run to extend its lead to 25-11.
Temple City trailed 28-19 later in the quarter when Kristi Huynh came off the bench to hit a 3 with under a minute left before half. She scored 23 points and hit six 3s in the win against Aquinas, but she was held to five points by the Tritons.
Pacifica Christian scored the quarter’s final five points to take a 33-19 lead into halftime.
The Tritons led 52-27 after three quarters. The two most impressive shots were from freshman standout Addison Deal. She buried a 25-foot 3-pointer to put Pacifica Christian up 44-20, then hit a 22-foot 3 toward the end of the quarter to put her team up 50-27.
Deal finished with a game-high 25 points. She entered the championship game averaging nearly 22 points a game.
“She’s just flat-out amazing,” Butler said of Deal. “She can pass the ball. She can shoot the ball and she’s becoming a great leader. She’s becoming a great defender. She does everything we can ask for. We’re happy for her to be part of the team.”
Three other Tritons scored in double figures. Lauryn Ham had 14 points. Annika Jiwani scored 11 and Jamie MacKay added 10 points and hauled down 13 rebounds.
Chelsea Lee scored 11 points for Temple City. Audrey Yoshimura contributed seven points before fouling out in the fourth quarter.
“I’m disappointed we lost but we gave it our all,” Takeshita said.
He added that he was proud of the team’s run to the championship game.
“I tell them game after game, we take it one game at a time,” he said. “Same thing throughout the playoffs. We can’t look toward the championship. We have to beat the first team and then the next team. We did what we needed to do. I’m proud of these girls.”
Temple City’s season isn’t over. The Rams will head to the CIF State playoffs that start next week. The pairings will be released Sunday.
