Pinewood girls move to 2-0 in CCS Open Division Pool B play with win over Palo Alto

Panthers survive frigid start, ride nine 3-pointers along with 15 points and 16 rebounds by Ava Uhrich in home win over Vikings

LOS ALTOS HILLS, Calif. — A cold start and a hot finish. That was the path Pinewood's girls basketball team took Monday night and where they hope it takes them the rest of an uneven 2022-23 season. 

In a game where both teams were ice cold at the outset, the third-seeded Panthers warmed up in the second half, registering a 54-46 Central Coast Section Pool B triumph over seventh-seed Palo Alto.

The host Panthers (15-10) of Los Altos Hills improved to 2-0 in Pool B play and with a win Wednesday at second seed Sacred Heart Cathedral-San Francisco (1-1) will advance to the finals to likely play longtime rival Archbishop Mitty-San Jose Friday for the CCS title. 

Not bad for the perennial California power which started the season 1-4. 

Playing before a packed house, Palo Alto (19-6, 1-1 in pool play) came out with a 2-3 zone, which rattled the 3-point oriented Panthers.

The Vikes' game plan was to let Pinewood's perimeter players try to beat them, without letting skilled 5-foot-10 senior center Ava Uhrich dominate inside. 

For a half, it worked. The Vikings led 4-2 after the first period, 20-16 at the intermission, though Uhrich had 10 of her team's points.

Ava Uhrich (Pinewood) finished with 15 points and 16 rebounds. Photo: John Reid

"We didn't expect their zone," Panthers' coach Doc Scheppler said. "We were surprised by it. We had a slow start from the standpoint of not being comfortable. We shot 9 of 39 three-pointers. That's not great. We were out of sorts in that first half."

The Panthers started the third period with a 3-pointer from Alex Facelo, who had 13 points on three 3-pointers. Paly guard Kaella Peters poured in a 3-point goal to put the Vikes up 25-22. 

Peters, daughter of Paly coach Scott Peters, led all scorers with 16 points, hitting 4 three-pointers. 

Pinewood, leading 27-26 heading into the fourth period, began to catch fire. Jolyn Ding drove the baseline, finishing with a left-handed reverse layin. Ding had 13 points, knocking down three 3-pointers. 

The Vikings' Itzel Torres stole the ball and scored, putting Paly up by one. 

The pace quickened. 

Uhrich drained a shot from beyond the top of the key. Kaella Peters answered with a 3. 

Lita Fakapelea scored in the lane for the home side, then Natalie Neumann's 3-pointer gave the Vikings a 36-34 edge. 

Fakapelea's shot from the left corner was good for a one-point Pinewood lead. The Panthers finally took control on a 3-pointer from Ding, prompting Scott Peters to signal timeout. 

"In the fourth quarter, there were three or four possessions from each team," Scheppler said. "It was they hit a three, we hit a two, They hit a two, we hit a three. It was fun. It was kids just playing basketball."

Ding hit several free throws down the stretch as Paly had to play the "foul game.'

"We had more of a sense of urgency in the second half," Ding said. "We were getting loose balls. Our shots started going in. The game opened up."

Said coach Peters: "It was a great game. Even losing, it was an exciting game to be a part of. Our team played hard and gave everything we had. We played great 'D'."

Uhrich, a transfer from Burlingame bound for Southern Utah, had 15 points, 16 rebounds, three steals and a block.

"She is a beast," coach Peters said. "She passes well, Her skip passes are a factor. She is tough to guard. She's strong. We had to tilt our defense towards her."

Said Uhrich: "Our shots ended up falling. We just kept shooting."

Paly got the last shot and it was doozy. 

Torres, who had 11 points, threw one in from beyond halfcourt to beat the final buzzer.

Palo Alto, which opened pool play with a stunning 68-51 win at Sacred Heart Cathedral, travels back to San Francisco Wednesday to face St. Ignatius. 

Friday's 6 p.m. championship is at Santa Clara University's Leavey Center.