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Portola girls basketball goes the distance to beat Buena Park in 2AA quarterfinals

February 20, 2025

BUENA PARK – Portola girls basketball coach Brian Barham was asked before his team played Buena Park on Wednesday what the Bulldogs would need to do to win.

“We might lose the first six rounds,” he said. “But we’re going to win the final six rounds.”

Portola fell behind by double digits early, had a great second quarter to take the lead and traded punches with Buena Park in the second half to beat the Coyotes 66-62 in a CIF-SS Division 2AA quarterfinal playoff game at Buena Park High.

The Bulldogs (17-14) will play at Oak Park (19-3) in the semifinals Saturday. It will be the first CIF-SS semifinal for Portola’s girls basketball program; the school opened in 2016.

By reaching the CIF-SS semifinals Portola qualified for the CIF Southern California Regional playoffs that begin March 4.

Portola freshman reserve guard Yuri Ha scored a team-high 16 points including four 3-pointers.

“The freshman earned her stripes tonight,” Barham said. “Every player has that game where they announce themselves to the Orange County basketball community and tonight was her night.”

Kara Niho and Madison Nguyen scored 11 points each for the Bulldogs.

Nguyen was 5 for 6 at the free-throw line in the fourth quarter. She made two free throws with three seconds remaining to complete the four-point margin.

“That was a great moment for that kid,” Barham said. “I’m glad the basketball gods gave it to her.”

Buena Park senior Gloria Barrera went into this week averaging 30 points and that’s how many she scored Wednesday. She also had nine rebounds.

Coyotes senior Mya Barnes scored 14 points with eight rebounds.

Now, about that 12 rounds of boxing metaphor …

“Rumble in the Jungle,” Barham said, referring to the classic 1974 heavyweight championship fight in which Muhammad Ali voluntarily leaned back on the ropes to take a beating from George Foreman for the first few rounds until Ali suddenly turned on his energy in the eighth round to knock out Foreman.

“I show our kids the video of that fight every year,” Barham said. “Every year. George Foreman. ‘Rope-a-dope.’”

Buena Park surged to an 18-8 lead in the first quarter in which Barrera, with her large arsenal of moves, scored 13 points. Portola climbed back into the game with a late run in the quarter. Buena Park took a 20-16 lead into the second quarter.

Ha’s first 3-pointer put Portola ahead for the first time 26-25. Nina Saiki’s 3-pointer in the quarter gave the Bulldogs a 32-27 lead to complete a 24-9 run. Portola had a 37-33 advantage at halftime and a 49-45 lead at the end of the third quarter.

Buena Park’s Ava Wiley made a 3 to open the fourth quarter to make it a one-point game, 49-48. Barrera scored seven points in the fourth quarter to lead the Coyotes, but Portola kept hitting its shots, too. Ha made another 3 pointer, Bianca Morrell and Amelia Booth made clutch baskets, Saiki made four three throws and Nguyen made her five in the final moments to get Portola the win.

Portola was the quicker of the two teams, and had an abundance of energy in the fourth quarter.

“We’re not going to start strong all the time,” Nguyen said. “We’re smaller and play more of a 3-point game. But we knew once we got it going we were going to start winning from there.”

Orange County Register

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Portola girls basketball goes the distance to beat Buena Park in 2AA quarterfinals

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