Coyotes come back for sweep
Wendy Alexander/ The Madera Tribune Madera’s Camile DeAnda drives to the lane to score two of her team-high 10 points in a two-point victory Friday night against the Edison Tigers.
Despite shooting 26 percent from the field and missing 24 free throws, the Madera Coyotes girls basketball team battled in the fourth quarter for a 36-34 victory in Joe Flores gym.
The Coyotes shot just 19 percent from the field in the second half Friday and were just 1-of-11 from 3-point land, but came away with the win over Edison-Fresno on Senior Night.
“We know we weren’t going to lose this game,” senior Alyssa Fernandez said. “We just fought and played like we know how to play.”
“It feels great to get the win,” senior Lexi Carmona said. “We needed this win. It’s icing on the cake that it’s Senior Night.”
“They had a determination,” head coach Jason Smith said. “Alyssa and Camile (DeAnda) had that all night long. Alyssa had focus from the beginning. Camile came up big for us. She’s done that all season long.”
DeAnda led the Coyotes with a double-double. She had 10 points with 10 rebounds, six on the offensive glass. She also had seven steals to lead the Coyotes. Fernandez scored seven points, including four in the fourth quarter to go with five steals. Sofia Perez added eight points, including the go-ahead points, to go with seven rebounds.
“We got the shots we wanted,” Smith said. “Early on, we had balls go through our hands. We looked like a young team. We called time out to make adjustments and we still don’t do a good job making those adjustments. What we do as a group is continually play hard. We play hard for each other. It gives us the opportunity to grind out some wins. I’m proud of what the girls did.”
Senior Jasmine Gomes put back a miss for the first points of the game. DeAnda hit a 3-pointer for a 5-2 lead. Fernandez then hit Carmona for a layup to give the Coyotes a 7-4 lead.
Edison came back to score four points to take the lead. Madera closed the first quarter with a DeAnda steal and layup and a Cathy Figueroa free throw for a 10-8 first quarter lead.
Perez hit a 10-foot jumper to open the lead to 12-8, but the Tigers scored five straight points to take the lead. Perez put back a miss to give the Coyotes a lead.
The Tigers scored seven straight points to open a 20-14 lead.
Carmona cut into the lead with two free throws and Figueroa made a short jumper and Fernandez turned a steal into a layup to tie the score at 20 after a 6-0 run.
Edison made two free throws to end the first half with a 22-20 lead.
The Coyotes quickly tied the game with a DeAnda putback. Carmona hit BriAnn Houghton for a bucket for the lead.
Edison bounced back with a layup and an offensive putback to take a 26-24 lead.
Perez made a free throw, but it took more than a minute before the teams scored. After Houghton made a free throw, another minute went by before either team scored.
DeAnda made a free throw for a 28-26 lead, but Edison hit a jumper to close the quarter tied.
Edison made a layup and a free throw for a 31-28 lead with 3:55 left in the game.
Fernandez turned a steal into a layup for Madera’s lone field goal of the quarter. Perez made two free throws with 2:02 left to give the Coyotes a 32-31 lead.
Houghton added another free throw with 1:24 left and Carmona added another with 55.9 seconds left in the game. Edison quickly tied the game with a 3-point play with 45.7 secnds left in the game.
The Coyotes came back and Fernandez drew a foul. She made both free throws with 35.3 seconds left in the game.
Edison tried to get through the Coyotes’ defense, but DeAnda intercepted an Edison pass with 15 seconds left and was eventually fouled with 5.1 seconds left in the game.
Although she missed both free throws, Edison had one last half-court chance and it went off the back iron for a 36-34 Coyote victory.
