Mulgrave Titans Sr. Girls Top Burnaby Central Wildcats In First-Round Matchup

Mulgrave Sr. Girls vs. Burnaby Central

(photo credit: Carol Horn)

Mulgrave and Burnaby Central battled it out just a couple of weeks ago in exhibition play, which saw Mulgrave defeat BC 60-30. But with Mlugrave missing two starters today, BC is hoping to battle in a closer game as both teams open up play in the 2024 No Regrets Tournament. 

Mulgrave wins the tip but can’t capitalize on their first possession, which ends with a free for all after a loose ball, and a Mulgrave foul. BC can’t score on their first possession but Mulgrave gets a lay-in by #24 Deanna Naemi to open up the game’s scoring. BC opens scoring with a sneaky pass from #5 Emerald Vu to #18 for a lay-in. Mulgrave implements a full-court press early which causes a turnover but the score remains 4-2 for Mulgrave. After several scoreless possessions back and forth, #4 Riley Armstrong has a nice pass into the post, #32 Emma Hoogendorn, for Mulgrave, but it seems a foul may have been missed by those in the stripes. Mulgrave fights for the ball back but turns it over on a drive by #1 Maryam Mojarradi, as BC steps into the lane to take the ball away from the home team. BC #30 heads to the line for 2 shots, misses both, but BC’s #10 Jaya Jawandha gets a rebound and puts it back, bringing the game to within 2 points. Mulgrave continues pressing, causing problems for BC, and increasing their lead to 10 points.  

Score after the first quarter: Mulgrave 14- Burnaby Central 4. 

Mulgrave opens up the second quarter with a three pointer. After some great ball movement from BC, they get the ball downlow to #33 Kristina Mesic, who is fouled and heads to the line, but can’t decrease Mulgrave’s lead. Kristina then gets a steal on the next possession, but Mulgrave’s defensive pressure is proving to be a burden for BC. #10 Lisa Saba for Mulgrave gets a nice offensive rebound and puts it in from down low for 2. The stands are starting to fill up here at Mulgrave’s beautiful facility as their mascot tries to pump up the crowd.  Mulgrave Senior Boys take on Alberta’s Harry Ainlay next. With 6 minutes to go in the half, Mulgrave leads 20-6; BC’s #5 Emerald Vu then drains a baseline three. Mulgrave attempts three of their own on back-to-back-to-back possessions, but they don’t drop. 

BC’s #5 Emerald Vu drives, is fouled, and she heads to the line for two, draining both free throws. After a Mulgrave foul, BC’s #32 Pola Debski hits an and-one, heads to the line, and makes her shot, bringing BC within 6 points. But, Mulgrave rebuttals and does the same on their next possession at the other end of the floor, nulling BC’s potential comeback. Mulgrave continues through the first half with their full-court press which helps them increase their lead-Mulgrave #24 Deanna Naemi’s last-second three helped too!

Score at the half: Mulgrave 34-Burnaby Central 16

Half-time fact: Free throws are important!

Mulgrave comes out strong with a made three to open the second half. They continue pressing full-court…will BC have a solution coming out of the locker room? BC’s #3 Stephy Shen commits an offensive foul but gets a defensive rebound on Mulgrave’s shot, to go the other way. There’s great hustle from Mulgrave’s #2 Mikaela Nyandoro on two different steals in BC’s end of the floor, when she’s then fouled and goes 1-2 from the line. Mulgrave leads 41-16. 

Two free-throws from Mulgrave’s #1 Maryam Mojarradi takes Mulgrave to their largest lead of the afternoon at 25 points. BC’s Vu then goes end-to-end off a steal, and gets the hoop and the harm, heading to the line, but the play finishes as a 2-point play. Mulgrave’s #2 Nyandoro comes back with a beautiful lay-in amongst several BC defenders, making it look easy. BC isn’t going down without easily though: BC’s #5 Vu heads to the line, with #18 getting an offensive rebound off her second shot, then putting it up and also getting fouled and heading to the line. Mulgrave can’t seem to get it back to their end, after a couple of steals by BC, and fouls by Mulgrave, in their own end, but they don’t seem worried with a 28 point lead. 

I remember my high school coach (and Dad) always saying “free throws are paramount!”; I’m not sure what the free-throw percentage is in this game prior to the half, but it can’t be above 50%, although in the third quarter, Mulgrave’s #2 Nyandoro and BC’s #3 Shen both go to the line on back-to-back possessions and each drain both, which helps! These two teams seem to be trading fouls on subsequent possessions in this third quarter. 

Score at the end of third quarter: Mulgrave 56-Burnaby Central 22

Mulgrave opens up the fourth quarter with a 9-0 scoring run. After trading back-to-back scoreless possessions, BC breaks their drought with a made free throw. Mulgrave’s #11 Arianna Cau scores a nice lay-in breakaway as Mulgrave now leads 67-25. 

Final Score: Mulgrave 69- Burnaby Central 25

No Regrets.