The squad picks up do-or-die victory in regular-season finale to punch playoff ticket.
By: Holdenn Graff, Sports Editor
With a spot in the playoffs on the line, sophomore Venus Gaoa and the Lady Monarchs earned a
57-46 home win over Antelope Valley to set up a first-round battle at Santa Ana on Wednesday.
Ahead of their Friday night duel against the Marauders, the stakes were simple. A victory would
secure Valley’s third consecutive playoff appearance. A loss would end their season.
Nearing the end of January, it looked like the squad had begun to find their stride. Following a
sluggish 6-9 start to the season, the Monarchs strung together a 4-1 stretch from Jan. 15 to Jan.
27 that put them at 10-10, seemingly positioning themselves for a late-season push. However, a
3-4 stretch to follow muddled the team back in murky waters with only the regular season finale
remaining to decide their fate. Gaoa and the rest of the team knew that they would have to work
extra hard to come up with the big-time win.
“We prepared very well,” she said. “We learned from our last mistakes in film, listened to our
coaches, made good adjustments, and came prepared as much as we could.”
In the leadup to Friday’s do-or-die contest, the Monarchs had seen a drop-off in their play since
the end of January. Their 3-point shooting, which stood at 34.4 percent during their 4-1 stretch,
had fallen to just over 28 percent since. Meanwhile, their overall field goal percentage dipped
from 43.6 percent to 36.4, and their scoring average plummeted from 73.6 points per game to
55.3. It was clear that adjustments would need to be made for Friday’s contest.
The game was back-and-forth in the first half, with the two teams trading buckets as neither
managed to gain a significant edge. Valley headed into halftime trailing 30-28, with Gaoa leading
the scoring with 8 points. It was an electric third quarter for the Monarchs, who exploded out of
the gates on a 14-4 run. Heading into the fourth, they led 51-36. Despite being outscored 10-6 in
the quarter, Valley managed to hang on and deliver the crucial win.
Gaoa finished as the squad’s leading scorer, posting 20 points, 4 rebounds, and an assist.
Madison Guerrero chipped in 11 points and Laila Salazar added 10 points. Samantha Maldonado
posted a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Maldonado finished the season
averaging a double-double in conference play.
Following the game, Gaoa emphasized the importance of playing her role, drawing the defense
in and searching for open looks. She mentioned having trust in her teammates to go to work and
do what they do best. The sophomore also reflected on her time as a part of the program, as she
and six other sophomores were recognized before the game for Sophomore Valley Pride night.
“There’s a lot of family [here],” she said. “We have a great, great program with good coaches
that really have our back on and off the court,” she said. “I’m just grateful to be here.”
With the regular season behind them, the journey for Gaoa and the rest of the squad is not over
yet. As they gear up for the most important time of year, the team will look to build on their
success from Friday night and try to put together a playoff run to remember.
Valley is set to face Santa Ana in the SoCal regional playoffs Friday 7 p.m. at Santa Ana College.