No. 2 seed Flintridge Prep finishes fast, beats Corona del Mar to reach girls basketball quarterfinals
Flintridge Prep senior Ashley Chea admitted she was a little nervous before her team’s CIF-Southern Section second round game against Corona Del Mar. Chea said she thinks those nerves rubbed off on her younger teammates to start the game. But that slow start ended with a fast finish led by Chea and the Wolves as they advance to the Division 3AA quarterfinals thanks to a 57-46 win on Saturday night.
Ashley Chea of Flintridge Prep is guarded by Samira Dass
of Corona del Mar during the second round of CIF Southern Section playoffs February 11, 2023.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)
Ashley Chea of Flintridge Prep puts up a shot against Corona del Mar during the second round of CIF Southern Section playoffs February 11, 2023.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)
Alexa Rokos of Corona del Mar against Flintridge Prep during the second round of CIF Southern Section playoffs February 11, 2023.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)
Flintridge Prep girls basketball coach Kevin Kiyomura looks on as they defeat Corona del Mar in the second round of CIF Southern Section playoffs February 11, 2023.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)
Corona del Mar girls basketball coach Brason Alexander talks to his team during a timeout as they play Flintridge Prep in the second round of the CIF Southern Section playoffs February 11, 2023.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)
Alexa Rokos of Corona del Mar drives to the hoop while guarded by Maddie Smith of Flintridge Prep during the second round of CIF Southern Section playoffs February 11, 2023.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)
Alexa Rokos of Corona del Mar puts up a shot while guarded by Maddie Smith of Flintridge Prep during the second round of CIF Southern Section playoffs February 11, 2023.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)
Maddie Smith of Flintridge Prep is fouled byCorona del Mar during their game in the second round of the CIF Southern Section playoffs February 11, 2023.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)
Ashley Chea of Flintridge Prep puts up a shot against Corona del Mar during the second round of CIF Southern Section playoffs February 11, 2023.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)
Alexa Rokos of Corona del Mar puts up a shot against Flintridge Prep during the second round of CIF Southern Section playoffs February 11, 2023.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)
Ashley Chea of Flintridge Prep and Alexa Rokos of Corona del Mar chase down a loose ball during the second round of CIF Southern Section playoffs February 11, 2023.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)
Ashley Chea of Flintridge Prep is all smiles as they defeat Corona del Mar in the second round of CIF Southern Section playoffs February 11, 2023.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)
Flintridge Prep players celebrate after defeating Corona del Mar in the second round of CIF Southern Section playoffs February 11, 2023.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)
Corona del Mar’s Dorothy Schwenck makes a move to the basket as they face Flintridge Prep in the second round of CIF Southern Section playoffs February 11, 2023.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)
Pressley Huie of Flintridge Prep defends Alexa Rokos
of Corona del Mar in the second round of CIF Southern Section playoffs February 11, 2023.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)
Maddie Smith of Flintridge Prep is defended by Dorothy Schwenck and Julia Mork of Corona del Mar during their second round CIF Southern Section playoff game February 11, 2023.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)
Maddie Smith of Flintridge Prep brings the ball up the court against Corona del Mar during their second round CIF Southern Section playoff game February 11, 2023.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)
Pressley Huie of Flintridge Prep brings the ball up the court against Corona del Mar during their second round CIF Southern Section playoff game February 11, 2023.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)
Ashley Chea of Flintridge Prep drives to the hoop as Alexa Rokos of Corona del Mar defends during the second round of CIF Southern Section playoffs February 11, 2023.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)
Flintridge Prep (26-2) will now play the winner of the Holy Martyrs/Sunny Hills game on Wednesday.
Chea, who’s headed to Princeton next year, scored a game-high 28 points, grabbed seven rebounds and had at least five assists to help the Wolves move on in the playoffs.
“I think that me being the only senior they look up to me in a way,” Chea said about her younger teammates. “So if I’m nervous they will be too. But also they’re super-young. We have a super-young team. I think the nerves that came were there because they care. And that’s all I could ever ask for.”
Flintridge Prep coach Jayme Kiyomura Chan said another reason for nerves was that this was their first playoff game. The Wolves had a first round bye.
“Now that they have a game under their belt I think they’ll be ok,” Chan said of her players.
Flintridge Prep starts two freshmen, a sophomore and a junior along with Chea. The four players who came off the bench are all underclassmen. One of the freshmen starters is Maddie Smith. She was the game’s second-leading scorer with 21 points. She also had eight rebounds.
Chea and Smith combined for 16 of the Wolves’ 18 points in the fourth quarter as they surged past Corona Del Mar (17-12). The Sea Queens trimmed a nine-point deficit, 30-21, early in the third quarter to just two at 39-37 to start the final period. But that’s when Chea and Smith went to work.
Smith scored on a layup early in the fourth to give Flintridge Prep a four-point lead at 41-37. Corona Del Mar wouldn’t go away and trailed 44-41 about halfway through the quarter when Chea scored six straight points to put the Wolves up nine.
The Sea Queens cut the lead to 50-44 when Julia Mork hit a 3. On the Wolves’ next possession, Chea drove to the basket and then found Smith open in the corner. Chea threw a crisp pass which Smith grabbed. She then nailed a 3 to put Flintridge Prep up nine with 1:13 remaining to end any realistic chance at a Corona Del Mar comeback.
Moments later, Smith grabbed a loose ball and raced for a layup with a little over 50 seconds remaining to put Flintridge Prep up 55-44.
“I have so much confidence in (Smith),” Chea said. “She earned that respect from me. If she’s open she will make it.”
Chea was able to find open teammates under the basket and open in the corners with quick, smooth passes even when it appeared she would just drive and take the shot.
“We tell our girls don’t look at (Chea) just look at the ball,” Kiyomura Chan said. “Just because she’s not looking at you doesn’t mean it’s not coming. (Chea) is an amazing passer. She just has a knack to find where the openings are.”
The game started slowly for both teams. Flintridge Prep led just 6-5 in the first seven minutes and 10-5 at the end of the first quarter. Both teams got more efficient scoring in the second quarter though, putting in a combined 33 points.
Corona Del Mar was led by Dorothy Schwenck who scored 16 points. Alexa Rokos added 13 points and 11 rebounds for the Sea Queens. Sarah Audiss scored nine points.
Corona Del Mar struggled from the free throw line, making only five of 15 attempts. The Sea Queens end their season with a share of the Surf League championship.
Flintridge Prep will play Wednesday. If the Wolves win they’ll qualify for the CIF State playoffs.
“I think our goal was to win and is to win CIF still,” Chea said. “Our first goal was to win league obviously. If we didn’t win league we wouldn’t have had a home game and thank god because basically our whole school came. It just feels great.”
