ROCKLIN, Calif. – Colleen Medina scored 10 points while Lauren Herbelin added another eight, but St. Francis' Red junior varsity squad went scoreless for the final six minutes of play in falling to Antelope, 37-35, on the second day of the Rocklin Winter Invitational girls' basketball tournament Thursday.
The Troubadours slip to 8-4 for the season.
Medina, on loan from the mostly-sophomore JV Gold team to the all-freshman JV Red, did not enter the game until the second quarter but did so to remedy a Titan comeback run. In fact, the first half was characterized by its swings. Herbelin scored twice in a 10-0 St. Francis run that crafted as 12-3 lead during the first five minutes. Antelope then answered with a 10-1 outburst into the second frame to equalize at 13-13. Medina answered with three straight buckets before assisting Gianna Seghesio as part of a 10-3 stretch that restored the SF lead to 23-16.
Antelope fought back to a two-point deficit later in the second frame, but Nevaeh Gavino's pull-up jumper in the middle of the key boosted the Troubies to a 25-21 halftime edge.
St. Francis maintained its lead through the third period and early in the fourth. Herbelin scored down low at the 7:04 mark to make it 33-29, then Medina stretched the margin to 35-29 after a steal and resteal in the midcourt. However, that Medina layup at 6:16 proved to be the last Troubadour point. The Titans scored eight unanswered down the final stretch. SF had its opportunities, including four Annie Swanson rebounds in that span. The Troubies also struggled from the free-throw line, shooting 3-for-9 from the stripe overall and 0-for-3 in the last two minutes of the game.
Antelope, whose varsity program ranks among the best in California, enjoyed an overall numbers advantage with a five-on, five-off rotation compared to the eight total players for St. Francis (including Medina).
The Troubies finish the 2022 calendar year with a single game at the Rocklin tourney on Friday. At press time, they play a rematch with their Day 1 opponent Woodcreek, although that is subject to change. Families will be notified via FinalForms while the schedule at GoTroubies.com will be updated should the Friday schedule be amended.
