PANTHER FROSH GIRLS HAND VIKINGS LOSS
By Marc Atwood
marcatwood@aol.com
 
(1/17/08 Chico, CA) The Chico girls' freshman basketball team used a 15-point third quarter to lead them to a 40-26 win over cross-town rival Pleasant Valley Thursday at "The Panther Pit."
 
The Vikings got the first points of the game on a basket by Nicole Briggs 37 seconds into the contest. Sam Conroy hit a pair of free throws with 5:37 remaining in the first quarter for the Panthers' first points. Tiffany Chu made a shot for Chico with 4:24 to go in the first to tie the score at 6-6. A hoop by Emma Parsons with 1:02 left in the period allowed PV to tie the contest at 8-8.
 
Parsons put the Vikings up 10-9 by making a bucket 12 seconds into the second quarter. Bailey Smith ended the Panthers' scoring drought by connecting on a basket with 4:41 to go in the first half as the score was tied at 11-11. Lydia North's shot with 2:27 remaining in the half put Chico up 15-11. A three-pointer by Emma Limburg with 50 seconds left in the half pulled Pleasant Valley within a point at 15-14.
 
Chu started the second half scoring for the Panthers by making a basket with 6:48 remaining in the third quarter as Chico's advantage stood at 19-14. Carly Summerville responded 45 seconds later by nailing a hoop for the Vikings' first score of the half. Conroy's shot with 3:50 to go in the third gave the Panthers their first double digit lead of the game at 26-16. Briggs made a pair of free throws with 52 seconds to go in the period as PV was down 32-18.
 
Janae Dugas made a basket with 6:52 to go in the game to bring the Vikings within 10 points at 32-22. A bucket by Smith with 5:22 left in the fourth quarter gave Chico a 34-24 lead. The last score of the game came from the Panthers when Raeanne Bertagna made a shot with 2:10 remaining in the contest.
 
Chico received 10 points and six rebounds from Conroy. Chu scored nine points and grabbed three rebounds, while North added seven points and three rebounds. Briggs had nine points and three rebounds for Pleasant Valley, while Parsons scored six points.