Eastlake hoop ladies taking aim at CIF playoffs

The San Diego Section girls basketball playoffs are fast approaching — they officially start Monday, Feb. 20, with play-in games — and the Eastlake High School Lady Titans look to enter postseason play with some pretty impressive credentials.

Eastlake defeated visiting Mater Dei Catholic, 69-53, last Friday (Feb. 10) to hold onto sole possession of first place in the Mesa League standings and clinched this year’s league title following a 72-25 win over visiting Otay Ranch on Tuesday (Feb. 14).

The team’s 2016-17 league championship run is particularly noteworthy, according to head coach David Koopman.
“It is the first time in more than a decade that an Eastlake team has been the outright league champion,” Koopman explained.

Haylee Owen led the Lady Titans (11-0 in league play, 21-6 overall) with 21 points in the win over Mater Dei Catholic (9-2 in league, 16-10 overall) while Maya Robinson tacked on 19 points.

Robinson had 19 points in Tuesday’s win.

Eastlake entered Thursday’s regular season finale at Bonita Vista High School ranked third in the Division I power rankings.
The top eight teams in the Division I rankings will compete in the Open Division, with the remainder of the teams competing for the Division I championship.

Quarterfinal-round games in the Open Division tip off Friday, Feb. 24. Both the girls and boys Open Division championship games are scheduled March 4 at the University of San Diego.