California girls earn blowout victory over Montgomery County

<p>Democrat photo/Kevin Labotka</p><p>Tristan Porter shoots a three-pointer Dec. 19 during the Pintos’ win against Montgomery County.</p>

Democrat photo/Kevin Labotka

Tristan Porter shoots a three-pointer Dec. 19 during the Pintos’ win against Montgomery County.

The California Pintos girls basketball team (3-3) won in a blowout victory Dec. 19 over Montgomery County.

The Pintos prevailed by a score of 65-32 in a matchup that saw the Pintos make eight three-pointers throughout the game.

California trailed just once in the game - at 2-0 early in the first quarter - but California took a 3-2 lead after a three-point play by Tristan Porter with around 7:20 left in the first quarter. With a 5-4 lead, Tristan Porter made a three-pointer to make it an 8-4 lead with less than 4:00 to go in the quarter. With the Pintos' lead at 13-8, another three-pointer, this time by Rylee Hees, made it a 16-8 game. California led 18-8 by the end of the opening quarter.

The Pintos only gave up eight points in the second quarter, and their lead over Montgomery County only grew. The Pintos eventually led by 20 points at 31-11, with just less than 3:00 left in the first half. California led 34-16 at halftime, a scoreline aided by the team's three blocks and four steals in the first half.

The Pintos continued their success during the second half, leading 39-18 with just more than 4:00 left to go in the third quarter. California then made it a 30-point game after a three-pointer by Trishelle Porter made it a 48-18 game, with just more than 1:30 left in the quarter. California led 50-23 by the end of the third quarter.

California only gave up seven points in the quarter in another stout defensive period, outscoring their opponents 16-7.

Montgomery County cut into the lead a little bit in the fourth quarter, making it a 56-29 game with around 5:30 left in the game. Then, after making it a 30-point game again with the score at 59-29, another three-pointer by Trishelle Porter gave California its biggest lead, 33 points, at 62-29 with about 3:00 minutes left to go in the game. Both teams scored one more time each to give the game its final score.

The Pintos' defense forced six more steals in the second half to pair with their four from the game's first half.

Tristan Porter led the team with 14 points, followed by Rylee Hees with 11 points, and KaLynn Irey, Trishelle Porter and Lauren Friedrich all with eight points each. The team went 7-10 from the free throw line.

The team's next game is at 5 p.m. Jan. 4 at Fatima.