Morro Bay, Templeton girls clash in LPL title showdown Wednesday

Posted: Jan 29, 2013 11:48 PM by Andrew Masuda
Updated: Jan 29, 2013 11:49 PM

Templeton, Morro Bay girls set for LPL title showdown

The Morro Bay and Templeton High girls basketball teams will go head-to-head on Wednesday in a Los Padres League game with title implications.

The Pirates are 9-0 in league and 16-3 overall. Winners of ten in a row, the Pirates could clinch at least a share of their third-straight LPL title with a win at home over the Eagles. Templeton comes in 18-3 overall and 7-1 in league. The Eagles' lone league loss was a 32 point defeat at home to Morro Bay.

The Pirates' zone defense held the Eagles to 18-percent shooting and just 26 points. "I think we came in a little too hectic. I think that we rushed a lot of things but I think that we've been practicing and we're ready for the game," said Templeton junior Mari Stewart, who's averaging 17 points, 15 rebounds and 4 steals per game for the Eagles.

"They're a two headed dragon. Offensively they score 55 points a game, they've got Hannah in the middle, they've got three outstanding guards outside. They can all play offensively and then defensively you're faced with that matchup zone and that's a tough nut to crack," said Templeton head coach Shawn Koehler.

Gilbert, who has signed with Cal Poly, is the league's leading scorer at 18 points per game to go with 9 rebounds. Sierra Schwellenbach averages 11 points, 3 steals and 5 assists per game for the Pirates.

Wednesday will be Morro Bay's fifth game in the last eight days. The Pirates have won 24-straight LPL games under head coach Cary Nerelli. However, the Pirates' captain knows Templeton will bring its A-game on Wednesday. " They didn't run to an 18-3 record just by accident. That's a good club and they're well coached. They have some outstanding athletes and when they get their pace going, they're very difficult to contain," said Nerelli.

Templeton will start five juniors Wednesday, including Megan Hattar, who's averaging about 10 points per game.

Tip off is at 6:30 pm at Morro Bay High.