Thursday, Feb. 26, 2009 | 11:23 p.m.
Related stories
Expanded coverage
Centennial guard Deanna Daniels really has a thing for rebounds.
The senior pulled down 19 boards and scored 15 points Thursday night as the Bulldogs defeated Reno 70-60 in the Nevada State semifinals. Centennial will next face Bishop Gorman in the championship game at the Orleans Arena Friday night.
"That's Deanna," said Centennial coach Karen Weitz. "She's Centennial's leading rebounder right now and she's surpassed the record by about 250. She's a hard worker and sometimes that's what rebounds come down to. You've got to want the ball and Deanna wants the ball."
The Bulldogs needed every bit of Daniels's efforts on the boards as the Huskies proved to be a tough dog to put down. After trailing at the half 34-20, Reno clawed themselves back all the way to within five late in the fourth quarter.
Junior guard Stephanie Rovetti sparked the comeback with hustle plays down the stretch, finishing with four steals and 13 points. Junior Sarah Finlay added 14 points and six rebounds.
Despite their efforts, the Bulldogs seemed to have an answer to every Reno run.
"We made a couple runs and got ourselves in a position where we could have got back in the game," said Reno coach Shane Foster. "We had an opportunity, but it seemed like every time we had an opportunity they converted on the other end. They let us get close but they never really let us get back in the game."
Senior Johnna Brown led the Bulldogs with 24 points and 10 rebounds but her little sister, freshman Shannon, stole the spotlight in the fourth quarter, knocking down a few key shots that ended the Huskies' run. She finished with 10 points.
"Shannon Brown is a Brown, that's what everybody says," Weitz said. "And if you come from the Brown family they're just naturally born athletic. She's had it since she was young and she just loves to compete."
The championship game will be a rematch of the Sunset Regional finals, where Centennial knocked off the Gaels 74-60. According to Weitz, it might just be a good thing the two teams played just a week ago because the Bulldogs spent all of that time focusing on the Huskies.
"No way did I take Reno for granted," Weitz said. "Not to put anything past Gorman but we couldn't focus on them. Our four days at practice that we had were all about Reno because there wasn't going to be any Gorman if we didn't get past Reno. We'll have to look at some things, make some adjustments and come out ready to play again."
True to its namesake, The Orleans gives visitors a year-round Mardi Gras feeling with a New Orleans French Quarter environment.
Located just a short way from the center of gambling on the Strip, The Orleans offers a collection of attractions that helps to draw in a mix of locals and visitors.
In addition to the 1,885 hotel rooms and 134,000-square foot casino, the property has a 70-lane bowling center, an 18-screen movie theater, an 850-seat showroom and a 9,500-seat arena, home to the Las Vegas Wranglers hockey team.
The hotel also has 14 dining options, including Canal Street, The Prime Rib Loft, Koji Sushi Bar & China Bistro and Big Al’s Oyster Bar.
Brett Okamoto can be reached at 948-7817 or [email protected].
Join the Discussion:
Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.
Full comments policy