D-I girls hoops: Corona pulls away in 2nd half, tops Chandler

February 18, 2015 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


Corona del Sol girls basketball coach Andy Strom's plan Wednesday night in a third meeting this season with Chandler High was to get the ball to his agile forward-post Leilani Peat in the paint and let her work. it was a good strategy and the Lady Aztecs got lots of opportunities off it, but not enough finishes in the opening half.

Finishes were more plentiful after intermission as Corona turned a three-point lead at the half to a run-away edge by early in the final period and went on to defeat Chandler, 58-45, in a Division I first-round state tournament contest at Coy Payne Gymnasium.

Corona del Sol advances to Friday's second round and visits No. 2 seed Liberty (26-3) at 7 p.m. at Liberty.It's the second year in a row Corona has won a first-round playoff game. Chandler finished the year 17-11, coach Brenda Arbuckle's first as head coach of the Lady Wolves.

Corona (16-13) played its best ball of the night the during a seven-minute stretch of third and fourth quarters. Peat, a 6-foot sophomore, was fed often in the first 16 minutes, but managed only three baskets in 12 attempts. A 26-23 lead was the result, but it didn't sway Strom from keeping at it.
"Leilani's been playing big for us," Strom said. "We felt it was a mismatch we had and needed to take advantage of. The second half she was better finishing, and we played better overall."

Peat finished with 15 points, seven in the third period. Corona led 42-34 heading to the final period and an 8-1 run to open the fourth quarter signaled the end to Chandler's season. Corona's 15-point lead with five minutes left was its biggest of the night.

Chandler made a run that halved that lead, pulling within 52-45 with 1:18 left. Corona's leading scorer and standout senior guard Taylor Kalmer, finished off a quiet, 20-point night with a putback and two free throws in the final minute. Kalmer scored 10 of her 20 points in the fourth quarter.

Kalmer's biggest basket prior to the final period came midway through the third quarter when a Chandler run had given the Lady Wolves a 32-31 lead. That lead was courtesty of Treanna Frazier's third of four treys for the game. On the ensuing trip down the floor, Kalmer, who is headed to Oregon State this fall, buried a 25-footer straight away. Corona didn't trail again.

Corona and Chandler met twice prior to Wednesday with Chandler winning big in December at Corona and Corona winning by three last month at Chandler. The first meeting Kalmer did not playas she was idled with a foot injury. Kalmer scored 24 points in the 54-51 win last month. Peat hit in double figures all three contests -- 10, 10 and 15. Senior guard Haley Langille chipped in with 12 points giving the Lady Aztecs three double-digit scorers for the game.

Frazier led Chandler with 17 points and Asia Powell added 10. It was not a good shooting night for Chandler. The Lady Wolves shot 29 percent from the field in the first half and just 23 percent the second half. Chandler center Arianna LaLonde, who tallied 16 points the second time the teams played, finished with only five in the rubber game of the team's three meetings.