Half Moon Bay girls back to the big dance  

No. 1-seed Half Moon Bay punched its ticket to the CCS Division IV title game once again, taking down No. 5 Scotts Valley 53-44 in Thursday’s semifinals at Menlo School.

Yes, this wild bunch has certainly exceeded expectations, even their own, since stepping into the gym at the outset of the 2019-20 season.

“I think we didn’t really have the experience but we were really skilled,” HMB sophomore Abby Kennedy said. “We expected to do better next year. But we were really surprised to get the No. 1 seed. We were really happy and we just want to go out and win CCS.”

The hardnosed, ultra-aggressive style of play the Cougars have exhibited all year was on full display Thursday. Scotts Valley committed 20 turnovers in the contest, including 16 in the first half, and 10 in the second quarter as Half Moon Bay took over the game.

The Cougars totaled seven steals in the second period, including three from junior forward Genevieve Belmonte. And after trailing 20-19 midway through the quarter, HMB finished with a flourish on a 9-3 run and led the rest of the way.

“That’s the pace we like to play,” Half Moon Bay head coach Antonio Veloso said. “We like to push it up. Which, flip side, you end up having a lot of turnovers doing it that way. But as long as it’s an aggressive turnover, we can live with it.”

Transition points were critical to the turnaround.

Freshman guard Abby Co nabbed a backcourt steal and dished a quick pass to Kennedy, who in turn sent a long, arcing pass to Co in stride to finish at the other end to give the Cougars the lead at 21-20. Kennedy then produced a strip steal down low and pushed coast-to-coast for the score to make it 23-20.

Freshman Alli Dioli capped the first half with a 3-pointer from the top of the arc. Dioli finished the night with 19 points, five rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots.

“She did a really nice job today,” Veloso said of his star freshman. “She’s really solid. There’s no ups and downs with her. It’s kind of all even-keeled — which, you hope they’re all that way — but she’s special.”

Even-keeled fits the entire team, actually. While the Cougars complement their moniker with animal-like aggressiveness, they don’t waste any energy with on-court shows of emotion. This majority group of freshmen and sophomores is quite ahead of the curve in this respect, all quite businesslike in their approach.

“A lot of people on my team are serious and they’re quiet,” Kennedy said. “But we’re all thinking the same thing. … Every time we step on the court, it’s just down to business.”

The Cougars needed every bit of focus to contend with Scotts Valley’s strong post tandem of Lauren Ambiel and Ella Giguiere in the early going. In the first quarter, the duo combined for 10 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Ambiel went on to post a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Giguiere fell a rebound shy of one with 10 points and nine boards.

Veloso rallied his troops with the ripping-the-Band-Aid-off metaphor. And, evidently, the old chestnut was just what the team needed to hear.

“I went through the whole thing where, it might be bleeding so you have to lick the blood off,” Veloso said. “That basically was that first quarter. … Then, finally, you realize you’re not going to die, then you play your game.”

The defensive intensity maintained through the second half. Scotts Valley did close it to 28-27 in the opening minute on Ambiel’s lofty assist pass to sophomore Kaitlin Imai for a layup.

But the Cougars responded with a 9-2 run, sparked by a 3-pointer from junior Maya Rippberger and capped by a trey from Belmonte.

The Cougars took a 37-31 lead into the fourth and added on with a 10-0 run. Co rattled home a corner 3 to open the period. Belmonte followed with her fourth steal of the game, driving down court for a 2-on-1 then sending a blind bounce pass around a leaping defender for Rippberger to finish the play.

Kennedy, who finished with 11 points, followed with a 3 from the top of the key. Five different Cougars knocked down 3s in the game.

“Everyone contributed,” Kennedy said.

With the win, Half Moon Bay advances to Saturday’s CCS Division IV championship game at a time and place to be determined. The Cougars will face No. 2 Monte Vista Christian-Watsonville, as the Mustangs topped King’s Academy 57-52 in Thursday’s other semifinal game.