WATSONVILLE -- Alyssa Cabanlit stepped up and hit a deep 3-pointer as time expired. This time around, that wasn't enough.

Cabanlit and her Watsonville High girls basketball teammates harnessed several late 3-pointers to rally back for the win in their previous showdown with Monte Vista Christian. But the Mustangs wouldn't be fooled twice. In Tuesday's rematch, with a share of the Monterey Bay League Pacific Division title on the line, they kept a stranglehold on their late lead and emerged with the 44-36 victory.

"I have so many emotions right now!" exclaimed MVC's 6-foot-3 center Sydney Beadle. "I'm so happy -- no, more relieved. We've been training for a game like this all season."

The win on the Wildcatz's home court pulls the Mustangs into a tie for the league title, but nothing has been decided yet. Both MVC (19-3, 7-1) and Watsonville (13-7, 7-1) have four league games remaining. A loss could cost either team the championship. With no league tournament planned, the teams would finish as co-champions if they keep their records clean.

For now, the Mustangs were willing to celebrate a win that keeps them in the hunt.

"This is good. If we had not won this, (a league title) was basically not going to happen," said MVC coach Jennifer Keathley. "We knew this was a big game."

Really, it was a big half. The teams entered halftime tied 23-23, but MVC outscored Watsonville 8-0 in the final 4:30 of the third -- including back-to-back-to-back shots by Beadle directly under the basket.


The Mustangs also forced Watsonville into nine turnovers in the quarter. The Catz had made just two in the first half, while forcing MVC to commit 10 in that span. The difference was that MVC dropped its full-court press, which had allowed the Catz to take advantage of their speed on the press break. With the Mustangs already back on defense, they could control the tempo and keep Watsonville out of rhythm.

"We decided to pick them up at half court and that helped us settle down," Keathley said.

Watsonville's troubles with the halfcourt offense were amplified with the absence of its star center, Breanna Cueva. Cueva, who averages just five points a game but is a key defender and rebounder for the Catz, suffered a concussion last week in a game against Gilroy and is expected to miss several weeks of play, Watsonville coach Dennis Ikegami said.

Watsonville gained 16 points from Sonya Cervantes and seven from Mandy Cabanlit.

Beadle led Mustangs with 13 points and 13 rebounds, Alyssa Smedlund added 11 and freshman Emma Pirtle made seven with nine rebounds.

Watsonville assistant coach Jeff Ikegami pointed out Alyssa Cabanlit's 3-pointer in the final 5 seconds and said he was happy his team played hard to the buzzer -- something it will have to do if it wants to keep its share of the title.

"Things didn't go our way in the third quarter, but they didn't quit," he said. "They were fighting to the end."