Girls basketball advances to second round
Piedmont High School’s girls basketball team put together about as good a defensive first half on March 4 in the first round of the California Interscholastic Federation Division 1 playoffs at Oakland Tech.
The Bulldogs missed their first 24 shots of the game and didn’t make a field goal until there was one minute, 55 seconds left in the first half. En route to a 60-31 win, the Highlanders jumped out to a 14-0 lead before Oakland Tech even scored a point. By the time Nailah Davis finally hit a 3-pointer, Piedmont had taken a 26-2 lead.
“Really,” Piedmont coach Bryan Gardere asked when told the statistics. “Wow, I didn’t realize that. But I knew our defense was solid. ”
Oakland Tech’s Jhai Johnson (5) posts up with Piedmont’s Briana Webb (25) guarding her while the Highlanders Taylor White (10) defends Terri’A Russell (11). 
Oakland Tech’s Terri’A Russell (white) watches her shot as Piedmont’s (black, L-R) Taylor White (10), Andrea Martin, Jenelle Solis (22), and Shakila Zuberi (30) swarm on defense.
More than solid. Oakland Tech sports two 6-footers in the lineup: juniors Jhai Johnson (6-3; the Oakland Athletic League’s MVP) and Terri’A Russell (6-1; first team OAL). Johnson was in foul trouble, picking up four in the first half and eventually fouling out with just six points and seven rebounds. Russell also got in foul trouble but was able to stay on the floor. She had a huge game rebounding, with 17. But she made just three of 19 shots from the floor and finished with nine points.
Briana Webb was a big part of the defense. The 5-10 senior helped guard Johnson.
“The goal was to keep her out of the paint,” Webb said. “I knew she was taller than me so if she got down to the paint she’s most likely making it. So I was pushing her out with my knees, pushing her out of the paint. Our goal was to trap the inside. The rest of the players are mostly shooters. To trap the inside so it will make it very chaotic for her to try to do anything.”
Webb also was a star at the other end, scoring 19 points to go along with 11 rebounds.
“Bri had a great game,” Gardere said. “Rebounding, defensively she was outstanding. She was ready for the moment. She did a really, really good job following the defensive gameplan.”
Piedmont’s Briana Webb (25) drives past Oakland Tech’s Payton Henderson (14), Webb led the Highlanders with 19 points and 11 rebounds in a March 4 CIF playoff victory. 
Piedmont’s Taylor White collides with Oakland Tech’s Tai Ana Huff (32) during a CIF playoff game at Oakland Tech on March 4. 
Piedmont’s Andrea Martin (1) protects the ball from Oakland Tech’s Tai Ann Huff (32) and Payton Henderson (14) during the Highlanders 60-31 win in a CIF playoff game.
Piedmont’s Jenelle Solis scored seven of her 12 points in the first quarter to get the offense going. The freshman point guard also had five rebounds.
“Jenelle has been steady and solid all year but really, she acts like an upperclassman with the ball and that allows everybody just to calm down and take a second,” Gardere said. “That’s not normal. It’s not.”
Andrea Martin had 11 points and 11 rebounds. Taylor White had eight points and 10 rebounds.
Rebounding was the other story of the game. The Highlanders outrebounded the Bulldogs, 58-38. Webb said it’s important to keep intensity with rebounding.
“Getting offensive boards, defensive boards and just leaving it all on the court,” she said. “It’s my senior year so just leaving it all there.”
Ninth-seeded Piedmont got what appears to be a break as No. 1 seed Folsom lost 84-74 at home to No. 16 San Joaquin Memorial-Fresno. That means the Highlanders won’t have to travel and will host Memorial on March 6 at 7 p.m. in Binks Gymnasium. The winner of that game will advance to the Northern Regional semifinals on March 8 against the winner of Priory-Portola Valley at St. Mary’s-Stockton.
The regional finals are scheduled for March 11 with the state championship on March 15 in Sacramento.