GIRLS’ BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Laguna Hills’ Inexperience Shows in Loss to Westminster

There is no substitute for experience.

That was the lesson the Laguna Hills girls’ basketball team learned Tuesday as the Hawks lost to Westminster, 65-51, in the first round of the Bolsa Grande Tournament.

Laguna Hills (4-1), which starts three sophomores, turned the ball over 18 times in the first half, and 27 for the game in its first loss of the year. The Hawks’ turnover problem allowed Westminster to take a 21-7 lead, and the Hawks were never closer than seven points after that point.

Twin towers Amber Farroux and Kristin Schult, both 6 feet 2, did the bulk of the damage for the Lions. Farroux, who has committed to Nevada Las Vegas, hit her first six shots and finished with 27 points and 10 rebounds. Schult, a junior, had 22 points and seven rebounds. Between them, they shut down Laguna Hills center Tayyiba Haneef. Haneef, at 6-5 the tallest player in the county, had four points.

“To see how far Amber has come, even just since last year, is remarkable,” Westminster Coach Dick Katz said. “She had never played any sports before she came here, but you can really see how far desire has taken her.”