The varsity girls basketball team defeated the Balboa Buccaneers 46–27 on Jan. 23 at home.

From the start of the game, the Cardinals established their dominance on the court by making successful steals from the Buccaneers. Although the Buccaneers displayed offensive moves, their hesitant passes allowed the Cardinals to gain possession of the ball throughout the first half.

Junior guard Lauren Chan helped the Cardinals break free from a moment of tension during the first quarter. Chan stole the ball from the close-to-scoring Buccaneers and dribbled across the court. She assisted Lee, who eventually made the jump shot. With this play, the Cardinals were in a 4–0 lead. Although the Cardinals had made multiple successful steals from the Buccaneers, their aim was often not precise enough to score. By the end of the second quarter, the Cardinals shifted their focus to improve their aim. They concluded the first half of the game with a score of 13–8.

When the second half began, the Cardinals increased the energy on the court with more aggressive plays. The Cardinals were able to steal from the Buccaneers multiple times as they dribbled down the court, helping the Cards maintain their lead.

Although the Cardinals had been in the lead with a large score gap, the Buccaneers slowly caught up with several three-point shots. Using this to boost the Cards’ motivation to prevent the Buccaneers from further scoring, the players were able to score jump shots. The final half of the game ended with an expected win of 46–27.

The Cardinals face the Burton Pumas again this season at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 6 in a home game.