[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 24 (Tuesday, February 27, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E224-E225]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     A TRIBUTE TO EMILY RADANOVICH

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 27, 2001

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my niece, Emily 
Radanovich, for her outstanding performance on the basketball court for 
the Mariposa High School girls JV basketball team. As a proud uncle, 
Mr. Speaker, I would like to enter the following Mariposa Gazette 
article:

                Radanovich Goes Wild in Double-Overtime

                           (By Bruce Gilbert)

       In eleven years of covering the Mariposa High girls JV 
     basketball team, this reporter has never before witnessed a 
     performance quite like the one put on by freshman point guard 
     Emily Radanovich in last week's memorable 59-58 win over 
     Orestimba.
       With the teams second leading scorer, Katie Lombard, not in 
     uniform due to illness, and with the entire starting front 
     line of sophomores Shannon Poole, Lindsay Miller and Lisa 
     Bower in foul trouble throughout the game, and all eventually 
     fouling out, Radanovich put the Grizzlies on her diminutive 
     back and carried them to victory with long-range shooting, 
     never before seen by this reporter at the girls JV level. All 
     Radanovich did was burn the nets for an eye-popping 31 
     points, including a sensational six three-pointers. The young 
     freshman sank 11 out of 19 shots from the floor and three out 
     of four free throws, while also handing out three assists.
       Radanovich, off a pass from freshman guard Elizabeth 
     Steele, connected on her third basket of the quarter to give 
     MCHS a 40-38 lead with just 16 seconds remaining. However, 
     OHS answered with an outside shot a split second before the 
     buzzer sounded to send the game to overtime.
       The overtime began with Radanovich nailing her fifth trey 
     of the game, but Orestimba responded with a basket of their 
     own. Miller then sank a free throw to make it 44-42, and 
     freshman forward Desirae Gilbreth followed with a bucket off 
     an assist from Radanovich to bump the MCHS lead up to 46-42. 
     Radanovich then stripped the OHS point guard of the ball and 
     drove in for a lay-up to give the Grizzlies a 48-42 lead.
       The Warriors responded with a pair of free throws, but at 
     the other end of the court MCHS freshman Amanda Fuqua 
     answered with a pair of charity tosses to re-establish the 
     six point lead at 50-44. Orestimba then connected on a three-
     pointer and added a

[[Page E225]]

     pair of freebies to cut the Grizzley lead to 50-49.
       With the clock ticking down, the Warriors were forced to 
     foul with five seconds remaining. Radanovich then made one of 
     two with OHS rebounding and calling time-out with four 
     seconds left. Orestimba inbounded the ball to mid-court, and 
     a Warrior drove the left side of the lane, putting up a six-
     foot bank shot just before the buzzer sounded to send the 
     game into a second overtime.
       In the second extra period both teams seemed focused on 
     defense as OHS took the lead at 52-51. Radanovich then bombed 
     in her sixth shot of the night from beyond the arc to give 
     MCHS a 54-52 lead. Following a free throw by Fuqua, and with 
     just 40 seconds left, freshman forward Melissa Bevington 
     stunned the Warriors by hitting from just inside the arc, 
     giving the Grizzlies a five-point lead at 57-52.
       OHS answered with a three-pointer of their own, but were 
     forced to foul Radanovich to regain the ball. With 24 seconds 
     left to play, the smiling Radanovich hit nothing but net on 
     both free throws, making it 59-55. The Warriors then air-
     mailed another trey in the closing seconds to make the final 
     score 59-58.
       Besides Radanovich, Fuqua also played well in the absence 
     of the sophomore front court, finishing with eight points and 
     a game high 13 rebounds. Miller had 12 rebounds before 
     fouling out, while Steele totaled nine boards and three 
     assists.
       The JV's are now 15-9 on the season, and 9-3 (tied for 
     second) in SL action. They will conclude their season this 
     Thursday, Feb. 15, at 6 pm., when they host the Gustine Reds 
     (9-3 in league).

  Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate Emily Radanovich, as well as the 
entire girls JV team at Mariposa High School. I urge my colleagues to 
join me in applauding Emily and the girls for a great season and a job 
well done.

                          ____________________