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The Berkeley High girls’ basketball team got started on the postseason road on Wednesday night with a 72-30 stomping of Mission (San Jose) in the first round of the North Coast Section Division I playoffs. 

Berkeley guard Angelita Hutton continued her hot shooting of late, scoring a game-high 22 points in limited playing time.  

“Angelita’s got a lot of confidence right now, shooting and playing well,” Berkeley head coach Gene Nakamura said. “She’s doing the job we need her to do.” 

Nakamura took advantage of the mismatch to rest his starters for much of the game, and gave significant playing time to his reserves. Freshman point guard Danesha Wright took advantage, scoring 12 points with 3 steals.  

Nakamura brought his five promoted junior varsity players into the game with five minutes remaining, and even the young ’Jackets outscored the Warriors, 6-5. 

“(The promoted players) won their part of the game. They’re still undefeated,” Nakamura said with a smile. Berkeley’s junior varsity was a perfect 25-0 this season. 

The game turned into a rout early, as Berkeley’s defensive pressure completely discombobulated the Warriors, causing 12 turnovers in the opening quarter alone. The ’Jackets had a 15-0 lead when Nakamura pulled his starters, and the lead got to 19-0 before Mission’s Bonnie Chen hit a 3-pointer. The score was 45-11 at halftime, and the second half was a sloppy mess of turnovers and missed shots. 

Berkeley will face San Leandro, which upset Monte Vista on Wednesday, on Friday at 8 p.m. Nakamura expects more competitive games from here on out. 

“We’ll face a bigger challenge from San Leandro on Friday,” he said. “It’ll get tougher, and it’s always dangerous when it’s win or go home.” 

NOTES: The St. Mary’s-Bishop O’Dowd boys’ game on Friday has been moved to Berkeley High’s Donahue Gymnasium. The game will tip off at 6 p.m.... Nakamura said it would “take a miracle” for freshman center Devanei Hampton to play again this season. Hampton has a partial tear of her exterior cruciate ligament... Berkeley guard Shaquita Brown is still troubled by a sprained ankle suffered two weeks ago.