Girls’ basketball: Bell-Jeff defeats View Park Prep

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Bell-Jeff defeated View Park Prep, 61-49, to win the Southern California Division V regional championship today at Cal State Fullerton. It was the first regional title for the Guards.

Senior guard Shelley Gupilan scored 23 points, freshman guard Rishonda Napier had 19 and junior guard Margeaux Gupilan had 14 points and eight rebounds for Bell-Jeff. Senior guard Shaneva Hayward racked up 14 points and nine rebounds and sophomore guard Danielle Pruitt had 11 points and eight rebounds for the Knights.

Third-seeded View Park Prep (28-9) went on a 7-0 run late in the third quarter and early in the fourth to pull within three points of Bell-Jeff (33-1) before the Guards regained control.

Just four years ago, Bell-Jeff finished last in the Sunshine League with a 4-20 record. After that season, Bryan Camacho took over as coach, and last week Bell-Jeff earned its second Southern Section championship in the school’s 65-year history by winning the Division V-A title.

This was both teams’ first appearance in a regional championship game. View Park Prep was eliminated in a regional semifinal the last two years.

-- Melissa Rohlin