BELL-JEFF TOURNAMENT : Tanner’s 16 Pace Thousand Oaks

Thousand Oaks center Barbara Tanner no longer stumbles at the opportunity to make a basket and her improved footwork has put the Lancers one step away from being a championship-caliber team.

Tanner, a 6-1 center and the tallest player on the court, scored a game-high 16 points as Thousand Oaks defeated Louisville, 28-22, Friday night in the first round of the Bell-Jeff basketball tournament.

Tanner said she has had trouble during the past three years trying to adjust to her height.

“I was just too big,” Tanner said. “I would have trouble moving with the ball and just getting around the court.”

Tanner has spent the summer improving her coordination by jogging and practicing basketball every day at a local elementary school.

Thousand Oaks Coach Chuck Brown has noticed her improvement and is excited about the potential of this year’s team, which returns all of its starters.

“Barbara has really been working hard this summer, practicing her inside game and learning how to be more comfortable on the court,” Brown said. “The more she improves, the better chance we have of becoming a championship team.”

Tanner spent much of the second half in foul trouble but made two baskets midway through the fourth quarter that proved to be the difference.

With the score tied, 20-20, Tanner gave a head fake, made a 5-footer and was fouled. She missed the free throw but made the next basket to give Thousand Oaks a 24-20 lead with 2:30 remaining. This capped an 8-0 Lancer run.

Tanner fouled out 10 seconds later, but it was too late for Louisville to catch up.

Tanner scored 10 of Thousand Oaks’ 12 points to give the Lancers a 12-10 halftime lead. Louisville, which lost four starters from last year’s semifinal playoff team, had trouble controlling the ball and made 11 turnovers during that span.

Thousand Oaks, however, could not take advantage of Louisville’s mistakes as both teams shot poorly. Thousand Oaks made only 5 of 26 field goals for the half and Louisville was 2 for 14.

Louisville trailed, 16-11, in the third quarter when Tanner picked up her fourth foul and left the game with half the period remaining.

Nancy Robinson then made a 15-footer and a free throw and Joanne Guiteras hit a jumper to give Louisville a 16-16 tie at the end of the third quarter.

Louisville scored the first two baskets of the fourth quarter to take its first lead of the game, 20-16, but could score only one basket during the final five minutes.

Becky Long led Louisville with 10 points.

Alemany 32, Norco 21--Sylvia Castaneda scored 10 points to lead a balanced Alemany offense, which outscored Norco, 22-11, in the second half. Alemany will play second-seeded Santa Barbara in the feature game at 7 tonight.

Gahr 37, Bell-Jeff 34--Bell-Jeff, the tournament host, couldn’t shoot over Gahr’s zone defense and was outscored, 12-8, in the third quarter. Carlyn Couch scored 13 points for Bell-Jeff.

St. Mary’s 27, Fontana 25--Tammy Booker scored a game-high 12 points as St. Mary’s advanced to the second round where it will meet Lynwood, the tournament’s top-seeded team.

Mission Viejo 43, Burroughs 19--Mission Viejo, last year’s Southern Section 3-A champion, jumped out to a 12-4 first-quarter lead behind the scoring of Tricia Stringham, who had a game-high 16 points. Stephanie Hilton had four points for Burroughs.