3-A Basketball : Keith Connects and Kennedy Hangs On, 58-55

Michael Keith hit the last of his six three-point field goals with 19 seconds to play to give Kennedy High School a 58-55 victory over Antelope Valley Tuesday night in the second round of the Southern Section 3-A boys’ basketball playoffs at Quartz Hills High School.

Keith, who led Kennedy (18-7) with 25 points, connected from 23 feet. His shot followed a pair of score-tying free throws by Antelope Valley’s Reggie Betton with 1:08 to play.

After Keith’s shot, Antelope Valley (11-12) ran a play for Betton--the game’s high scorer with 26 points--but Kennedy’s Wendell Lauderdale stole the ball with two seconds remaining.

Kennedy fell behind, 20-11, in the first quarter as Betton scored 13 points. But Kennedy held Antelope Valley scoreless in the last four minuets of the first half to take a 30-26 lead.

Antelope Valley regrouped to take a 43-41 lead after three quarters.

Keith made a pair of three-pointers to fuel an 11-2 fourth-quarter run that put Kennedy ahead, 52-45, with 4:43 left.

Betton scored Antelope Valley’s final seven points.

Kennedy, which has won eight straight, plays Saddleback Friday.

In other 3-A games:

Palos Verdes 47, Savanna 42--After posting the best record in the school’s 26-year history, Savanna’s season came to an abrupt halt at Rolling Hills High School. Palos Verdes (18-8), a 3-A semifinalist last season, advances to the quarterfinals against Sunny Hills Friday. Savanna, the Orange League champion, finishes at 22-5.

Savanna led, 28-23, at halftime behind seniors Robbie Booker and Eric Shinkle. Booker had 11 first-half points and Shinkle had 8 points and 8 blocked shots.

John Mika scored 12 of his game-high 21 points to lead Palos Verdes’ second-half surge. Palos Verdes’ second-half defense shut out Booker and held Shinkle to 6 points, 14 for the game.

Los Alamitos 67, Schurr 64--Dre Lamoureux scored 19 points and had 9 rebounds and teammate Brett Pagett had 18 points to lead Los Alamitos (21-6) at Montebello High School.

Schurr (18-6) had two chances to tie the score in the last 16 seconds with Los Alamitos leading, 66-64. Schurr stole a Los Alamitos pass but Kevin Aklyama missed a five-foot shot. Pagett got the rebound and was fouled. He made the front end of a one-and-one but missed the second. Schurr’ Steve Hong got the rebound and pushed the ball upcourt but missed a three-point shot as time expired.

Rolling Hills 60, Western 59--Western’s John Arenta missed a layup as time ran out and Western lost at Katella High School. Ron Dinell of Rolling Hills missed the front end of a one-and-one with six seconds left and San Sabbara got the rebound. He took the ball upcourt where he passed to Arenta, who cut through the lane and shot, but the ball rolled off the rim.