Santa Barbara Girls Thwart Newbury Park

The role of the Newbury Park High girls’ basketball team in Saturday’s Southern Section 4-A Division quarterfinal playoff was supposed to be that of giant-killer.

But Santa Barbara, the second-seeded giant, refused to be intimidated and thwarted its upset-minded host, 82-62, to advance to the semifinal round against Lynwood, which defeated Marina on Saturday in another quarterfinal game.

Newbury Park (19-6) stayed with the Dons early in the first quarter and took its only lead of the game, 12-10, on a basket by Katie Krause with 3:20 remaining. Santa Barbara scored the next three baskets and never trailed again.

Santa Barbara (24-2), the Channel League champion, kept its low-post forwards, 6-3 Kristin Knapp and 6-2 Shannon Frowiff busy under the basket as each scored 16 points.

Guard Kristi Gellenbeck scored a game-high 18 points to lead Newbury Park.