Prep Basketball Playoffs : Girls’ 2-A Semifinals : Woodbridge Rallies to Win in Overtime

Three quarters of the Southern Section 2-A girls’ semifinal basketball game between Woodbridge and Ontario high schools Tuesday night crawled along at a snail’s pace.

The methodical pace suited Ontario, though, and it built a 10-point lead midway through the third quarter at Irvine High.

Woodbridge finally got its offense going in the fourth quarter and rallied for a 51-49 victory in overtime. The Warriors (25-5) play Chino, a 55-50 winner over Arroyo Grande Tuesday night, in Friday’s 2-A championship game at Cerritos College.

“Everything went their way for three quarters,” Woodbridge Coach Eric Bangs said. “It wasn’t the style we wanted to play. The kids didn’t give up. They just kept coming.”

Ontario, which had chances to win in the closing seconds of regulation and overtime, finished its season 24-4. The future will remain bright for the Jaguars, who started four juniors and one senior Tuesday night.

The senior, guard Maria Devon, scored 17 points, 15 in the second half when Ontario built its 10-point advantage.

Woodbridge fell behind, 30-20, before Kathy Millat, who had 15 points, made a short bank shot with about three minutes left in the third quarter.

Ontario led, 32-27, as the fourth quarter began and still appeared to have control of the game.

But Woodbridge scored six straight points to start the fourth quarter. Millat’s jump shot with 6:55 left gave Woodbridge the lead, 33-32.

The teams traded baskets the rest of the way before Woodbridge guard Randee Mahony, who had 15 points, drove and hit a short jumper to put Woodbridge ahead, 45-44, with 29 seconds left.

Ontario hurried the ball to Dawn Baker, a sophomore center. She was fouled as she tried to shoot, went to the free-throw line and made the first free throw to tie it at 45-45. She made the second, but the officials whistled her for stepping over the line before she shot.

Woodbridge threw the ball out of bounds with four seconds left. But Ontario responded by throwing it away as the buzzer sounded.

In overtime, Leslie Rathbun, a sophomore guard, made two long jumpers before Ontario’s Theresa Calderon countered with a basket to make it 49-47. Woodbridge’s Angie Hubner added a free throw for a 50-47 Woodbridge lead.

Ontario cut the deficit to 50-49 on a follow shot by Baker. But Millat added a free throw with eight seconds left and Ontario could not get a shot off before the buzzer sounded.