With Wilson Out, Hart Sputters in Tournament Final

Before the championship game of the 11th Simi Valley girls’ basketball tournament Thursday night, a fan said to Hart High Coach Pam Walker, “Hey, the Raiders do it for half a season without Bo Jackson, you can do it, too.”

Maybe so with Bo, but it was no go without 6-foot-3 forward Sara Wilson, who was at home with the flu.

Without Wilson, who averages 21 points, the Hart offense struggled. Meanwhile, Santa Clara used a deliberate attack to win the game and tournament championship, 50-33, at Simi Valley High.

“It’s a big loss with our number one scorer and rebounder out of the lineup,” Walker said.

Santa Clara held Nikki Brodowy, the Indians’ second-leading scorer, to 6 points. Kim Posey led Hart (10-2) with 11 points.

Santa Clara (8-2) came out pressing on defense and relaxed on offense, opening a 19-10 first-quarter lead. Point guard Tami Adkins hit a 3-point shot at the buzzer to signal the beginning of the end for Hart.

Adkins, the tournament most valuable player, directed the offense and scored a game-high 17 points. Karry Wagoner added 15 points for the Saints.

“When you play against a great point guard like Adkins and a forward like Wagoner, it’s a very tough situation to control,” Walker said.

Hart outrebounded Santa Clara, 27-21, but the majority of those came in the second and third quarters when the Indians managed a total of 11 points.

“We wanted to pressure Hart and control the boards with Tanisha Anderson and Wagoner,” Santa Clara Coach Tom McConville said. “I really think our rebounding and ball control were the keys to our winning this tournament.”

Hart trailed, 44-21, at the end of the third quarter. Anjanette Dionne scored all 8 of her points in the fourth quarter, the only period in which the Indians outscored the Saints.

In other tournament games:

Simi Valley 60, Buena 56--Keira Irwin’s 2 free throws with 24 seconds left gave the Pioneers third place. Shannon Solway scored 7 of her 12 points in the second quarter and helped bring Simi Valley (6-3) back from a 12-point, first-quarter deficit and into a 30-30 tie at halftime.

Josie Kosanke and Tammy Pacheko each scored 14 points for Simi Valley.

Buena (6-2), the five-time defending tournament champion, lost back-to-back games for the first time in school history.

Arroyo Grande 51, Newbury Park 38-- The Eagles (6-2) outscored Newbury Park, 19-7, in the second quarter to win the consolation title.

Reseda 72, La Reina 56--Denisha Jordan and Aggie Garcia each scored 23 points to lead Reseda (6-3) to seventh place. Trailing by 3 after a quarter, Reseda went on a 23-13 blitz and never trailed again. Amy Alarian had 24 points for La Reina (3-3).

Ventura 50, Westlake 49--Nicole Force’s free throw with 14 seconds remaining sealed fifth place for Ventura (6-3). Dani O’Byrne’s 17 points led Westlake (6-2).