This Time, Oceanside Is Better in Overtime

When Oceanside met Ramona Friday night in girls’ basketball, there was more on the line than the lead in the Avocado League.

There was the little matter of Oceanside’s triple-overtime loss last year.

This time, Oceanside defeated Ramona, 56-52, in overtime to remain unbeaten in league play. Oceanside is 11-5, 4-0 in league. Ramona is 9-2 and 3-1.

“Our kids did it,” Oceanside Coach Jim Stant said. “We lost last year’s game four times, and we weren’t about to do that this year.”

But the Pirates waited to save themselves until 33 seconds remained in regulation, when Mildred Conston hit a short jumper to send the game into overtime.

Conston scored first in the extra period. Tonya Lee--who led all scorers with 23 points--then made it 53-50 Oceanside on a free throw.

Lanice Karcher’s layup for Ramona made it 53-52, but Conston, who finished with 17 points, made three free throws in the last 28 seconds for the final margin.

Ramona was hurt by the early departure of second-leading scorer and starting center Meleea Van Patten with a knee injury. Gina Tamburrino and Kris Miller led Ramona with 16 points each.

Ramona Coach Joe Bess said: “If you had told me before the game that we’d do this well without Meleea, I wouldn’t have believed it.”

Bess said the injury did not appear to be serious.