Girls’ Division I : Point Loma Slows Hart’s Revival

Four years ago when the Point Loma High girls’ basketball team was winning the second of four consecutive state championships, Newhall Hart won just three games.

Point Loma, under Coach Lee Trepanier, has been a power for years, practically rewriting the San Diego Section record book. Hart, under fourth-year Coach Pam Walker, has emerged as a power this season to win 26 games.

Thursday at Point Loma, the traditional met the new in a Southern Regional Division I semifinal.

After the first quarter, Hart had a one-point lead. At the half, Point Loma led by one. The Pointers increased the lead to three after three quarters and eventually pulled away to a 54-47 victory.

Point Loma, which has won 155 of 156 at home, is 32-1 and advances to the regional final Saturday at the Los Angeles Sports Arena against Los Angeles Morningside (31-1). “We’re where we’re supposed to be,” Trepanier said.

Hart finished 26-3. Said Walker, 25: “I feel fortunate to have finished with three losses, when we only won three games four years ago.”

Point Loma’s Monica Filer finished with a game-high 23 points and 10 assists. Tyeast Brown had 15 points and 14 rebounds, and Erica Crittenden added eight points.

Sara Wilson led Hart with 20 points, including 13 in the third quarter, and 12 rebounds. Desa Pecel and Anjanette Dionne added eight points each.

“I really think the difference was our man-to-man defense,” Trepanier said.

Few could argue. Point Loma had 19 steals and held the Indians scoreless over the final 2 minutes 42 seconds.

With just over 4 minutes left, Filer made her second three-pointer to give Point Loma its biggest lead of the game, 51-44. At 2:42, Dionne, a freshman, hit a three-pointer from the top of the key to pull Hart to within 51-47.

Neither team would score again until Filer made two free throws with 21 seconds remaining. Noelle Soares, who scored four points coming off the bench, made one of two free throws with 1 second left.

Said Walker, “They were the team that executed down the stretch. A lot of our turnovers (three) occurred in the last two minutes.”

“I think our press bothered them a little bit,” Filer said. “The key to the game was definitely our defense.”

Defense has been winning a lot for Point Loma. In four section playoff games and their first regional game, the Pointers allowed just 22, 12, 29, 25 and 29 points.

Hart needed a 78-68 overtime victory over Buena to get here.

Said Walker, “This has been a real emotional month for us.”

For four-year starters Pecel, Kim Posey, Nicole Anthony and Nikki Brodoway, it has been an emotional four years.

“We remember what it was like when we were freshmen,” Pecel said. “As far as the season, we couldn’t be happier and more proud. But right now . . .”