SOUTHERN SECTION BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : La Habra Upset in Quarterfinals 2nd Straight Year

The La Habra High School girls’ basketball team has been eliminated from the Southern Section playoffs for the second straight year in the quarterfinal round.

This year, the Bishop Montgomery Knights scored a 51-44 upset of the top-seeded Highlanders in a 4-A playoff game Wednesday night at La Habra High School.

Last year, Palos Verdes eliminated La Habra.

La Habra (21-4), had a decided height advantage over Bishop Montgomery and was expected to ominate inside.

The Highlanders started a lineup that included a 6-5 post, and two 6-1 forwards.

Bishop Montgomery’s tallest player is Keisa Smith at only 6-0.

But the Knights were able to keep the Highlanders’ inside game in check.

La Habra, the division’s top-seeded team, took an 8-2 lead early by getting the ball inside to 6-foot-5 center Zrinka Kristich for six of those points. She finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds to lead La Habra.

Ana Kristich, a 6-1 forward, had 10 points.

But the Highlanders fell behind when the Knights went on a 15-2 run that carried them to a 17-10 lead with 4:57 remaining in the second quarter.

Bishop Montgomery (17-9), will face West Torrance in the semifinals. West Torrance defeated Los Altos Wednesday night.

The Knights shot just 22% from the field in the first half, making only 7 of 31 shots.

La Habra made 8-of-19 field-goal attempts in the first half.

But the Highlanders 13 turnovers in the first half, and trailed 21-20 at intermission.

In the second half, La Habra started well but still could not get the ball inside.

By denying the pass inside to La Habra’s Zrinka Kristich and 6-1 forwards Ana Kristich and Leslie Ferguson, Bishop Montgomery was successful in holding off the Highlanders when they cut the lead to two, 38-36, early in the fourth quarter.

The Knights used a 10-2 run midway through the fourth quarter to take a 48-38 lead with 1:35 remaining.