SOUTHERN SECTION BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : 4-AA GIRLS : Loara Knocks Out Mission Viejo with Third-Quarter Punch

Immediately after his team’s 43-38 4-AA quarterfinal victory over Mission Viejo High School Wednesday night, Loara Coach Gary Blate began his rapid-fire analysis, smiling all the while.

“We hustled, we didn’t give up too many layups, we got loose balls, we didn’t have too many turnovers . . . “ Blate said, obviously enjoying the mental replay as much as the original.

“We’re similar teams. We both like to set up. Neither of us really plays a running game . . .

On the other side of the Loara gymnasium, Mission Viejo Coach Steve Asay scowled at a couple of reporters trying to gather a comment.

He started to walk away, but suddenly whirled around and sneered:

“You can just say we screwed up big-time. I have nothing else to say.”

Of course, that leaves several unanswered questions, such as:

--Why was Jennifer Rohrig, Mission Viejo’s 6-foot-3 senior center, kept on the bench most of the third quarter? Loara went on a 14-3 run, turning a 23-19 halftime deficit into a 33-26 lead. Three first-half fouls were certainly enough to have Rohrig sit for a spell, but did Asay wished he had brought her back a bit sooner?

--Why wasn’t more attention paid to Loara post player Jennifer Leonard? She scored 12 of her game-high 20 points in the second half, many of the baskets coming on open shots.

--And what did Asay think about his team’s seven fourth-quarter turnovers? Or, on the positive side, his team’s rebounding performance, especially in the second half when Mission Viejo outrebounded Loara, 24-6?

Whatever the answers may have been, Mission Viejo ends its season at 20-9 while Loara (16-11) advances to Saturday’s 4-AA semifinals. There, the Saxons will play Ventura, a 55-40 winner over Edison Tuesday night, at a site to be determined today.

Loara had a strong overall performance, but the Saxons were helped most by Leonard and Tracy Titus.

r Capitalizing on several open shots, Leonard scored two of her most important baskets in the third quarter on a turnaround jumper in the key and then a folo shot that tied the score, 25-25.

Titus later made two consecutive shots inside, and Leonard ended the period with a short bank shot that gave Loara a 33-26 lead going into the fourth quarter.

“(Leonard) had the best game of her life tonight,” Blate said.

And while Titus was closely guarded by Rohrig for three quarters, she still managed 13 points and 15 rebounds.

Rohrig led the Diablos with 18 points, with six points in each of the first, second and fourth quarters.

“Rohrig makes great moves, Tracy relies on athleticism,” Blate said. “But Titus also slides down and intercepts the ball. That’s probably her best physical (talent).”

In another 4-AA game:

Ventura 55, Edison 40--Host Ventura held Debbie Fischer to 15 points and Laura Vinch was the only other Edison player in double figures with 10 points.

Ventura held a 28-23 lead at halftime but outscored Edison 16-2 in the third quarter to take control of the game.

Edison outscored Ventura, 15-11, in the fourth quarter, but it was not enough.

Both teams are 18-9 overall.