Newsome Cast in Heroine’s Role Again

Jenny Newsome of Rancho Alamitos High School had seen it before.

The Vaqueros were watching a big first-quarter lead slip away in a girls’ Southern Section 3-A basketball playoff game.

Newsome, a forward, was on the bench with three first-half fouls, and San Dimas was mounting a comeback in the 3-A semifinal game.

“Last year, I was in the same situation in a first-round game against South Hills,” Newsome said. “(Former Coach Eric Hamamoto) told me to relax. I scored 16 points in the second half and we won.”

Newsome, The Times’ Athlete of the Week, scored 11 second-half points Saturday against San Dimas and Rancho Alamitos won, 76-50, to advance to Wednesday’s 6:45 p.m. final against Costa Mesa at Cal Poly Pomona.

Newsome, who is likely to make her third All-CIF Division III team this season, finished Saturday’s victory with team highs of 19 points and 14 rebounds.

Newsome is also a member of the cross-country and track teams. That served her well when Rancho Alamitos Coach Bob Becker decided to give the Vaqueros a workout after they were selected as the top-seeded team in the 3-A bracket.

“It was like punishment--four hours nonstop,” Newsome said. “We started practice at 7:30 and the next time I looked up it was 11:30. I was joking with the coach that I had to be home by three.”

The hard work has paid off for Rancho Alamitos and Newsome.

After breezing to a 70-39 victory over St. Paul in a second-round game, Newsome scored 25 points in Wednesday’s 80-56 triumph over La Canada.

TOP PERFORMERS

Melody Earle scored 42 points to lead Estancia to a 71-60 victory over Lompoc in a 3-AA quarterfinal Wednesday.

Olivia DiCamilli scored 24 points to lead Costa Mesa to a 56-44 victory over Notre Dame in a 3-A quarterfinal and scored 28 points in a 61-55 semifinal victory over South Hills Saturday.

Amy Jalewalia scored 26 points to lead La Quinta to a 69-60 victory over Palm Desert in a 4-A semifinal Saturday. Jalewalia had 32 points in a 60-49 quarterfinal victory over North Torrance Wednesday.

Kristen Mulligan scored 32 points to lead Santa Margarita to a 63-48 victory over Beaumont in a 2-AA quarterfinal Wednesday and the sophomore scored 26 in a 54-43 semifinal loss to Santa Ynez Saturday.

Jenny Sullivan of Ocean View had 17 points, 10 rebounds and seven blocked shots in a 5-A semifinal loss to Buena (51-43) Saturday.

Jenny Newsome

Rancho Alamitos High School

* Position: Forward

* Height, Weight, Class: 5-9, 140, Senior.

* Last Week: In the girls’ Southern Section 3-A basketball playoffs, Newsome scored 25 points in an 80-56 quarterfinal victory over La Canada Wednesday. She scored 19 points and had 14 rebounds to lead the Vaqueros to a 76-50 semifinal victory over San Dimas Saturday.

* Season: Newsome averaged 24.3 points, 12.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists a game this season.