Morningside, Palos Verdes Make Bids for Finals Berths

Morningside and Palos Verdes high schools, the only South Bay basketball teams still in contention for state titles, will play home games tonight at 7:30 in the Southern California girls regional semifinals.

Top-seeded Morningside (29-3) meets Mt. Carmel of San Diego (23-5) in a Division I match-up, while Palos Verdes (28-5) faces Costa Mesa (18-11) in a Division III game.

Palos Verdes Coach Wendell Yoshida was happy his team bounced back Tuesday with a 53-37 victory over San Diego’s Our Lady of Peace in the first round of the regionals. It came one game after the Sea Kings lost to Brea-Olinda, 50-33, in the Southern Section 3-AA finals last week.

“We hated to end the (Southern Section) season not playing well,” Yoshida said. “We had a good season. But one bad game, especially the last one, can leave a bad taste in your mouth.

“This gives us a reprieve, a second life.”

As usual, the Sea Kings received a balanced effort against Our Lady of Peace, the San Diego champion. Guard Lisa Humphreys had a triple-double of 13 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists; sophomore center Monique Morehouse had 10 points, 11 rebounds and five blocked shots; forward Kristen Jaconi had 12 points and seven rebounds, and point guard Susan Wilhite played a “great floor game,” according to Yoshida.

Costa Mesa, the Southern Section 3-A champion, advanced with a 44-42 win over Selma, the Central Section runner-up. Guard Olivia DiCamilli scored the winning basket on a last-second shot and finished with 10 points.

Tonight’s winner advances to the Division III regional final at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the Sports Arena.

Morningside, gunning for its third consecutive appearance in the State Division I final, turned back a stubborn Ventura Buena team Tuesday, 56-49. Center Lisa Leslie produced another triple-double of 30 points, 11 rebounds and 13 blocked shots despite sitting out part of the game after drawing her fourth foul early in the third quarter.

Mt. Carmel, the San Diego Section runner-up, defeated Southern Section 5-A champion Hart of Newhall, 65-42.

The Division I regional final will be played at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Sports Arena.