CITY SECTION BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : Taft Falls on Missed Foul Shots

Cold shooting from the free-throw line plagued Taft High in a 71-60 loss to Fairfax in a City Section 4-A Division first-round playoff game Friday night at Taft.

The Toreadors, who made 70% of their free throws during the regular season, converted only 12 of 30.

“The free throws just killed us,” Taft Coach Jim Woodard said.

Forward Eric Dafney paced Taft (15-8) with a game-high 30 points and teammate Casey Sheahan, a guard, added 12 and eight assists. Dafney also sank seven of his 13 three-point attempts.

Doug Harris scored 24 and Ryan Hickman had 19 for Fairfax (16-8).

In another 4-A Division game:

Carson 47, Kennedy 40--Justin Evans had 11 points to lead host Carson (16-9). Kennedy finished the season with a 9-15 record.

BOYS’ 3-A DIVISION

North Hollywood 60, Locke 56--Robert Hill broke a 56-56 tie with four free throws in the last minute to lead North Hollywood (13-11) at home. Hill finished with 19 points and seven assists.

North Hollywood was scheduled to play South Gate, but the Rams were forced to withdraw from the playoffs because they forfeited victories for use of an ineligible player.

Grant 85, Jefferson 70--Brunell Mori scored 16 points and grabbed 13 rebounds and Sean McMahon added 15 points and 15 rebounds for host Grant (19-2).

Reseda 68, Eagle Rock 56--Reseda overcame a two-point halftime deficit, outscoring visiting Eagle Rock, 26-14, in the third period.

Marquis Burns had 29 points and James Chen added 19 points and seven assists for Reseda (13-8).

Wilson 58, El Camino Real 56--Jaffers Bailey scored 21 points and had nine blocked shots for El Camino (12-8), but it wasn’t enough as turnovers down the stretch enabled Wilson (17-6) to take a six-point lead for good with two minutes remaining in the game.

GIRLS’ 4-A DIVISION

North Hollywood 55, El Camino Real 34--Visiting North Hollywood pressured El Camino Real (15-9) into a scoreless third quarter.

Jacinda Sweet had 14 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists for North Hollywood (22-4). Suzi Shimoyama added 12 points.

GIRLS’ 3-A DIVISION

Taft 36, Los Angeles 33--Sandra Perez had 14 points and 14 rebounds and Alissa Tishler added 12 assists and 12 steals for host Taft in a first-round game.

Grant 43, Wilson 41--Grant’s Shenia Smith made the winning basket on a rebound layup with two seconds remaining at Grant.

Smith’s shot was Grant’s third in the final seven seconds after the score was tied, 41-41.

Smith had 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Monique Young added 11 points and 10 rebounds for Grant (14-5).

Granada Hills 50, Eagle Rock 43--Granada Hills saw an eight-point lead fade into a 34-34 tie after three quarters, but the Highlanders pulled away in the fourth period for a victory at home.

Melissa Hansen (18) and Karen Berkowitz (17) combined for 35 points, and Shelise Tillman grabbed 14 rebounds for Granada Hills (9-6).