Woodbridge Uses Defense to Win Title : Division II-A Girls: Warriors slow high-scoring Bishop Montgomery to win, 47-37.

Woodbridge High School girls’ basketball Coach Russ Davis’ reward for a Southern Section Division II-A championship was a bucket of water thrown on him when he entered the locker room after the Warriors defeated Torrance Bishop Montgomery, 47-37, Saturday night at Cal Poly Pomona.

But Davis would rather have the bath than the loss.

“That was a team that I was worried about,” said Davis of Bishop Montgomery. “They have scored close to 100 points in a game this season and averaged in the 70s. I said we had to keep it close. I felt if we kept it in the 50s, we’d win.”

Woodbridge (25-4) advances to the State Regional playoffs, which begin Tuesday. Bishop Montgomery (24-6) can only hope for an at-large berth in the regional playoffs.

The pace was slow early on. Bishop Montgomery led, 17-16, at the half and the score was 28-28 at the end of three quarters.

In the first half, Woodbridge turned the ball over 12 times but Bishop Montgomery kept it close by missing 20 shots.

Bishop Montgomery turned the ball over 23 times and shot only 25% from the field for the game. Woodbridge shot 40% from the field and outrebounded the Knights, 48-28.

“We wanted to come out running just like we did all season,” Bishop Montgomery Coach Cedric Hurt said.

But the pace threw the Knights off.

“It was sure a low scoring game,” Hurt said. “At the end of the third quarter when we had 28 points, I knew something was wrong. We usually have 37 points midway through the second quarter.”

Woodbridge was led in scoring and rebounding by Deanna Harry with 21 points and 21 rebounds. “I think (our) defense was the key,” said Harry, “because we didn’t let them run. If they had (run), they probably would have won.”