HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL / STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT : Faith Baptist Earns Rematch With Rival

Faith Baptist High earned a fourth game this season against Delphic League rival Campbell Hall with a 65-53 win over Ribet Academy in a Division V state regional semifinal basketball playoff game Thursday night at Eagle Rock High.

The Contenders (26-6), who lost to Campbell Hall, 60-40, in the Southern Section Division V-AA final last Saturday, grabbed their first lead at 6-4 and did not trail thereafter. Faith Baptist will face Campbell Hall, a 69-51 winner over Bel-Air Prep, Saturday in the Southern regional final.

Faith Baptist, which shared the league title with Crossroads, won both regular-season games against Campbell Hall.

“I’m looking forward to it and, after the way we played last Saturday, the kids are too,” Faith Baptist Coach Stuart Mason said. “I don’t think we can play any worse. Our team feels we’re fortunate to be here with a chance to redeem ourselves.”

Faith Baptist led, 34-30, at halftime, but grabbed a firm hold on the game’s momentum on Darren Wyre’s three-point basket in the opening seconds of the second half.

Ribet pulled to within 50-44 early in the fourth quarter on a three-point basket by Chris Warmsley, but Alex Estrada immediately answered with a three-point basket for Faith Baptist.

Estrada scored 16 points. Teammate Peter Rasmussen scored a team-high 17 points.

DIVISION II GIRLS

Alemany 68, Carlsbad 42--The Indians’ balanced scoring proved too much for top-seeded Carlsbad as Alemany scored an upset in a semifinal game of the girls’ Division II state regional playoffs.

All five Alemany starters scored in double figures, led by Rachel Corelli and Samantha Rigley with 13 points each. Zevette Mitchell, Kelly McKay and Sara Guziel each scored 12.

Mitchell also had 11 rebounds for Alemany, which outrebounded Carlsbad, 38-23. The Indians converted 10 offensive rebounds into baskets.

“It didn’t really matter who they tried to stop, we just went to somebody else,” Alemany Coach Melissa Melton said.

Alemany led 36-26 at the half but went on a 10-2 run to open the third quarter. Carlsbad never got closer than 15 points after that.

In addition, Alemany (28-4) used a relentless man-to-man defense that wore down Carlsbad.

It was the first time this season the Lancers (24-3) had been beaten on their home floor. Vanessa Nygaard led Carlsbad with a game-high 19 points and 11 rebounds.