GIRLS’ DIVISION II : Alemany Takes Best Shot but Misfires in 45-44 Loss

Like its final shot, Alemany High fell short in its bid to reach the championship game of the girls’ state basketball tournament, dropping a 45-44 decision to Bishop Montgomery on Saturday in the Southern regional Division II final at Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Freshman Samantha Rigley hit the heel of the rim on a 12-foot baseline jump shot with four seconds left and was tied up on the rebound, giving Bishop Montgomery (27-7) the ball on alternating possessions with one second remaining.

Rigley intercepted the inbounds pass, but her desperation shot from midcourt fell 10 feet short at the buzzer.

“It was a good shot,” Alemany Coach Melissa Melton said of Rigley’s 12-footer. “It just didn’t fall. Samantha has been hitting those all season.”

“I thought it was going in,” added Rigley, who led Alemany with 12 points.

Rachel Corelli (10 points) had two chances to give Alemany the lead with less than a minute to play after making steals, but she was stripped of the ball in the lane both times by Mirlen Martinez.

Alemany (28-5) had won 15 consecutive games since losing to Bishop Montgomery, 51-41, Jan. 15. The Indians had defeated the Knights twice since then, including last Saturday’s 56-51 win in the Southern Section Division II-A final.

But the Indians trailed from the final minute of the first quarter on and could not overcome a nine-point fourth-quarter deficit.

Strong rebounding and scoring by the Knights’ Keisa Smith (18 points, 10 rebounds) and Alemany’s own poor offensive execution put the Indians in a position to lose at the wire.

Alemany roared to a 9-1 lead four minutes into the first quarter on the strength of its fast break, but the Indians were held scoreless for the next six minutes as Bishop Montgomery took a 14-9 advantage. The Knights built the lead to 41-32 with seven minutes to play.