HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL / CITY SECTION PLAYOFFS : North Hollywood Girls Hold Off Dorsey Charge

Darvena Merritt scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead North Hollywood to a 62-57 victory over Dorsey in a City Section 4-A Division girls’ semifinal at Birmingham High.

The Dons pulled within a point, 58-57, but Tameka McKinon scored her only points of the game on a rebound basket to give North Hollywood a 60-57 lead. Rachel Fogelhut and Merritt each made a free throw to close out the scoring.

North Hollywood (21-6) will play Crenshaw for the championship at the Sports Arena at 4:30 p.m. Friday.

Crenshaw (23-2) advanced with a 58-54 victory over Kennedy. Crenshaw is the tournament’s No. 1 seed; North Hollywood is seeded second.

Anna Celaya added 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Huskies, Fogelhut had 11 points and nine assists and Giovanna Alaimo had 13 points and eight steals.

Merritt scored 13 of her 22 points in the second half.

Crenshaw 58, Kennedy 54--Cathleen Grice, a senior, hit four free throws in the final 14 seconds to send Crenshaw to the title game with a victory at Monroe High.

Shaneya Harris, a senior, had 33 points, seven rebounds, five assists and four steals for Kennedy.

Kennedy ends its season 18-6.

Narbonne 64, Monroe 38--The Gauchos (16-10) bolted to a 19-8, first-quarter lead, then cruised to an easy victory in a City Section 3-A Division semifinal at Kennedy High.

After Valerie Ogawa scored seven points and Denise Takamoto six in the first quarter, Narbonne was never threatened.

Monroe junior Dimara Haymond scored a game-high 19 points, including 10 in the first half.

Lenora Tuisalo’o led Narbonne with 14 points.