PREP BASKETBALL / PLAYOFF ROUNDUP : Thousand Oaks Is 58-50 Loser in Semifinals

Huntington Beach took on a tall order in the Southern Section I-A division semifinals against second-seeded Thousand Oaks on Wednesday night at Edison High.

But the play of guards Bryan Chang, Chris Jones and Tommy Walden more than offset the Lancers’ superior height advantage in a 58-50 victory.

Thousand Oaks (26-2) committed 18 turnovers against Huntington Beach’s pressure defense and had problems getting the ball inside to its twin towers, Nick and Paul Foster.

Jones and Walden took turns hitting three-point shots at the end of the second and third quarters that Huntington Beach Coach Roy Miller said, “broke their backs.”

In the end, it was the steady play of center Tony Gonzalez that helped Huntington Beach (27-3) end Thousand Oaks’ winning streak at 23 games and advance the Oilers into the championship game against Mater Dei (30-1).

Paul Foster had 18 points, but Nick Foster had only two.

The Oilers were also outrebounded by the Lancers, 32-27, and got sloppy in the fourth quarter after building a 13-point lead.

But Huntington Beach continually hit the timely shot each time Thousand Oaks threatened.

GIRLS

No. 4 Morningside 61, Newport Harbor 57--Tina Thompson scored 21 points and Cha-Ron Walker had 20 to guide the Monarchs (25-2) to a Division III-A semifinal victory. Kala Ross of Newport Harbor (20-7) led all scorers with 33 points.

Rancho Alamitos 52, La Canada 39--Senior forward Timerie James scored 14 of her 17 points in the second half as the second-seeded Vaqueros (24-4) pulled away from La Canada in a game at Hoover High to advance to the Division III-A final.

James also had 11 rebounds for the Vaqueros, who make their third trip to the finals in four years. Last season, the Vaqueros (25-4) won the III-AA championship. La Canada finishes 19-9.

Akilah Rodgers had 12 points for Rancho Alamitos, which will play Costa Mesa in the final Saturday at Loyola Marymount.