GIRLS’ BASKETBALL SOUTHERN REGIONAL : Lynwood Answers Question

The girls’ basketball teams from Lynwood and Thousand Oaks highs have stalked each other all season.

And Thursday night in a Southern California Division I semifinal game between the state’s top girls’ teams for much of the season, Lynwood came up with a fourth-quarter knockout, 62-59, at Lynwood.

Lynwood blew an 11-point second-quarter lead and trailed, 55-54, with 4:07 to play. But, sparked by the shooting and rebounding of Timicha Kirby, Elana Adams and Tawana Grimes, top-ranked Lynwood (29-0) outscored Thousand Oaks, 8-4, down the stretch.

Adams sank four consecutive free throws in the fourth quarter, and Kirby scored on two offensive rebounds in the last 2:35. Grimes came up with two more offensive rebounds as Lynwood tried to protect its lead.

Marion Jones scored 27 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, made four steals and blocked three shots for Thousand Oaks (30-2).

“Basically, the end of the game just came down to heart and desire,” Lynwood Coach Ellis Barfield said. “(Thousand Oaks) was an awfully smart team. They played to the top of their level.”

Lynwood broke open a close game midway through the second quarter when it made eight consecutive shots, including two three-pointers and a 10-foot jump shot by Kirby, who scored 20 points.

An 18-7 run gave the Knights a 31-20 advantage, but Thousand Oaks cut the lead to 31-25.

Melissa Wood, who sank six of seven three-point shots and finished with 22 points, led Thousand Oaks to a 38-37 edge with three minutes to play in the third period.

But Lynwood fought back.