Alemany Turns Close One Into a 48-28 Rout

Alemany outscored Newbury Park by 14 points in the second half Thursday to turn a close game into a rout and win the championship of the Simi Valley tournament, 48-28.

Alemany’s Samantha Rigley, named the tournament’s most valuable for the second successive year, scored six of her 11 points in the third quarter to give Alemany a 36-22 lead to start the fourth.

Alemany, which had given Newbury Park its only two losses of the season, improved to 11-0. Newbury Park fell to 9-2.

Newbury Park’s Julie Wastell, who sat out the semifinal game with a sprained ankle, led the Panthers with nine points.

Ventura 59, Simi Valley 56--For the second consecutive night, Simi Valley could not close the door on an opponent in the final minutes and fell to Ventura in the third-place game.

In striking similarity to Wednesday’s semifinal loss to Newbury Park, Simi Valley had several scoring opportunities in the final minutes, but could not capitalize.

Ventura (5-3), last year’s tournament runner-up to Alemany, converted three of five free throws in the final two minutes and blocked a critical three-point attempt with eight seconds left to ensure the victory.

The Pioneers (4-4), trailing, 30-20, at halftime, opened the third period with a 10-1 run. Sara Griffin’s steal at midcourt and breakaway layup got Simi Valley to within a point, 31-30. Griffin scored 10 of her team-high 20 points in the third period, helping the Pioneeers tie it, 39-39, after three quarters.

The game was knotted six times in the final period before Leighann Nisky sank a free throw with 2:01 remaining to give the Panthers a 57-56 lead.