SUNSET LEAGUE GIRLS’ BASKETBALL : Yamamoto’s Big Shot Wins It for Ocean View

Dustine Yamamoto, a slight 5-foot-4 Ocean View senior guard, is the least imposing player on her team.

But Tuesday night against fifth-ranked Fountain Valley, Yamamoto turned in the biggest performance of her life.

Her 17-foot basket with 10 seconds remaining gave the seventh-ranked Seahawks a 60-59 victory over the Barons (12-5, 4-2) in the battle for first place in the Sunset League. It helped Ocean View (16-3, 5-1) save face after blowing a 16-point, fourth-quarter lead, falling behind with 21 seconds to go.

Yamamoto’s heroics were really twofold. She scored 12 points in the third quarter as Ocean View extended its two-point lead to 46-34. But Fountain Valley’s press forced 10 fourth-quarter turnovers and the Barons took a 59-58 lead on a three-point play by Nicole Strange (17 points), setting the stage for Yamamoto.

Jennifer Tuiolosega managed to break the press and whipped a pass cross court to Yamamoto, who considered taking a three-pointer.

“But I pulled back and this blue blur jumped past me,” Yamamoto said, “so I stepped up and took it.”

And buried it.

Yamamoto, averaging 9.1 points, missed her first five shots but finished by making seven of her last nine, including two three-pointers.

Becky Fraser and Farrah Magee scored 13 apiece, and Tuiolosega had 10.

Sophomore Jen Ludwicki had a game-high 21 points, and she was forced into the corner by Alison Juroe in the final four seconds. Ludwicki’s shot to win from 18 feet dropped into the hands of Gina Ybarra, whose off-balance shot rolled slowly around the rim’s back side--and fell off as the buzzer sounded.

Said Seahawk Coach Ollie Martin: “Dustine’s got a 4.06 grade-point average and she volunteers her time as an assistant coach on our frosh-soph team.”

And Tuesday, she showed the underclassmen how it was done.

In other league games:

Marina 67, Rosary 45--Shandy Robbins had 15 points and 11 rebounds and Sonya Bryant added 12 points for sixth-ranked Marina (12-5, 5-1). Kathleen Celio scored 17 points for Rosary (9-4, 3-3).

Edison 50, Santa Ana 34--Kerrie O’Bric scored 13 points for Edison (11-6, 2-4). Santa Ana held Marie Philman, the second-leading scorer in the county, to nine points, though she had 13 rebounds, five assists and four steals.

Huntington Beach 58, Westminster 46--Monica Geraci scored 18 points for visiting Huntington Beach (7-8, 3-3).