HIGH SCHOOL ROUNDUP : Sanders’ 44 Points Overwhelm Monroe

Franklin High’s Johnny Sanders erupted for 44 points and Monroe failed to make two jump shots in the final seconds as Franklin won, 83-82, in the first round of the City Section 3-A Division boys’ basketball playoffs Wednesday night.

One-point losses have eliminated Monroe two years in a row. The Vikings (10-13) lost to Banning, 60-59, in the final last season.

Sanders, who made three three-point shots, scored 14 of the Panthers’ 20 points in the first quarter and 13 of their 22 in the third.

But Monroe led, 82-79, before Johnny Redford hit a three-pointer to tie the score with 50 seconds to play.

Monroe ran the clock down but a 17-foot jump shot was missed with 12 seconds to play.

The shot bounced off the rim, Sanders grabbed the rebound and was fouled attempting a layup at the other end with 3.5 seconds left.

Sanders made the first shot and missed the second.

Kenyatta Niles and Shaka Stiner each scored 16 points for Monroe.

Franklin made eight of 14 free throws, and Monroe attempted only three.

Fairfax 61, Grant 48--Shapigan Roberts had 18 points and the Lions out-rebounded Grant, 28-17, in a City 4-A first-round game at Grant.

Shawn Hackett led the Lancers (18-6) with 13 points.

Grant scored only 13 points in the second and third quarters combined.

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Alemany 61, Valencia 30--Kelly McKay scored the first 12 points of the game and had six of Alemany’s 30 steals, leading the Indians (25-0) in a Division II-A second round game at Placentia.

McKay finished with 16 points. Carly Funicello led the Indians with 20 points and Samantha Rigley scored 18.

Three Alemany players--Jen Stoughton, Zevette Mitchell and Lori Shigematsu--each had five assists.

Village Christian 60, Whitter Christian 49--Jeanne Beauchamp and Lindy James each scored 15 points to lead the Crusaders (24-1) in a Division IV-A quarterfinal game at Sonora High.

The Crusaders will meet Bell-Jeff in the semifinals on Saturday night.

Newbury Park 64, St. Lucy’s 51--Kara McKeown had 13 points, 23 rebounds, six steals and five assists to lead the Panthers (23-4) in a Division III-AA quarterfinal at Newbury Park. Julie Wastell added 20 points and six steals for the winners.

Newbury Park played without starter Jan Thorpe, who had a sprained ankle. Thorpe is expected to return for the Panthers’ next game.

Stacy Nuveman had 27 points and 12 rebounds for St. Lucy’s (18-8).

Mater Dei 70, Quartz Hill 50--Leticia Oseguera scored 18 points and Adrienne Botana 18 to lead Mater Dei (23-3) in the Division I-A quarterfinal game. The Monarchs face Cerritos in the semifinals on Saturday.

Belmont 46, North Hollywood 43--Anna Celaya had 23 points and 10 steals for North Hollywood, but she sat out part of the third and fourth quarters after picking up her fourth foul and the Huskies didn’t recover in the first round of the City Section 4-A Division playoffs.

A 10-0 run to start the second half gave the Huskies a 32-22 lead midway through the third quarter, but Belmont trimmed its deficit to 34-30 at the end of the period.

Celaya hit one of two free throws to trim North Hollywood’s deficit to 44-43 with 49 seconds to play, but Belmont’s Nancy Gracia hit two free throws with 12 seconds to play and the Huskies were unable to get off a three-point attempt.

Darvena Merritt added 16 points and 10 rebounds for North Hollywood (15-7), which had won 13 of its previous 14 games.

Taft 52, Lincoln 45--Crystal Griffin had 15 points and 13 rebounds to lead Taft in the first round of the City 3-A playoffs.

Sophomore Nyoki McKeith added nine points for the Toreadors (8-2), who will play Sylmar, a 69-60 winner over San Pedro, in a quarterfinal game Friday.

Ventura 85, Muir 48--The Cougars led by 15 after the first quarter en route to a second-round Division II-A victory.

Amber Brown and Kristen Franklin each had 17 points and Norma Marquez added 15.

Those three accounted for 21 of Ventura’s 25 first-quarter points as the Cougars improved to 20-5.

Ocean View 54, Crescenta Valley 37--The host Falcons (20-6) were eliminated from the Division II-AA quarterfinals.

Cerritos 55, Thousand Oaks 40--The surprising Lancers (20-8), rebuilding after advancing to the final a year ago, lost a Division I-A quarterfinal game at Cerritos.

Bell-Jeff 51, Riverside Notre Dame 47--The Guards (21-6) advanced to the Division IV-A semifinals.

Woodbridge 49, Rio Mesa 44 (OT)--The Spartans lost in the Division II-AA quarterfinals.

GOLF

Grant 393, Granada Hills 394--Darren Angel, the defending City Section champion, shot a one-under-par 71 for Granada Hills, but Grant’s depth proved decisive in the season-opening City Section 5-A League match at Hansen Dam golf course.

Josh Jacobs led Grant with a round of 73.