DIVISION I-A GIRLS’ SEMIFINALS : Oseguera Gives Mater Dei a Lift

Leticia Oseguera’s legs shook incessantly as she watched the game in fear from the Mater Dei bench.

The standout Monarch senior center was strapped with three first-half fouls--and the belief she had failed her team in the Southern Section Division I-A girls’ basketball semifinals. But encouraged by her teammates at halftime, Oseguera broke out of her funk and promised to make the most of the game’s final 16 minutes.

Goal met.

Oseguera scored all of her 18 points in the second half--including making two crucial free throws late in the fourth quarter--to help propel Mater Dei to a 65-62 victory over Cerritos on Saturday night at University High, and into its first girls’ basketball title game.

“I knew my teammates were looking for me to score,” Oseguera said. “I was scared because I was on the bench for so long, so I really wanted to do everything I could after halftime.”

South Coast League champion Mater Dei (24-3) will play defending division champion Ventura Buena (23-2) in the finals Saturday at Cal Poly Pomona. Cerritos, which finished third in the San Gabriel Valley League, ends the season 15-13.

The Monarchs also defeated the Dons, 62-46, Dec. 7 at Mater Dei. This time, however, they needed a big, late lift from their best player.

Oseguera was at her best in the third quarter, scoring 14 of the Monarchs’ 17 points. Oseguera, who also led Mater Dei with seven rebounds, made two important free throws with 1 minute 18 seconds remaining, which gave the Monarchs a 63-56 lead.

The free throws helped Mater Dei regain its composure in the face of a fierce rally by Cerritos, which upset second-seeded Channel Islands in the second round, 55-53. Led by standout Iowa-bound forward Shannon Perry (29 points, 11 rebounds), the Dons outscored the Monarchs in the fourth quarter, 16-8.

“This is like a dream come true,” Mater Dei first-year Coach Mary Hauser said. “We thought we had a real shot at winning as long as we held on to the ball.

“They made a great run (in the fourth quarter), so we just tried to keep the girls relaxed.”

Sophomore guard Melody Peterson scored 22 points and had seven steals for the Monarchs, and senior guard Adrienne Botana scored 15.