BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : Slow Start Dooms Cougars

For the second consecutive season, Crenshaw High girls’ basketball team lost in the preliminary rounds of the CIF State tournament.

Mimi McKinney had 32 points and 10 rebounds to lead Peninsula to a 73-55 victory Tuesday over the Cougars in the first round of the Southern Regionals at Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Last season, the Cougars were beaten by Ventura Buena, 60-52, in the second round.

Crenshaw, coming off a double-overtime victory in the City Section 4-A Division finals, fell behind 27-10 in the first quarter and never really threatened.

Kristi Lattin had 22 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Cougars, who finished the season at 22-6.

Most of Crenshaw’s troubles began in the first quarter. The Cougars had seven turnovers and made only nine of 26 shots. Meanwhile, McKinney scored 15 of her points in the first quarter, making seven of nine shots.

The Panthers went on a 9-2 run to widen the margin to 24 points and led 45-23 at halftime.

Trailing 49-26, the Cougars scored 13 unanswered points to close the gap to 10, with Lattin scoring nine points during the spurt.

But Crenshaw could get no closer the rest of the way.