GIRLS’ BASKETBALL : Roosevelt Storms Back to Edge Morningside

Roosevelt High has been unbeatable with Zenobia Tyson Hunt in the lineup.

But in the final of the Pacific Open tournament Wednesday night, Roosevelt proved it could also win without the All-City center.

Hilda Perales made a baseline jump shot with 22 seconds to play to lift the Roughriders to a 52-51 victory over perennial Southern power Morningside.

“I was open and was going to drive in, and then they collapsed on me, so I just shot it,” Perales said. “When I took the shot I was saying, ‘Please go in . . . please go in.’ And when I saw it go in, it was great.”

Despite the absence of Hunt, who sprained an ankle in Roosevelt’s 59-36 semifinal victory against Dorsey on Tuesday, the Roughriders rallied from a 48-40 deficit with seven minutes to play against Morningside, winner of five Southern Section titles in seven seasons.

Roosevelt, which trailed by as many as 10 points in the second half, scored the first eight points of the fourth quarter to tie the score, 48-48, on a basket by Edna Alvarez with just over three minutes left.

Devyn Johnson put Morningside ahead on a free throw and teammate Chanel Neal added a basket to give the Monarchs a 51-48 lead with 2:12 left.

The Roughriders climbed to within, 51-50, on two free throws by Alvarez with 2:02 remaining to set up Perales’ game-winning shot.

Dawn Pellerin of Roosevelt was selected as the tournament’s most valuable player. Filling in for Hunt, the 5-foot-9 junior scored 17 points and made four of five free throws.

“We knew it wasn’t going to be easy without Zenobia,” Pellerin said. “We just had to play even harder to make up for it. We never gave up.”

Alvarez, who had 19 points, along with Johnson and Neal of Morningside, were also selected to the all-tournament team.

Records: Morningside 6-4; Roosevelt 6-0

Dorsey 46, Bell 43--Grace Smart scored on a layup with 2:13 remaining to break a 42-42 tie and give Dorsey the lead for good in the third-place game of the Pacific Open tournament Wednesday.

Alma Ruvalcaba of Bell had a game-high 22 points. Stephanie Hogan and Murrae Glenn led Dorsey with 13 points each. Ruvalcaba and Glenn were selected to the all-tournament team.

Records: Bell 3-5; Dorsey 5-7

Jefferson 70, Roosevelt JV 45-- Jackie Leverett scored 22 points, including 16 in the second half, and Lavonde Thompson added 15 as the Democrats pulled away in the third quarter of the consolation championship of the Pacific Open tournament Wednesday.

Records: Jefferson 8-3; Roosevelt JV 3-2

Bell Gardens 50, Buena Park 10--Susan Rendon’s 10 points equaled the total of the entire Buena Park team, and 11 of her teammates also scored in the round-robin game of the Savanna tournament Wednesday.

Records: Bell Gardens 6-5; Buena Pk. 0-8

Grant 70, Wilson 24--Rene Bayless had 10 points for Wilson in the consolation semifinal defeat in the Birmingham tournament Wednesday.

Records: Wilson 2-1; Grant 6-5

Dorsey 34, Jordan 32--After holding an eight-point halftime lead, the Dons needed clutch baskets from sophomore Stephanie Hagan and Autumn Johnson to hold off a late Jordan surge in the first round of the Pacific Open Monday at Roosevelt.

Mur Rae Glenn and Janice Thomas each scored 10 points to lead the Dons.

Records: Dorsey 4-6