HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS’ BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : L.B. Poly Arrives, Leaves in Style

Kaidaya Johns scored 24 points to lead Long Beach Poly to a 62-53 victory over Palos Verdes Peninsula Friday night in the Southern Section girls’ Division I-AA final at Long Beach State’s Pyramid.

Poly (25-4) jumped out to a 32-19 lead at halftime behind nine points each from Johns and Laneka Allen and never looked back.

“They came out fighting and didn’t let up,” said Poly Coach Stephanie McPherson, who brought her players to the game in two limousines, as she promised when they advanced to the final.

Allen finished with 12 points and Kanesha Sanders had 12 points and 12 rebounds for Poly.

Katherine Foster-Keddie led Peninsula (26-5) with 14 points and Eden Palacio contributed 12.

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Irvine Woodbridge 53, Mission Hills Alemany 45--Woodbridge (29-1) went on a 13-4 run at the beginning of the fourth quarter to open a 13-point lead, 45-32, from which the Indians (24-3) could not recover in the Southern Section II-AA final at the Pyramid.

Erin Stovall led Woodbridge with 17 points, Melanie Pearson added 14 and Krissy Duperron finished with 14 rebounds. The Warriors were the defending II-AA champions.

Samantha Rigley had 19 points and four assists to lead Alemany, which won the II-A title last year.

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Cerritos Valley Christian 66, Santa Monica Crossroads 44--USC-bound Jodi Parriott scored a game-high 34 points and had 11 rebounds and Tandee Taylor added 17 points and 12 rebounds to lead Valley Christian (22-3) to the Southern Section IV-A title at the Pyramid.

Valley Christian, which extended its title streak to four games, dominated the boards, outrebounding Crossroads, 42-27.

Erin Irving scored a team-high 11 points for Crossroads (22-3) and Yasmeen Benjamin added 10.