GIRLS’ BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Mater Dei Outlasts No. 2 Fountain Valley

Mater Dei’s Rhonda Gondringer called it the best shooting zone of her life.

Fountain Valley’s Jennifer Ludwicki called it the best game she’s ever been associated with.

Carol Strausburg, who has won more than 300 games, put it at the top of her list, too. And she was the losing coach.

Third-ranked Mater Dei survived a 9-0 run over 70 seconds with a 56% shooting performance to beat second-ranked Fountain Valley, 73-72, Friday in the semifinals of the Marina tournament. The Monarchs came from behind with 37 seconds left in the fourth quarter after leading by seven only minutes earlier.

The victory put Mater Dei (8-2) in the tournament final against Laguna Hills (8 p.m.) at Marina High.

Fountain Valley (13-2), which shot 52%, plays Ocean View in the third-place game.

Playing in front of a full house, Gondringer scored 35 points, shooting 16 of 20 from the floor, 15 of 16 during one stretch.

Gondringer outdueled Ludwicki, who had 29 points and 13 rebounds, and stole Gondringer’s inbounds pass with five seconds left to give the Barons a final chance at victory, but Nicole Strange was a foot short on a 25-foot three-point shot.

“I would have definitely made it if I had a chance to set up,” Strange said.

Seniors Ludwicki and Strange (14 points), with a little help from 6-foot-1 sophomore Kelly Boeke (11 points), overcame an 11-point second-quarter deficit. A 9-0 run beginning at 6:48 in the fourth quarter gave the Barons a 60-58 lead that eventually reached 65-61 and 70-67.

But Gondringer’s putback made it a one-point game, and her two free throws with 1:36 left answered Strange’s fourth field goal of the quarter.

Still down by one, Mendoza (six points) beat the shot clock with a six-foot jumper from the key to give Mater Dei the 73-72 lead.

Ludwicki missed the front of a one-and-one free throw with 19 seconds left, but nearly made up for it with her steal with five seconds to go.

“This had the atmosphere of a CIF championship, Marina championship, whatever,” Ludwicki said. “It was like a college game.”