Buena Doesn’t Let Upstart Cross Line

The Buena High girls’ basketball team, cagey veteran of championship games, beat the pesky new kid on the block, Crescenta Valley, 59-55, Friday night at the Pyramid to win its second consecutive Southern Section Division I-A title.

It was Buena’s fourth championship in five years and its eighth consecutive appearance in a final. That experience paid off against Crescenta Valley, making its first appearance in a section final.

The Bulldogs (24-2) made four of six free throws in the final 40 seconds to secure the victory.

“Every year this is the goal for us, this is what we shoot for,” said Buena forward Stephanie Kinnear, who was taunted by Crescenta Valley fans the entire game after shooting an air ball in the first quarter but made a free throw with eight seconds to play to give the Bulldogs a 58-55 lead.

Falcon guard Michelle Greco, who had 34 points, missed a one-handed bank shot that would have tied the score with 38 seconds to play.

The same shot was falling all night for Greco, who almost single-handedly kept Crescenta Valley in the game.

“I wanted to [make] it so bad,” a teary Greco said of her last-minute miss. “I just wanted it all on my shoulders.”

After Kinnear’s free throw, Buena got the ball back when a Crescenta Valley pass went out of bounds.

A quick foul put Kelly Murray at the free-throw line. She made one of two attempts to cinch the game.

Buena center Nicole Greathouse scored six of her 18 points during a 10-0 run to open the second half, helping Buena take a 47-32 lead.

But the Falcons were hot from outside, making seven of 14 three-point shots against a zone defense, and tied the score, 55-55, with 1:26 to play.

Buena, ranked third in the state by Cal-Hi Sports magazine, opened a 12-1 lead and held fifth-ranked Crescenta Valley without a basket for the first 4 1/2 minutes. But the Falcons pulled to within 19-11 by the end of the quarter.

The Bulldogs pulled away again in the second quarter, building a 25-14 lead two minutes into the quarter.

But Greco scored eight consecutive points.

“We knew they were a good team coming in, but they played hard,” Kinnear said. “They fought back the whole way. It was stressful.”

Greathouse had 10 rebounds. Kinnear had 13 points and Renae Hofmann and Murray each scored 10.

Crescenta Valley’s Jackie Rhetta had nine points, making three of four three-point shots.

The Falcons played much of the game without Tara Gregory, their third-leading scorer, because of a sprained ankle.

“We were there at the end,” Crescenta Valley Coach Mark Ward said. “It was a great game.”