Brea Can’t Rebound, Narbonne Wins by 2

Harbor City Narbonne’s Ebony Hoffman scored with six seconds remaining to lift the state’s top-ranked team over Brea Olinda, 50-48, in the third-place game in the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions’ National Division on Tuesday.

It pitted the state’s two highest-ranked teams. Both won state championships last season, but Narbonne vacated the Division I title because of violations involving ineligible players.

Both teams were coming off losses but put on a show at Santa Barbara College, Narbonne wiping out a seven-point deficit, 46-39, in the final 3 minutes 9 seconds.

Twice in the final moments Brea missed backdoor plays from the left side, the second by Lindsey Davidson with 26 seconds remaining and the score tied at 48.

“I blame myself,” Davidson said. “I took it up with my right hand on the left side, and I don’t shoot it [like that] very often. Should have hit it higher off the glass.”

It gave Narbonne possession, and Coach James Anderson told Loree Moore during a timeout to take time off the clock “and make something happen.”

Moore did, driving the lane and passing to Hoffman, who banked a shot off the glass from under the basket. Hoffman had 10 points at halftime, but only four in the second half--all in the final 43 seconds.

Jeri Costello’s long pass to Davidson (eight points, nine rebounds) was intercepted by Amber White, the Ladycats’ 19th turnover.

Brea made 17 of 43 shots, Narbonne 17 of 60. Narbonne outrebounded Brea, 36-31. Brea didn’t get its first (and only) offensive rebound until 6:24 remained.

The Ladycats (7-2) were coming off a 63-57 loss to a national power from Texas, Copperas Cove, and facing a Narbonne team (8-1), that they will play again in a nonleague game next month at Brea.

Brea trailed, 26-18, after a lackluster first half.

“Coming into the game, we thought we were going to get blown out because of the circumstances,” Davidson said. “We were nervous about our reaction [to the loss]. Even though you want to do something, that doesn’t mean you’re going to do it.”

Like rebound. Brea’s 6-3 Chelsea Trotter (15 points) had two rebounds and and 6-2 Kate Ides (four points) had four.

Ides, who guarded Hoffman so effectively, fouled out with 2:02 left.

In the Gold Division semifinals:

San Jose Archbishop Mitty 82, San Clemente 56--Ahead by six points, Mitty’s 12-0 run opening the second half put away the Tritons (6-4), who got 24 points from Colleen Turnbull.

Chino Don Lugo 59, El Toro 58--For the fourth consecutive game, Diana Taurasi (46 points) scored the game-winning basket with three seconds or less--this time at the buzzer--to lift Don Lugo (9-1) to the title game.

Taurasi scored 13 of her 16 fourth-quarter points after a technical foul on Gioconda Mendiola (17 points) with 5:48 left. Mendiola elbowed Taurasi near the neck, prompting one Conquistador fan to rush the floor and point at Mendiola. Taurasi made both free-throws, then hit three three-point baskets in the next 1:27 as Don Lugo overcame a 33-17 deficit. Her game-winning shot came from 15 feet on a long rebound, Don Lugo’s fourth shot of the sequence. Giuliana Mendiola scored 25 for El Toro (8-2), which plays San Clemente today.

In another tournament game:

Mater Dei 64, Chino Hills Ayala 41--Kristian Kirkpatrick scored 14 points and Kyra Melville had 13 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists for Mater Dei (8-2) in the consolation game.

In the Lakewood Artesia girls’ basketball tournament:

Marina 54, Rosary 48--Chanda McLeod had 15 points and 16 rebounds for Marina, and Karyn Fierst added 16 points to help defeat Rosary in the semifinals of the Artesia Tournament. The Vikings, ranked second in Orange County, will play for the tournament championship against Culver City tonight at 8:20.

In other tournament games:

Costa Mesa 48, Pacifica 43--Nancy Hatsushi had 15 points and seven assists and Autumn Smith had 15 rebounds and four blocks for host Costa Mesa (5-2), which led 48-30 with three minutes left. Pacifica is 3-4.

Cypress 55, Lakewood 46--Lyndsay Weaver hit five three-pointers and Michelle Weaver had 14 points for Cypress (5-3). Host Lakewood is 7-5.

Huntington Beach 49, Loara 31--Courtney McKinney had 20 points to lead Huntington Beach to victory in a consolation-round game.

In the third round of the Los Alamitos tournament:

Capistrano Valley 51, Bishop Montgomery 44--Lindsay Peloza scored 19 points and Stephanie Watanabe added 13 for visiting Capistrano Valley (3-5).

In nonleague basketball:

Century 58, Laguna Hills 34--Century worked the press to defeat host Laguna Hills. Elizabeth Mendoza had all seven of her points in the third quarter, and April Powell had 13 of her team-high 24 points in the fourth quarter. The Centurions broke open a tie game in the third quarter with a 16-4 run.

El Dorado 45, El Modena 39--Melissa Jacob made a three-pointer with 12 seconds left to give El Dorado a four-point lead. The Golden Hawks (9-2) trailed by six entering the final quarter, but outscored El Modena, 14-2.

Courtney Smith scored 16 of her 20 points in the first half and Carley Wade had six points and 10 rebounds for visiting El Dorado.

Irvine 50, Aliso Niguel 31--Jody Carlson had 10 points and 10 rebounds and Kristin Thawley had 10 points and nine rebounds for visiting Irvine (9-2).