When Galbreath Warms Up, Royal Chills Camarillo

Kristen Galbreath took control and Royal High defeated the Scorpions, 41-31, in a quarterfinal game of the Thousand Oaks tournament Tuesday at Thousand Oaks High.

Galbreath, a senior forward who finished with 20 points and seven rebounds, scored nine points in the fourth quarter of a sloppy game.

Camarillo (7-5) made only two of 14 shots in the first quarter, missing its first 12 shots.

The Scorpions missed their first 15 shots of the fourth quarter, when they made one of 16. Camarillo finished 12 of 49 (24.5%).

Royal (8-3) wasn’t much better. The Highlanders entered the final quarter trailing, 29-26.

Galbreath made two of four shots and four of six free throws in the last seven minutes to key a 15-0 run that put the Highlanders ahead, 41-29.

Lauren Stroot of Camarillo made her team’s only basket of the quarter with three seconds left.

“We stepped it up in the fourth quarter,” Galbreath said. “I like the pressure, I think. Sometimes I do better when I have to.

“I’d rather have a big lead, but we’ll take a win any way we can get it.”

The Highlanders forced Camarillo into 19 turnovers but committed 17.

Despite the poor shooting and turnovers, the Scorpions forged an 18-16 halftime edge.

Until Royal’s fourth-quarter surge, Camarillo enjoyed the biggest lead of the game at 25-19 after a drive in the lane by Gillian Lillich with 4:30 to go in the third quarter.

Royal stayed close by making 18 of 28 free throws, while Camarillo made five of 10.

“My team competes,” Coach Mike Kohl of Royal said.

“We scrap and claw. That’s the way we do it.”

In other games:

Crescenta Valley 59, Thousand Oaks 53--Sinnamonn Garrett scored 17 points and Kristie Umemoto had 16 as the Falcons (9-3) held off Thousand Oaks down the stretch in a quarterfinal game.

Thousand Oaks cut a 12-point, fourth-quarter deficit to four points at 54-50 on a basket by Courtney Vasquez with a minute left.

But Garrett made two free throws and a three-point shot to stretch Crescenta Valley’s lead to 59-50 with 17 seconds left.

Laura Zerebko scored 15 points for Crescenta Valley. Vasquez led Thousand Oaks with 20 points.

Westlake 71, Rio Mesa 58--Tawny Thorp made 15 of 16 free throws en route to 31 points for Westlake (6-3) in a championship quarterfinal victory.

Lottie Kanama added 17 points and Sammonia Ware had 14 for the Warriors.

Kyelynn Chiong had 16 points for Rio Mesa (3-6).

Taft 47, Hueneme 41--Denisha McCoy had 14 points and Schquay Brignac added 11 to help the Toreadors (7-2) prevail.

Christina Harmeson had 13 points for Hueneme (2-8).

Saugus 62, Merced 43--Brusta Brown scored 17 of her 24 points in the first half and the Centurions (4-6) went on to a consolation victory over Merced (10-6).

El Camino Real 80, Santa Monica 66--Christina Aguinaga made nine of 11 three-point shots and finished with 40 points in a victory for the Conquistadores (5-4).