El Toro to Get Shot at Peninsula

El Toro High earned its first girls’ basketball finals berth by edging Lynwood, 51-47, in Tuesday night’s Southern Section Division I-AA semifinal at Laguna Hills.

The Chargers (23-4) will play defending champion Palos Verdes Peninsula at the Long Beach Pyramid Friday or Saturday.

Lynwood finished the season 22-7

El Toro forward Amy Rikimaru, who played with four fouls most of the second half, broke a 47-47 tie with a 10-foot jump shot in the lane with 26 seconds to play.

“It’s like everything was in slow motion,” Rikimaru said. “All of a sudden there was an opening in their defense. I dribbled to a spot and shot.”

Rikimaru would get six of her eight points and three of her four rebounds in the fourth quarter.

“She played the quarter of her life,” Charger Coach Vincent Avitabile said.

Lynwood, which trailed, 24-23, at halftime, had a chance to tie with 4.6 seconds as forward Wakisha Howard was fouled while shooting. The Lady Knights had shot free throws well all evening (17 of 24). But Howard missed both attempts.

El Toro’s Giuliana Mendiola, who led all scorers with 23 points, grabbed the rebound and was fouled with 2.2 seconds to play. She made both shots for the final points.

“Rebounding was the difference in the second half,” Mendiola said, noting El Toro finished with a 19-13 advantage. “It has been our weakness all season. We knew we had to get the ball in the second half.

“To get this close and lose is hard,” Lynwood Coach Ellis Barfield said.

“We had a lot to overcome and our kids fought a good fight. They still have to learn better how to deal with adversity.”