Barnett Steps Up, Leads Rosary Past Morningside

Rosary was smaller, slower and couldn’t jump as high, but who needs athleticism when you’ve got each other?

The Royals proved that by defeating Inglewood Morningside, 64-53, in a Southern California Division III semifinal girls’ basketball game Thursday at Servite.

Maggie Barnett scored 29 points and picked up the slack for teammate Romina Bollini, who struggled with her shot and her temper until making two clutch baskets in the fourth quarter.

“At the beginning I think there was a few nerves,” Barnett said. “Romina’s not used to having two or three shot blockers. I think she tried to alter her shot a little bit.”

Bollini made her first shot of the game to help the Royals to an early 11-point lead, but missed her next 10 as the Monarchs came back to tie the score, 28-28, at the half.

Bollini picked up her third foul with a minute left in the first half and was on the bench to start the second.

“I was confident right at the beginning,” Bollini said. “I made that first bucket and then all of a sudden they double-teamed me and they blocked my shots. I was getting really frustrated and I was letting my anger carry out on the court.”

Rosary, which will play North Hollywood Harvard Westlake in the finals Saturday at the Pyramid, took a seven-point lead on Haley Munroe’s turnaround jumper with 2 minutes 35 seconds left in the third quarter, but Morningside mounted another run to cut the lead to one entering the fourth.

Bollini finally found an opening in the Monarchs’ defense and scored consecutive baskets to give Rosary a 53-46 lead with five minutes remaining.

“It was a battle throughout; they’re so athletic,” Rosary Coach Rich Yoon said. “Their athleticism brought them back closer.”

The Royals (23-8) received solid contributions from several players. Sophomore guard Gayle Sonoda made a three-pointer with three minutes remaining to put Rosary up by seven, Munroe scored eight points and helped keep Morningside’s 6-1 center Acheve Barre scoreless in the second half.

“They started playing a box-and-one on me and everyone stepped up off the bench,” Barnett said. “It was really physical. There was a lot of pulling on jerseys. A lot of holding. We’ll all be sore tomorrow, but it will be worth it.”