Narbonne Recovers for Rout

Harbor City Narbonne found itself in an unfamiliar situation Saturday night against Hanford.

The Lady Gauchos, the top-ranked girls’ basketball team in the nation by USA Today, trailed at halftime for only the second time this season.

But Narbonne opened the second half with a 10-0 run and never looked back en route to a 69-40 victory in the Southern California regional final of the state tournament at the Great Western Forum.

Narbonne (33-0) will play Berkeley for the state championship next Saturday at Arco Arena in Sacramento.

In December, Narbonne had been behind by five points against Copper Cove (Texas), before coming back to win.

On Saturday, Hanford, with three starters taller than 6 feet, led, 23-22, at halftime.

“I think [Hanford] could see that we were going to make a run,” said Narbonne guard Loree Moore, who scored 19 points and had 10 assists and six steals.

Narbonne forced five turnovers in the first three minutes of the second half and took a nine-point lead on baskets by Amber Pruitt, Moore and Latasha O’Keith and four free throws by Ebony Hoffman.

The Lady Gauchos kept the pressure on and raced to a 48-32 lead by the end of the third quarter.

In other regional finals:

DIVISION III

Torrance Bishop Montgomery 88, San Diego Kearny 72--Sophomore guard Brittney Thomas scored 23 points and freshman center Lauren Ervin scored 22 and had 18 rebounds at the Forum to lead the Knights (28-3) to their fourth regional title.

Bishop Montgomery will play Petaluma next Saturday in the state final.

Bishop Montgomery led Kerney (18-14) by 13 points at the end of the first quarter and 42-18 at halftime.

Freshman guard Noelle Quinn added 16 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists for Bishop Montgomery.

Senior center Triola Alexander scored 24 points, freshman guard Latasha Lewis had 18 and junior guard Elainea Washington added 17 for Kearny (18-14).

DIVISION IV

Playa del Rey St. Bernard 67, La Jolla Bishop’s 46--Liesl Griffin scored six points as the Vikings outscored the Knights, 17-6, in the decisive third quarter at the Pyramid.

St. Bernard (26-5) turned a 29-24 halftime lead into a 35-29 advantage 3:01 into the second half on Alexis Kendricks’ basket and Griffin’s four free throws. The Vikings closed the quarter with a 9-2 run, with Shannon Clay, Shannon Howell and Chereese Waters each scoring three points, putting St. Bernard up, 46-30

Shannon Howell had 21 points and Alexis Kendricks added 13 points as the second-seeded Vikings advanced to the state final for the third time in four seasons.

Kirsten Grimm had 13 points for top-seeded Bishop’s (28-2).

DIVISION V

Solana Beach Santa Fe Christian 57, Pilgrim 41--Junior guard Brandi Collato set regional championship game records by scoring 39 points and making 20 of 21 free throws for Santa Fe Christian at the Pyramid.

The San Diego Section champion Eagles (28-5) advanced to their first state final and will play Redwood Christian.

Amber Cunningham had 16 points for second-seeded Pilgrim (29-2).

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Correspondent Steven Herbert contributed to this story.

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Girls’ Finals

Schedule for next weekend’s state championship girls’ basketball games at the Arco Arena in Sacramento:

FRIDAY

Division IV

Playa del Rey St. Bernard (26-5) vs. Stockton St. Mary’s (33-3), 4 p.m.

Division II

Brea Olinda (28-6) vs. Pleasanton Amador Valley (27-5), 6 p.m.

SATURDAY

Division V

Solana Beach Santa Fe Christian (28-5) vs. San Lorenzo Redwood Christian (24-5), 9:30 a.m.

Division III

Torrance Bishop Montgomery (28-3) vs. Petaluma (30-6), 1 p.m.

Division I

Harbor City Narbonne (33-0) vs. Berkeley (29-2), 8 p.m.