Narbonne Lives Up to No. 1 Ranking

It was neither its most dynamic nor its most convincing overall performance, but the Harbor City Narbonne girls’ basketball team turned in a perfectly suitable ending to a perfect season Saturday night.

Narbonne’s 64-52 victory over Berkeley before 9,360 at Arco Arena gave the Lady Gauchos the state Division I championship and a mythical national title.

Narbonne finished 34-0 and ended the season the same way it started it--ranked No. 1 in the country by USA Today.

“We are national, state, city, league and any other champion you want to make,” Narbonne forward Ebony Hoffman said.

Narbonne earned the distinction a day after the Compton Dominguez boys’ team won the state Division II title to clinch a mythical national title.

Narbonne defeated Berkeley despite committing a season-high 34 turnovers and without receiving a noteworthy scoring effort from the USC-bound Hoffman, who finished with six points and 10 rebounds.

The way junior guard Loree Moore asserted herself, it was not necessary. Moore played at the point almost the entire game because reserve Syreeta Stafford was injured, changing the Lady Gauchos’ usual backcourt rotation. She turned many of her seven steals into easy layups and penetrated at will on her way to scoring 21 points.

“She attacked the basket--we didn’t seem to have an answer for her,” said Berkeley Coach Gene Nakamura, who has won three state titles and had his team in the final for the fifth time. “When we got close, she took over.”

Moore said it was not a coincidence.

“There were moments when it was my time to step up and I just said, ‘I’m going to score,’ ” said Moore, who also had four rebounds and two blocked shots.

Saturday night’s victory marked the second time Narbonne defeated Berkeley in the state final. In 1998, the Lady Gauchos won, 67-46, but were stripped of their championship for using ineligible players.

The Lady Gauchos were banned from the playoffs last season.

They opened this season with the No. 1 ranking and saw no reason why they shouldn’t go wire-to-wire.

Narbonne’s depth and physical strength helped them clear their final hurdle against Berkeley, which they outrebounded, 42-27.

Amber Pruitt, Inde Johnson and Jamie Funn--all of whom are 6 feet or taller--were among the wave of reserves Coach James Anderson repeatedly sent into the game to wear down the Yellow Jackets.

Berkeley briefly enjoyed a five-point lead in the first quarter until Moore scored two baskets and had a steal to set up another in the final minute.

Moore also scored six points during a 17-2 second-quarter run that helped Narbonne turn a 19-19 tie into a 36-21 lead and eventual 13-point advantage by halftime.

Guard Aisha Hollans, who scored 22 points, twice pulled Berkeley (29-3) to within five points in the third quarter. But Moore quelled one threat with a steal and a lay-up, and Hoffman stopped another by making consecutive shots.

Senior guard Latasha O’Keith scored 15 points and Lisa Willis scored eight points and had 11 rebounds for Narbonne.

HIGH SCHOOL STATE BASKETBALL FINALS

BOYS

DIVISION I

Concord De La Salle 47, Fresno Clovis West 46

DIVISION II

Bishop Montgomery 73, Pleasanton Foothill 56

DIVISION V

Price 71, Hoopa Valley 66

GIRLS

DIVISION I

Narbonne 64, Berkeley 52

DIVISION III

Bishop Montgomery 57, Petaluma 45

DIVISION V

San Lorenzo Redwood Christian 34, Solana Beach Santa Fe Christian33

COVERAGE, D10