Grant Earns a Date With Top-Seeded Narbonne

Maybe they should have opened the game with a starter’s pistol instead of a tip-off.

In what better resembled a track meet than a girls’ City Section Championship division playoff game, Woodland Hills Taft capitalized on a slew of Van Nuys Grant turnovers in the second quarter to run away with a 79-64 win Wednesday night at Taft.

Fourth-seeded Taft (22-1) advances to face top-seeded Harbor City Narbonne, an 80-48 winner Wednesday over Washington.

Schquay Brignac scored 29 points and Christina Aguinaga had 28, including six three-point baskets for Taft.

The Toreadors used a 12-2 run as part of a 21-point second quarter, burying Grant (18-9) in a game in which the two press-oriented teams combined for 27 turnovers in the first half.

Grant was further hindered by the loss of guard Temma Healey, who twisted her ankle early in the second quarter and did not return. That left the Lancers to shoot it out with the Toreadors, who opened a 37-26 halftime lead.

In other Championship Division quarterfinals:

Harbor City Narbonne 80, Washington 48--Tennessee-bound guard Loree Moore scored 18 points and had 10 rebounds and 10 assists to lead the top-seeded and defending champion Lady Gauchos to victory at home.

Lisa Willis had 12 points and five assists and Amber Fouse had 15 points for Narbonne, which led 34-24 at halftime.

Fairfax 46, Carson 43--Rachel Ocampo gave the Lions the lead with a three-pointer and then secured the overtime victory with two free throws at Carson.

Carson led until the final 40 seconds of regulation.

Ashlee Dunlap tied the score, 35-35, with a basket with 45 seconds left.

Dunlap finished with 24 points, 14 rebounds, four assists and three steals.

In Invitational Division quarterfinals:

Woodland Hills El Camino Real 67, King-Drew 37--Karen Shun scored 12 points in the second quarter to help host El Camino Real pull away.

Shun finished with 27 points and 10 rebounds for the Conquistadores, who led at halftime, 35-18.

Lindsay Goldblatt had nine points and six assists for El Camino Real.

Granada Hills 54, Palisades 48--Kelly Patterson scored 16 points for Granada Hills, which overcame a seven-point third-quarter deficit for the victory at Palisades.

Emily Fischer scored 15 points for Palisades.

Marshall 37, Sylmar 35--Cindy Wada scored 11 points and Tracey Harada added 10 for the Barristers, who improved to 19-6.

Sylmar missed a three-point attempt at the buzzer.

SOUTHERN SECTION

El Dorado 66, Ventura 64--In a I-A quarterfinal, El Dorado withstood a 29-point fourth quarter by fourth-seeded Ventura that wiped out a 10-point lead, but found victory by making five of six free throws in the final 78 seconds and scoring on a full-court pass by Carly Wade.

“We started practicing it right before [the playoffs],” said sophomore Allison Wulff, who started in the near-court, then bolted toward her basket as Wade cut loose with a pass. Wulff scored, giving El Dorado a 63-58 margin with 32 seconds left. With three seconds remaining, she finished off Ventura by making two free throws.

The Golden Hawks, who shot 70% from the free-throw line this season, made 14 of 17.

Wade added a free throw with 17 seconds remaining for a 64-58 lead, but Ventura’s Katie O’Brien connected on two three-pointers in the final nine seconds, including a 30-footer at the buzzer.

Oxnard 56, Eisenhower 40--Sienna Abraham scored 11 points in the first quarter and the Yellowjackets led the rest of the way in a I-AAA quarterfinal at Eisenhower.

Ajailee Lauder scored 16 points for Eisenhower (23-6).

Redondo Union 53, Apple Valley 42--Jackie Packard scored 19 points and had four assists for the Sea Hawks in a II-A quarterfinal at Redondo.

Ofa Tulikihihifo added 15 points and nine rebounds for Redondo Union, which won the II-AA title last season.

Cassandra Reeves scored 19 points for Apple Valley.

La Puente Bishop Amat 41, Newbury Park 39--Erin Begonia’s three-foot jump shot with 40 seconds remaining was the difference for the Lancers in a II-A quarterfinal at Newbury Park.

Torrance Bishop Montgomery 70, San Marino 31--Noelle Quinn scored 23 points in three quarters to lead the Knights in a III-AAA quarterfinal at Bishop Montgomery.

Inglewood Morningside 69, West Hills Chaminade 60--Juleen Smith scored 22 points and Donnisha Sanford added 20 points and 16 rebounds for the Monarchs who won a III-AA quarterfinal at Morningside.

Van Nuys Montclair Prep 64, Palos Verdes Chadwick 33--Eshaya Murphy scored 27 points and had 21 rebounds in a second-round V-AA victory at Chadwick.