Buena’s Ailing LaVere Scores 29 and Leaves Woodbridge Feeling Ill

There’s something about this time of year that just makes Courtney LaVere sick.

Last season, she contracted mononucleosis and sat out Buena High’s final girls’ basketball game.

This year, she has battled a cold all of February.

LaVere might be weak, but her effort on Saturday night was nothing to sneeze at.

She scored a career-high 29 points and had 10 rebounds to help the Bulldogs fend off Woodbridge, 64-47, in a Southern Section Division I-A girls’ basketball semifinal at Ventura High.

Top-seeded Buena (28-0)plays Troy on Friday or Saturday at the Pyramid in Long Beach for the championship.

“Obviously, Courtney LaVere was the difference tonight,” said Coach Eric Bangs of No. 4-seeded Woodbridge (28-1).

North Carolina State-bound center Kelly Greathouse and Tennessee-bound guard Courtney Young of Buena both had rare off-nights, combining to make only nine of 31 shots.

Greathouse finished with 16 points and 19 rebounds. Young had 12 points.

“We were a little ugly overall,” said Coach Joe Vaughan, who will take his team to the final for the 14th time in the last 23 seasons. Buena is seeking its seventh section title.

For a while, it looked like four-time section champion Woodbridge would be the one to advance. The Warriors led much of the first half and were ahead, 27-22, with 90 seconds left in the half. But the Bulldogs answered with a 14-3 run and pulled away.