Newbury Park Brings Down the House Again

A student production of South Pacific is drawing raves this week at Newbury Park High, but it’s an ensemble cast a few yards away from the performing arts theater that continues to upstage everyone.

The girls’ basketball team continued its two-year run Friday night, routing Moorpark, 65-24, to extend its Marmonte League winning streak to 22 games.

The Panthers (16-7, 8-0 in league play) have stars. They have depth. They have their second consecutive league title virtually wrapped up.

“They’re all all-stars,” said Coach Brent Milburn of Moorpark (13-6, 4-4). “They can go nine, 10 deep with players who could start for anyone else in our league.”

Friday was supposed to be the big test.

On Jan. 5, Newbury Park overcame a 43-36 deficit to squeak past Moorpark, 53-47.

Those who wanted another dramatic finish were better off going to the play.

Newbury Park outscored the Musketeers, 54-12, over the final three quarters, 35-4, in the second half and 18-0 in the fourth quarter.

“I looked at the scoreboard in the third quarter and said, ‘Are you kidding?’ ” said center Cassandra Harris, who scored 19 points in about 17 minutes. “I couldn’t believe we were leading Moorpark by that much. Once we got the momentum, we just went with it.”

As usual, it was a group effort by a team that has been led in scoring by six players.

Freshman forward Brynn Cameron, a reserve, scored 11 points, sister Emily Cameron added 10 and 10 of the 11 players scored.

Newbury Park, which has won nine consecutive games since opening 7-7, can clinch a share of the league title with a victory at second-place Simi Valley (17-6, 6-3) on Wednesday.

“I would have never thought going into league that we’d be 8-0 right now,” Coach Nori Parvin said.

Moorpark last week appeared to be the top challenger to the Panthers, ranked No. 7 in the region by The Times and No. 5 in Southern Section Division II-A.

But that was before a 51-48 overtime loss to Simi Valley and a week’s worth of final exams, which ended Friday.

“I told the girls before the game that this was their Friday night final, and we flunked,” Milburn said.

The Musketeers, who have depended all season on the three-pointer, made only one of 17, a second-quarter bank shot by Libby Cantwell from the top of the key.

Overall, they made nine of 46 shots and missed 17 of their last 18.

Kristen Nadas led Moorpark with nine points and Natalia Worth added eight. No one else scored for the Musketeers, who committed 29 turnovers.

“We have been keying on defense since the start of the year,” Parvin said. “I think the kids are getting into their rhythm.”

League most valuable player Bridget Harris, who scored seven points, and guard Nancy Pabon are the only seniors who start.

Point guard Alex Mallen, guard Rachel Hever and Cassandra Harris are juniors, meaning the Panthers have a show that could extend at least another season.