Narbonne Is Going Back to Sacramento

Harbor City Narbonne High, the defending state Division I champion in girls’ basketball, began its season with a loss to Lynwood.

On Saturday night at the Forum, Narbonne ended Lynwood’s season with a 67-41 victory in the Southern California regional final of the state tournament.

Narbonne (27-3) will play Berkeley in the championship game Saturday at Arco Arena in Sacramento.

Amber Pruitt scored 19 points, Lisa Willis had 14, Wilnett Crockett 12 and Loree Moore 10 for Narbonne, which was too big and physical for guard-oriented Lynwood.

Lynwood could have used Crockett, who transferred to Narbonne before the season. Narbonne outrebounded the Knights, 38-23, and was never seriously threatened after taking a 35-27 halftime lead.

Sade Wiley-Gatewood scored 17 points for Lynwood. Hazel Woods and Janice Bright each had 10 for the Knights.

In other girls’ finals:

Hanford 62, Lakewood Artesia 59--Top-seeded Hanford (30-2) overcame early foul trouble to win the Division II regional at the Forum and advance to a state championship game for the first time.

Hanford center Shawntinice Polk and forward Amy Parrish were on the bench for much of the second quarter, but Hanford still built a 31-21 lead by halftime.

Artesia (32-3) came back to take the lead, 44-38, in the third quarter and was ahead, 55-51, with 6:10 left in the game after Brittney Thomas made a three-pointer.

But Hanford went on a 9-0 run as Tara Chennault scored on a drive, Polk scored down low, Jenny Thigpin made a 15-foot jumper and Parrish made a three-pointer to put Hanford ahead, 60-55.

Lauren Ervin’s jumper pulled Artesia to within, 60-57, with 1:15 left, but Cacie Pope missed a shot in close with 46 seconds left.

After Chennault made two free throws to put Hanford ahead by five, Pope scored to make the score, 62-59.

Artesia got the ball back after Hanford missed several inside shots, but Thomas’ three-point attempt with nine seconds left did not come close.

Parrish scored 22 points and Polk and Thigpin each had 12.

Pope scored 18, Brittney Thomas 15, Ervin 12 and Linsay Thomas 10 for Artesia.