Narbonne Remains on Top--Barely

As a four-year starter for powerful Harbor City Narbonne, Loree Moore is familiar with defeating opponents convincingly and leaving no doubt about superiority.

On Saturday night at Arco Arena, after Narbonne successfully defended its state Division I girls’ basketball title by defeating Berkeley, 48-45, Moore said she experienced something new in her final game for the Lady Gauchos.

“It felt like we won it by a thread,” she said.

Narbonne withstood a Berkeley rally, benefited from a controversial foul call in the final 19 seconds and sealed the victory with clutch rebounding to finish 28-3.

The Lady Gauchos entered the game as the top-ranked team in USA Today’s national poll and fully expect to be recognized as mythical national champions for the second year in a row.

Narbonne, however, did not look the part against Berkeley, the only opponent the Lady Gauchos have played in three state championship-game appearances. In 1998, Narbonne defeated the Yellow Jackets, 67-46, but vacated the title because it used ineligible players. Last year, Narbonne beat Berkeley, 64-52.

“From the beginning, we were totally off our game, especially on defense,” said Moore, who finished with 11 points, seven assists and eight steals. “We weren’t ready for the moment.”

Still, Narbonne led, 22-12, at halftime against a Yellow Jacket team that made only four of 30 shots in the first two quarters.

“Once we got up by 10, we thought we had it,” Narbonne forward Wilnett Crockett said.

Berkeley forward Robin Roberson, who finished with 26 points, made a shot to pull the Yellow Jackets to within 43-44 with 2:03 left and then put Berkeley ahead, 45-44, with a spinning baseline jumper.

Crockett tied the score with a free throw with 1:06 left, setting the stage for controversy.

Narbonne’s Amber Pruitt was called for traveling near the Lady Gauchos’ basket, giving Berkeley the ball with 18.6 seconds left.

On the inbound play, Angelita Hutton broke free from Moore to receive a pass and was called for holding, sending Moore to the free-throw line amid a chorus of boos from the crowd.

“I can’t imagine a call being made like that at that time,” Berkeley Coach Gene Nakamura said.

Moore made the first free throw to give Narbonne the lead. She missed the second, but the Lady Gauchos swarmed for the rebound and were awarded possession on a jump ball.

Moore was fouled again after receiving the ball on an inbound play. She missed a free throw, but Crockett got the rebound and was fouled with 3.7 seconds left. Crockett made both free throws to put Narbonne ahead, 48-45, and Berkeley called time out to set up its final shot, a running 30-footer by Roberson at the buzzer.