Pluimer Paces San Clemente

The Southern Section Division I-A championship gamed served as a coronation for San Clemente sophomore Lindsey Pluimer on Saturday, giving the 6-foot-3 center two section titles in two seasons.

The victory also reaffirmed that unheralded senior Kim Buffum as one of the section’s top clutch players.

Pluimer scored 26 points and Buffum finished with 15--nine in the fourth quarter--as the top-seeded Tritons defeated third-seeded Newhall Hart, 67-60, at the Pyramid in Long Beach.

Hart (25-5) had no answer for Pluimer’s inside game, and when the Indians pulled to within 45-42 in the opening minute of the fourth quarter, Hart had no answer for Buffum. She started and ended a 10-1 run with three-point baskets to provide a 55-43 lead for San Clemente (27-3).

Buffum’s 15 points, all on three-point baskets, and the Tritons’ 12-point lead were too much for Hart to overcome, getting no closer than 65-60 in the final minute.

Pluimer, 12 of 16 from the field, had 14 rebounds and five assists. Buffum had four assists, and junior Sara Brown had 15 points. Seniors Brandi Kimble and Amy Malbon each scored 18 for Hart, and freshman Ashlee Trebilcock had 14.

*

Lakewood Artesia 55, Apple Valley 37--Artesia won its second title in a row, winning the Division III-AA championship at the Pyramid behind a balanced effort and a couple of big runs.

The top-seeded Pioneers (24-5) trailed in the first quarter, 8-4, when they went on a 16-2 run in which Brittany Imaku scored seven of her 13 points and Lindsay Thomas scored five of her 15. It helped Artesia take a 29-24 lead at halftime.

The Pioneers seized command of the game with a 9-1 run to start the third quarter.

“We were quicker, and we were able to penetrate the middle and pull up for short jumpers,” Artesia Coach Scott Roczey said. “We’re playing as one, as a unit.”

Brittney Thomas added 14 for Artesia, which played most of the first half without 6-foot-2 junior Cacie Pope, putting the Pioneers at a severe height disadvantage. They had no other starter taller than 5-7, and Apple Valley had only one shorter than 5-9.

Yet Apple Valley (24-5), playing in its first championship game, was its own worst enemy, committing 20 turnovers, and Katie McElree was the only Sun Devil in double figures with 16 points. Allison Martin scored nine, and Stephanie Phenecie had eight with 12 rebounds.

*

Montebello Cantwell-Sacred Heart 77, Montclair Prep 66--The unseeded Cardinals (23-5) made their first trip to a title game notable and won the school’s first championship since 1947.

To win the Division IV-A title at the Pyramid, Cantwell-Sacred Heart not only beat the third-seeded Mounties (20-6), but previously defeated teams ranked Nos. 1, 4, 8 and 10 in its division by the Southern Section.

The Cardinals led at halftime, 33-31, and were tied at 33-33 before they scored nine in a row as part of a 17-5 run. Critical to the run was the shooting of sophomore Kathy Suria, who had made only one of eight shots in the first half. She finished with 17 points and made three of her five three-point baskets in the third quarter.

Sophomore Maritza Villalta scored 31 and had five assists and three steals, and sophomore Jackie Vizcaino made eight of nine from the field and scored 19.

Junior Eshaya Murphy had 41 points and 22 rebounds for Montclair Prep.

Martin Henderson

*

Playa del Rey St. Bernard 41, Santa Fe Springs St. Paul 30--The top-seeded Vikings won their third consecutive section title and seventh in 11 seasons, but this Division IV-AA championship at the Pyramid might have been costly.

Georgia-bound guard Alexis Kendrick left the game late in the third quarter with what was believed to be a concussion, and her status for the state playoffs is unknown.

Kendrick led St. Bernard (21-7) with 10 points in the lowest-scoring girls’ final since 1996. Sloppy throughout, the Del Rey League rivals combined for 49 turnovers. Each team made only 11 of 46 shots (23.9%) from the field. St. Bernard made 20 of 38 free throws (52.6%), while St. Paul was nine for 20 (45%) from the line.

St. Paul (24-8), which had lost in the semifinals the four previous seasons, set a school record for victories and reached its first section final, only to lose its 36th consecutive game to its longtime nemesis.

*

Rolling Hills Prep 58, Granada Hills Hillcrest Christian 46--A 23-9 run in the second quarter at the Pyramid was the difference for top-seeded Rolling Hills Prep (22-6), which avenged a 68-64 nonleague loss to Hillcrest Christian on Jan. 10.

Washington State-bound guard Charmaine Jones had 25 points, seven rebounds and five steals for Rolling Hills, which claimed its first girls’ championship in any sport. The Huskies lost to Pilgrim last season in the Division V-A final.

Third-seeded Hillcrest Christian (16-10), making its first appearance in a final, committed 28 turnovers. Freshman Kayla Rutherford made three three-pointers and finished with 16 points.

Dave Desmond