San Clemente Upset by El Camino

San Clemente’s girls’ basketball team went into its first-round Southern California Regional with a 19-game winning streak and only three losses this season, but that didn’t mean anything to Oceanside El Camino High.

Trying to become the first San Diego Section team to win a Division I state title since Point Loma in 1987, El Camino outplayed, outworked and outhustled fourth-seeded San Clemente to win, 51-43, at El Camino.

That’s the way it has been for underdog El Camino (21-9), the fourth-seeded team in its section playoffs and only the third San Diego team to win a first-round Division I regional since 1995.

San Clemente (27-4) got 15 points but only four rebounds from 6-3 sophomore Lindsey Pluimer and 11 points from senior Kim Buffum.

El Camino made 13 of 24 from the free-throw line, and San Clemente made three of three. The Tritons made 18 of 40 from the field.

San Clemente, which trailed at halftime, 31-17, still had a chance in the fourth quarter as Buffum made back-to-back three-point baskets to pull to within 45-39 with 3:45 remaining. But El Camino’s Ashley Hicks clamped down on Buffum, who didn’t get another shot attempt, and El Camino made six of nine free throws.

El Camino will play top-seeded Lynwood, a 55-33 winner over Chatsworth, in a regional semifinal on Saturday.

Martin Henderson

*

Harbor City Narbonne 65, Newhall Hart 32--Camile Lenoir scored 14 points and Amber Pruitt added 11 as second-seeded Harbor City Narbonne built a 30-6 lead midway through the second quarter en route to its 16th consecutive victory in a first-round game of the Division I playoffs at Narbonne.

Hart (25-7) missed its first 10 shots and trailed, 17-0, before Ashlee Treibilcock’s layup with 21 seconds left for the Indians’ only points of the first quarter. Brandi Kimble led Hart with 17 points.

The Gauchos (26-3), who have not lost a playoff game since 1997, will host third-seeded Long Beach Poly, a 75-60 winner over Clovis West, in a semifinal.

Steve Galluzzo

*

Ventura 69, West Bakersfield 62--Jenni Dooley scored 15 or her 18 points in the fourth quarter, including three consecutive three-pointers, to help the top-seeded Cougars (29-2) outlast West Bakersfield in a Division II first-round game at Ventura.

West Bakersfield guard Nikki Blue, who will play at UCLA, scored 15 of her 38 points in the fourth quarter to help the Vikings (23-7) open a 47-42 lead with seven minutes to play.

Dooley tied the score at 50 with 4:37 to play when she hit her first three-pointer of the game to open a 17-4 run. Katy O’Brien, who led Ventura with 28 points, hit two three-pointers during the run, which gave Ventura a 64-54 lead with 1:29 to play.

Meggie Wagner added 11 points for Ventura, which will play Redondo Union in a regional semifinal.

John Klima

*

Redondo Union 69, Spring Valley Mt. Miguel 26--The Sea Hawks used their superior height and quickness to score 24 baskets on layups or shots within five feet of the basket in the Division II game at Redondo Union.

The fourth-seeded Sea Hawks (24-7) raced to a 25-8 lead at the end of the first quarter and a 42-11 advantage at halftime.

Krisztina Fuleki had 13 points for Redondo and Kayla Henry had seven points for Mt. Miguel (22-9).

John Ortega

*

Lakewood Artesia 79, Porterville Granite Hills 58--Brittney Thomas scored 18 of her 31 points in the first quarter, including four of her seven three-point baskets, for the top-seeded Pioneers in a Division III game at home.

Artesia (25-5) led, 28-19, after the first quarter and 50-31 at halftime. The Pioneers, who closed the half with a 12-0 run, will play the San Diego University City-Bakersfield North winner in a regional semifinal.

Allison Johnston had 24 points--eight three-point baskets--for Granite Hills (26-7). Each team made 12 three-point baskets.

Steven Herbert

*

Torrance Bishop Montgomery 64, Apple Valley 36--Noelle Quinn scored a game-high 25 points and the Knights (25-5) began their pursuit of a third consecutive state Division III title with the easy victory at home.

Bishop Montgomery advances to a regional semifinal against Pasadena Muir, which defeated Santee Santana, 101-76.

The Knights got a boost from guard Veronica Torres. With point guard Nykia Peace saddled with three fouls in the first half, Torres made two three-pointers in the second quarter and finished with 12 points.

Katie McElree led Apple Valley (24-6) with 16 points.

Eric Stephens

*

Santa Fe Springs St. Paul 61, Montebello Cantwell-Sacred Heart 53--Kim Ramirez had 25 points and 13 rebounds to lead fourth-seeded St. Paul to a first-round victory in the Division IV playoffs at Cantwell-Sacred Heart.

Crystal Erwin had 17 points and 15 rebounds for St. Paul (25-8), which plays La Jolla The Bishop’s in a regional semifinal. Kathy Suria had 20 points for Cantwell (23-6).

Michelle Gardner