Artesia Girls Upset in Regional Final

Torrance Bishop Montgomery earned its third consecutive berth in the Division III state championship game by rallying for a 62-57 victory over top-seeded Lakewood Artesia in the Southern California Regional girls’ basketball final Saturday at Long Beach Arena.

The second-seeded Knights (27-5), who fell behind by 13 points in the first quarter, outscored the Pioneers, 17-10, in the fourth quarter.

Junior guard Noelle Quinn led Bishop Montgomery with 21 points and 12 rebounds. Her basket with 5:30 to play gave the Knights the lead for good, 51-49, and her three-point play with 40 seconds left secured the victory.

Sophomore guard Nykia Peace had 15 points and Veronica Torres scored 13 for the Knights, who will be making their fifth appearance in the state final in seven years.

Artesia (26-6), which lost in the regional final for the second consecutive year, built a 16-3 lead behind junior guard Christian Jackson and junior forward Cacie Pope.

But the Pioneers were plagued by foul trouble. Senior guards Brittney Thomas and Brittany Imaku each picked up two fouls within the first four minutes of the game.

Bishop Montgomery used an 18-7 run, capped by a Quinn basket, to tie the score, 33-33, late in the first half. Artesia led at halftime, 36-33.

A steal by Imaku led to an Artesia basket and a 47-35 lead late in the third quarter. Bishop Montgomery took its first lead with 7:03 to play after a 12-2 run that began with consecutive baskets by center Khiara Ferguson and ended with a basket by Peace.

Thomas, who had scored 63 points in her previous two games, was held to eight.

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Loren Kopff