Colony Gets to Title Game

In only its second year of playing varsity boys’ basketball, Ontario Colony finds itself in the Southern Section Division II-A championship game after a 65-62 semifinal upset of second-seeded Calabasas Tuesday night at Westlake Village Westlake.

Junior guard Brandon Davis scored 27 points and provided the decisive assist with 41 seconds left, passing the ball to Pierre Baker, who scored to give the Titans (27-5) a 64-62 lead.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling and accomplishment for these kids,” Colony Coach Jerry DeFabiis said. Sixth-seeded Colony was able to overcome a two-point effort by its leading scorer, Stedman Merritt. Baker provided the necessary lift with 17 points.

Crucial to the victory was limiting standout point guard Drew Housman of Calabasas (26-5) to only three points in the second half on one-for-seven shooting. Housman finished with 16 points.

“I figured I had to take over,” Davis said.

Colony, runner-up in the Mt. Baldy League, will play top-seeded Santa Ana Mater Dei (27-3), an 87-68 winner over Pomona Diamond Ranch, on Saturday at the Arrowhead Pond.

Eric Sondheimer

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Pasadena 58, Placentia Valencia 39 -- The third-seeded Bulldogs pounced on Valencia in the second quarter, limiting the Tigers to one field goal, before going on a 21-7 run over the first six minutes of the second half to pull away in a Division II-AA semifinal at Pasadena Muir.

Pasadena (27-2), winner of the Pacific League title, advanced to the section final for the second time in four years, where it will play top-seeded Compton Dominguez (23-5), a 57-54 winner over fifth-seeded Mission Viejo Capistrano Valley, on Saturday at the Pond.

The Bulldogs led, 19-17, at the half after outscoring seventh-seeded Valencia, 8-5, in the second quarter.

“Our plan is to hold the opponents to single digits every quarter,” Pasadena junior center Kyle Austin said. “It’s not about us scoring or shooting a good percentage from the field, it’s about playing good team defense.”

Austin scored 13 of his game-high 17 points in the second half and teammate Sean Powell finished with 15.

Ray Magee scored 14 points and Roddy Ulmer added 11 for Empire League champion Valencia (24-6), which was playing in its first semifinal in 45 years.

Dan Arritt

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Newhall Hart 53, Diamond Bar 41 -- Ryan Wolfe had 10 of his team-high 21 points in the fourth quarter as the Indians overcame a 37-32 deficit in a Division I-AA semifinal at Walnut.

Hart (19-12) advances to a divisional final for the first time since 1959 after defeating second-seeded Rancho Verde, eighth-seeded Long Beach Jordan and now the Brahmas (23-8), who were outscored, 21-7, in the fourth quarter.

The Indians will play top-seeded Etiwanda (29-1), a 59-50 winner over fourth-seeded Chino Hills Ayala, on Saturday at the Pond.

-- Chuck Schilken

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Girls’ Basketball

Top-seeded Long Beach Poly’s reputation and freshman Jasmine Dixon paid dividends as the Jackrabbits advanced to their fourth consecutive Southern Section title game.

Poly, ranked No. 1 in the Southland by The Times, No. 2 in the state by Cal-Hi Sports and No. 8 nationally by USA Today, defeated fourth-seeded Etiwanda, 57-43, in a Div- ision I-AA semifinal at Long Beach City College.

“Any time you play Poly, you play a little of their reputation and history,” said Etiwanda Coach Robert Siler, whose team fell behind, 17-2, to open the game.

Jasmine Dixon and senior April Phillips scored 12 each for Poly (26-3) which will play four-time defending champion Lynwood, a 49-42 winner over Temecula Valley, in the title game on Friday or Saturday.

Poly held a 28-12 lead with about 3 minutes 10 seconds left in the first half when Dixon hurt her head tumbling to the floor.

Over the next 5 1/2 minutes, Etiwanda had closed to 11 points at 35-24, but Dixon scored 13 seconds after returning to the game with 5:39 left in the third quarter. She scored seven points and sparked a 15-3 run to close the quarter.

Whitney Coleman led Etiwanda (27-5) with 13 points.

-- Martin Henderson