Taft Bounces Back With Regional Win

Two days after losing to Westchester in the City Section boys’ basketball championship game at the Sports Arena, Woodland Hills Taft was able to regain its shooting touch Monday night in the familiar setting of its own gym.

The Toreadors made 11 three-point shots en route to an 81-63 victory over Thousand Oaks in a Division I first-round game of the Southern California Regional playoffs.

Taft (24-6) will travel to second-seeded Fresno Clovis West (27-2) tonight for a regional quarterfinal.

No one benefited more from a return to his home court than sophomore guard Oscar Bellfield, who was limited to a season-low two points against Westchester. He scored 24 points Monday, making six three-pointers.

“How I performed Saturday was not good, so I had to step it up,” Bellfield said. “It was an experience I learned from.”

Larry Drew Jr. had 16 points, Calvin Haynes had 14 and sophomore guard Bryce Smith came off the bench to make three three-pointers for the Toreadors, who opened a 39-26 halftime lead.

Thousand Oaks (27-5), the Southern Section Division I-A runner-up, received 19 points from Bobby Macias.

Eric Sondheimer

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Ventura 59, Fresno Edison 47 -- Nick Larson had 21 points and eight rebounds and Nick Palmer had 14 points and nine rebounds to lead the host Cougars (27-5) to a victory in a Division I boys’ first-round game in the Southern California Regional playoffs.

Ventura, which jumped out to a 32-16 lead by halftime against Edison (25-6), will play at Westchester in a quarterfinal game tonight.

Chula Vista Eastlake 46, Canyon Country Canyon 39 -- Brittany Daniel scored 16 points, including two baskets after steals in the last four minutes, to lead Chula Vista Eastlake (24-6) to a victory over visiting Canyon Country Canyon in a Division I first-round game of the Southern California Regional girls’ playoffs.

Cheryl Stevens had 10 points, 13 rebounds and nine blocked shots to lead Canyon (23-9). Elise Colwell had 11 points and Brittany Thomas had 10 points and 11 rebounds for Canyon, which trailed most of the game, including a 24-20 deficit at halftime, before tying the score, 36-36, with four minutes left.

Bakersfield Stockdale 68, Dorsey 59 -- Ashley Stewart scored a team-high 17 points and Ashley Vandt had 14 to lead Stockdale (23-8) past visiting Dorsey (25-5) in a Division I first-round girls’ regional playoff game.

Erica Inge finished with 19 points, six steals and three rebounds and Arielle White had 13 points for Dorsey. Latreshe Jones had nine points, nine rebounds and six blocks and Brittney Lankford had eight points and four rebounds for the Dons.