HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS’ BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : Brea Olinda Pulls Away to Win Seventh Title

Brea Olinda won its seventh consecutive Southern Section championship Saturday as the Ladycats defeated Pasadena Muir, 55-43, in the Division II-A final at the Pyramid on the campus of Long Beach State.

Muir stayed close throughout, taking advantage of the fact that Brea Olinda’s quickest player, Kiyoko Miller, spent a lot of time on the bench because of foul trouble.

However, Miller didn’t have to worry about fouls in the fourth quarter, and she came up with two steals that she turned into four points and made an outside shot in the last two minutes as Brea Olinda (28-2) broke open a close game. For first-year Coach Jeff Sink, the victory was nearly as much a relief as a joy.

“Well, it’s sort of like getting the monkey off your back and getting a gorilla (for the State playoffs), but it feels good,” Sink said. “Coming from Alaska, I couldn’t imagine the enormous expectation to win. I mean, I had an idea, but this is definitely the big time. I’ll be able to sleep tonight.”

Dawn Metz led Brea Olinda with 12 points. Lee Moulin and Jennifer Saari added 11. Kyla Johnson scored 10 to lead Muir (24-3).

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Newbury Park 60, Torrance Bishop Montgomery 50--Jann Thorpe scored 17 points and Kara McKeown had 12 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Panthers to the III-AA championship at the Pyramid.

Newbury Park (27-1) won its first Southern Section title.

Tashara Carter came off the bench to score 20 points for the Knights (23-5).

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San Luis Obispo 63, Inglewood Morningside 56--Nikki Casapulla scored a game-high 25 points to lead the Tigers (19-11) to the III-A championship at the Pyramid.

Yolanda White scored 16 points and grabbed 17 rebounds for San Luis Obispo, which won its second Southern Section championship 10 years after its first.

It was the eighth appearance in a section final by the Monarchs (20-7), who were led by Devyn Johnson’s 18 points and Chanel Neal’s 16.

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San Luis Obispo Mission Prep 41, Pasadena Poly 34--Forward Anna-Lisa Epperson scored 10 of her game-high 17 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Royals (19-9) to the V-AA title at Occidental College. Poly is 21-6.

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San Bernardino Christian 72, Santa Maria Valley Christian 44--Guard Christy Green led San Bernardino Christian (20-7) with 24 points against Maria Valley Christian (20-5) in the V-A final at San Bernardino Pacific High.