Palisades Keeps Stating Its Case

SAN DIEGO —  It took Palisades High three tries just to get its first Los Angeles City Section girls’ basketball championship.

Now the Dolphin program is looking to achieve even greater heights.

Palisades will play for its first state title after defeating Palos Verdes Peninsula, 53-41, Saturday night at San Diego State’s Cox Arena in the Division I final of the Southern California regional of the state tournament.

Palisades (29-4) will face San Jose Archbishop Mitty, a 61-53 winner Saturday over Berkeley, next Saturday at Arco Arena in Sacramento.

In a game played at the slower pace that Southern Section Division I-AA champion Peninsula (28-5) preferred, top-seeded Palisades nevertheless thrived by limiting the second-seeded Panthers to 31% shooting. Natalie Kelly, Peninsula’s senior center, made seven of 13 shots and scored 19 points but the rest of the team was six of 29 from the field.

Palisades’ pressure defense was particularly effective in the second quarter when the Dolphins forced six turnovers and outscored Peninsula by seven to take a 26-16 halftime lead.

“Any time you put pressure on a team you can force turnovers,” said junior guard April Freeney, who had two of Palisades’ seven steals.

Palisades forward Nicole Funn, who did not play in a 47-45 loss to Peninsula in December, scored 10 of her game-high 21 points in the fourth quarter. The Oregon State-bound senior also had seven rebounds.

“They pressed us a little more than they did during the season,” Peninsula Coach Wendell Yoshida said. “It gave us some trouble. And then when you add a player of Funn’s caliber, that just makes them that much tougher.”

Senior guard Leilani Estavan added 15 points for Palisades.