Local NJB teams continue to roll

The Laguna Beach girls’ Division 2 (grade 5/6) team improved to 5-1 following a 39-17 victory over El Toro in National Junior Basketball action Saturday at Thurston Middle School in Laguna Beach.

Isabel Mansour and Taylor Glenn led the Laguna defense, which had to contend with a taller El Toro team. Sophia Lucas led the offense with 14 points and Molly Cohn, Quinn Winter and Mia Pitz all scored four points.

Laguna travels to Aliso Niguel High on Saturday to take on Aliso Niguel at 8 a.m.

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Girls’ Division 1

Laguna Beach suffered its first loss of the season in a 23-21 setback to Capo Dana. A desperation shot by Alexandra Lewis at the buzzer fell short and Laguna fell to 5-1 and out of first place in the division standings.

Laguna rebounded in its next two games Saturday by knocking off previously undefeated Capo Dana, 38-10, in the morning, and in the afternoon blitzed the Rancho Santa Margarita Lakers, 48-22. The two wins pushed the locals back into first place at 7-1.

Lewis and Sydney DeCarlo, both eighth-grade players, controlled the point and did much of the scoring. Francesca Cecutti, Jacky Cenan, Sydney Lake and Murphy Thompson controlled the boards, scoring on several shots at the rim. Aly Roitman was tenacious on defense and on the defensive glass. Seventh-grade players Madison Sinclair and Kirsten Landsiedel played tough defense and created breakaway opportunities. Rachel Kenney and Nicole Davidson hit some long-range shots to round out Laguna’s balanced scoring attack in the two games.

Laguna hosts Laguna Hills on Saturday at Thurston Middle School.

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Girls’ Division 3

Another outstanding defensive performance by Laguna Beach (Team 1) paved the way for the locals in a 26-8 win Saturday over Aliso Niguel.

After falling behind at the end of the first quarter, Emmalisa Randrup and Piper Naess led a second-quarter surge for Laguna, with Randrup netting eight points in the quarter. Cosette Chesley scored a key basket and Avalon Brice and Izzy Meekma controlled the boards.

Laguna’s defense was led by Ella Dartez, Eastyn Cianto, Gio Cecutti and Jamie MacKay.

The victory ran Laguna’s record to 7-0.

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Boys’ Division 2

Laguna Beach turned in its best performance of the season Saturday in a 41-30 victory over the Laguna Hills “UCLA” team.

Max Shuster and Elliott Cook powered the defense and every Laguna player scored. Nicholas Lucas led the way eight points. Drake Bell scored seven points and Frankie Cotinola and Josh McManus had six points each.