GIRLS BASKETBALL
CIF-SS PLAYOFFS
DIVISION 3AA
SONORA 49, SOUTH HILLS 40
LA HABRA >> Sonora High School’s feisty defense and the outside shooting of Lainie James helped the Raiders to a 49-40 victory over South Hills in the CIF Southern Section Division 3AA quarterfinals on Wednesday.James knocked down four 3-pointers and finished with a game-high 20 points to help the Raiders advance to the semifinals for the first time since 2010. They will be on the road against the Esperanza-Patriot quarterfinal winner on Saturday.
Sonora’s Marissa Dunn had 10 points and Angela Rodriguez finished with nine to pace the third-seeded Raiders, who improved to 26-3. The Huskies finished the season 21-8.
Sonora raced to a 16-6 first quarter lead and led, 23-12, after Rodriguez’s bucket midway through the second quarter.
Denise Wang, who finished with a team-leading 16 points for South Hills, drilled four 3-pointers and hit two 3s toward the end of the first half to cut the Raiders’ lead to 32-25.
But the Huskies didn’t shoot well enough, particularly in the second half, falling behind, 45-33, after three quarters.
Sonora coach Melissa Barajas: “She’s (James) been shooting awesome in the playoffs. And the girls have been great about finding her.”
Sonora’s Lainie James: “My teammates found me and I hit shots.”
— Fred Robledo
DIVISION 4AA
ST. PAUL 57, ST. MONICA 44
SANTA FE SPRINGS — St. Paul’s playoff win Wednesday night may not go down as an offensive masterpiece, but the Swordsmen used plenty of activity and pressure on the defensive end as one of the keys to their CIF Southern Section Division 4AA quarterfinal triumph over visiting St. Monica.
The Swordsmen limited the output of some of the Mariner shooters, and also got to the foul line often in the 57-44 victory that moved them into a Saturday night semifinal against Rosary, which ousted Flintridge Sacred Heart.
The game was tied at 13 after the first quarter, and then St. Paul dominated the second period to take a 34-22 halftime lead.
The Swordsmen got nine first-half points each from senior guard Adrianna Gonzalez, sophomore guard Valerie Godinez, and junior guard Nalon Smith.
The trio wound up combining for 41 points as Gonzalez and Smith each notched 14 points and Godinez totaled 13.
The third quarter was battled to a standstill as the Swordsmen took a 43-31 advantage into the final quarter.
The Mariners did rally sharply early in the fourth and pulled within 45-40 with about six minutes to play, but the home team then went up 52-40 and there was little suspense left.
St. Paul coach Robert Miller: “We were able to kind of control their (top) offensive players.
— Mark Carpenter
OTHER SCORE
DIVISION 4A
Cantwell 71, Louisville 51
SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE
SEMIFINALS
DIVISION 3AA
Sonora at Patriot, 7 p.m.
DIVISION 4AA
Rosary at St. Paul, 7 p.m.
DIVISION 4A
Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Mary at Twentynine Palms, 7 p.m.