Oxnard Can’t Handle Pressure as Crenshaw Easily Advances

Danielle Rainey scored 17 points and teammates Naila Moseley and Jobanae St. Cyr scored 14 and 12 points respectively, leading the Crenshaw High girls to a 73-52 victory over Oxnard Tuesday in the first round of the Southern Regional playoffs at Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Crenshaw, the City Section 4-A champion, improved its record to 25-3 by using a pressure defense to force numerous second-half turnovers.

Oxnard (13-13) was led by Nicole Black, who scored 16 points.

Crescenta Valley 83, Porterville Monache 77--Junior forward Michelle Greco scored 54 points, including 10 in overtime, to lead the Falcons (29-3) to a Division I victory at Monache. Greco made 19 field goals and converted 15 of 17 free-throw attempts.

Greco scored with four seconds left in regulation to send the game into overtime.

Cerritos Valley Chr. 66, La Jolla Bishop’s 33--Tandee Taylor scored 31 points, including 18 in the second half, to help break open a close Division IV game at Torrey Pines High in Del Mar.

The Lady Crusaders (27-3) outscored Bishop’s (14-12), 43-11, in the second half.

Torrance Bishop Montgomery 90, San Diego University 64--Danielle Graham scored 27 points and grabbed nine rebounds and Tashara Carter scored 19 points, leading the Knights (27-3) to a Division III victory at Bishop Montgomery.

Bishop Montgomery, which led by 15 at halftime, put the game away by outscoring University (14-11), 24-12, in the third quarter.

Playa del Rey St. Bernard 73, Taft 36--Nicole Monette and Starr Knight each scored 12 points and the Vikings (23-6) beat Taft (17-9) in a Division IV game at St. Bernard.

The Vikings, who have won two state titles in the last five years, jumped out to an 18-6 first-quarter lead. Monette had six in the quarter. St. Bernard went to a full-court press and stretched the lead to 44-15 at halftime.

Santa Ynez 71, Corcoran 57--Katie Pyle scored 24 points and added nine assists and six steals, leading the Pirates (25-4) to a Division IV victory at Corcoran.

Santa Ynez led by five at halftime, then outscored Corcoran (24-5), 20-9 in the third quarter. Pyle scored 12 points in the third quarter.

El Cajon Christian 59, Pilgrim 34--Alyssa Frederick scored 24 points and El Cajon Christian (27-1) outscored Pilgrim, 17-4, during the final 12 minutes in a Division V game at Daniel Murphy High.

Gina Nicholson scored 14 points and Brandi Brown had 13 to the lead the Pilgrim (26-5).

Pasadena Muir 66, Nordhoff 64--After making 21% of their shots in the Division III-A final against Bishop Montgomery, Nordhoff made seven of 30 shots in the first half in a Division III game at Muir (25-7).

The Rangers (23-6), who trailed by 15 points at halftime, committed 25 turnovers.

Ventura Buena 68, Lynwood 40--Nicole Greathouse scored 23 points and Kelly Murray added 10 to lead the Bulldogs to a home victory in a Division I game.

It was the 15th consecutive victory for the Bulldogs (27-2) and propelled them into Thursday night’s semifinal game against visiting Narbonne, the runner-up in the City Section 4-A Division championships.

Lynwood, the runner-up in the Southern Section Division I-AA playoffs, finished the season 20-12.

Covina Western Christian 56, Laton 43--Charlene Simril scored 20 points and Jenni Meister grabbed 13 rebounds to lead Western Christian (23-4) in a Division V game at Charter Oak High in Covina. Laton finished the season 15-5.