Girls basketball: Country Day moves forward in CIF playoffs

Baloncesto femenino: Country Day avanza en los playoffs de CIF

The top-seeded La Jolla Country Day (LJCD) Torreys girls basketball team defeated the fifth-seeded St. Anthony Saints of Long Beach 77-34 in a CIF Division 4 Southern California regional semifinal playoff game at Country Day on March 12. LJCD held leads of 21-8 at the end of the first quarter, 34-16 at halftime and 56-26 at the end of the third quarter. The Torreys got a game-high 34 points from Kelsey Plum. Meanwhile, Maya Hood also added 21 points and had 10 rebounds for Country Day. Five-foot-six-inch junior guard Raquel Johnson led St. Anthony with a team-high 17 points and five rebounds. With the win, LJCD improved its record to 27-4. With the loss, the Saints concluded their season with a record of 21-9. On March 10, the Torreys defeated the ninth-seeded JSerra Catholic Lions of San Juan Capistrano by a score of 58-39 in a CIF Division 4 Southern California regional quarterfinal playoff game also played at Country Day. LJCD held leads of 12-7 at the end of the first quarter, 24-15 at halftime and 40-27 at the end of the third quarter. The Torreys were paced by Plum’s 18 points and 13 rebounds, Maya Hood’s 19 points and 13 rebounds and twin sister Malina Hood’s 14 points. Five-foot-nine-inch junior Hanna Samara led the Lions with 12 points. Meanwhile, six-foot-one-inch sophomore Julia Kenefick added 11 of her own. With the loss, JSerra Catholic concluded its season with a record of 13-19. Mens CIF Division 3 Southern California regional playoff action: • La Verne Lutheran Trojans (60), at University City High School Centurions (58) • UC trailed 16-9 at the end of the first quarter, 41-26 at halftime and 52-43 at the end of the third quarter. • The Centurions were led by five-foot-nine-inch guard Stephen Rivera’s 22 points and five assists, five-foot-ten-inch guard Kyle Holder’s 19 points, six-foot-four-inch forward Amir Hicks’ 10 points and six assists and six-foot-four-inch forward Tim Patrick’s five points and five rebounds. • With the win, Lutheran improved its record to 22-5. With the loss, the Centurions concluded its season at 16-14.