Sports
Pali High Girls Hoops Reaches Final
The Dolphins will defend their championship with victory Saturday.
After three impressive victories, the girls basketball team is one win away from its second straight title under head coach Torino Johnson.
The defending Los Angeles City Section Division II champion Dolphins advanced to the finals of their eighth annual tournament with a 60-20 rout of Culver City on Friday and will meet Anaheim Esperanza for the championship Saturday at 8 p.m. at Palisades High. The Aztecs earned their spot in the first-place game with a 55-48 victory over Cerritos Gahr.
Senior center Donae Moguel was Palisades' high scorer against the Centaurs, pouring in 26 points and adding 21 rebounds and two blocks. Point guard Ashlie Bruner added 16 points, three assists and two steals, Skai Thompson had 11 points, three steals and two assists and Asia Smith had four points and seven rebounds as the Dolphins applied stifling defense to build a 25-9 halftime advantage and took a commanding lead with a 22-8 run in the third quarter.
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Palisades routed defending City Division I champion Carson 72-33 in the quarterfinals Wednesday, racing to a 22-4 lead in the first quarter and limiting the Colts to 15 points in the second half. Moguel proved unstoppable in the paint, netting 24 points, 12 rebounds and two steals. Thompson added 17 points, Asia Smith had seven points and 12 rebounds and Bruner added six points, seven assists and four rebounds. The teams met in the tournament finale last season and the Dolphins won 60-55.
Palisades is making its third straight appearance in the finals. The Dolphins were fourth the first two years, fifth in 2006, third in 2007, finished in a three-way tie for first in 2008 and were runners-up to Carson in 2009.
Find out what's happening in Pacific Palisadeswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Saturday's Games
9 a.m. -- 15th Place: Sylmar vs St. Monica
10:30 a.m. -- 13th Place: Calabasas vs. Westchester
12:30 p.m. -- 11th Place: Marlborough vs. Marymount
2 p.m. -- 9th Place: Campbell Hall vs. El Camino Real
3:30 p.m. -- 7th Place: Carson vs. La Salle
5 p.m. -- 5th Place: Palos Verdes vs. Sierra Canyon
6:30 p.m. -- 3rd Place: Culver City vs. Gahr
8 p.m. -- Championship: Palisades vs. Esperanza
* All games at Palisades High
