GIRLS' BASKETBALL: TOP-SEEDED NEWBURY PARK FALLS BREA OLINDA IS BACK IN POSTSEASON FORM BREA OLINDA 68, NEWBURY PARK 47.

Byline: Erik Boal Special to the Daily News

LA HABRA - The shooting was too inconsistent. The turnovers were too many to overcome. And Jeanette Pohlen was simply too good.

It all added up to a frustrating final 12 minutes Saturday night for the Newbury Park High girls' basketball team, which saw a one-point third- quarter deficit turn into a runaway down the stretch in its Southern Section Div. II-A semifinal game against host Brea Olinda of Brea.

After suffering through its worst regular season in nearly 25 years, the Wildcats rode a 29-point, 16-rebound, eight-assist performance from Pohlen to reach its 17th Southern Section championship game, knocking off the top-seeded Panthers 68-47 at Sonora High.

``There's something magical about the Brea program and win or lose in the final, all I know is that we're going to The Pyramid and I couldn't be prouder of these girls,'' said Brea coach Jeff Sink, whose team - which will face South Torrance or Foothill of Santa Ana in the final - lost two of its final three Century League games to finish the regular season 15-11.

``A month ago, I wouldn't have been able to get anyone to take a bet with the pink slip to my car riding on it that we would be going to the final. It's as improbable as it is rewarding.''

After losses the past two seasons in the Div. III-AA playoffs to nine-time champion Morningside of Inglewood, Newbury Park believed this could finally be the year to capture a title.

But after making only 12 field goals, shooting 20 of 34 from the free- throw line and committing 17 turnovers, even 20 points from Loyola Marymount-bound guard Kavita Goss and a 14-point, 11-rebound effort from Arlene Harris weren't enough to keep pace with the Wildcats.

``We just didn't make enough baskets, that was the bottom line,'' said Newbury Park coach Nori Parvin, whose team - which had its 16-game winning streak snapped - cut the deficit to 48-42 with six minutes remaining, before Brea answered with a nine-point run over a three-minute stretch.

``It wasn't for a lack of trying because the girls played with their hearts all the way to the end, but the baskets just weren't falling. We had a great season and we went undefeated in the Marmonte League, but unless you win the state title, your last game is a loss.''

The fifth-seeded Wildcats (19-11), who lead all Southern Section teams with 14 division titles and eight state championships, endured an atypical regular season, having their state-record 183-game league winning streak snapped, as well as their run of 23 consecutive league titles.

But with Pohlen leading the charge, Brea rebounded to find its rhythm in the postseason, running off four straight wins, the last two coming in convincing fashion over third-seeded Woodbridge of Irvine and Newbury Park (23-7).

``We had our struggles this year, but I knew we'd come on in the playoffs,'' said Pohlen, a 6-foot junior guard, who scored 18 second-half points to spark Brea, which led only 28-27 with four minutes to play in the third quarter.

``We just had to forget about everything that happened in the past and try to come out and win the thing.''

Erik Boal, [phone]

erik.boal(at)dailynews.com

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