SOUTHERN SECTION GIRLS' BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS: ALEMANY ADVANCES SENIOR CENTER LEADS WAY.

Byline: Daily News

After five weeks of sitting out with an ankle injury not much was expected of Alemany senior center Renee Goldoff. At first, it seemed like Goldoff's biggest impact in Saturday night's second round playoff game at La Canada came before she even officially entered the game, when a technical foul was called because she wasn't entered in the official scorebook before the game.

But five weeks of watching her senior year tick away from the sidelines has a way of motivating a player. And Goldoff wasn't about to let her comeback end after just one game.

Goldoff scored 15 points, including seven of the Indians' nine points in the fourth quarter to lead Alemany to a 43-40 victory over eighth-seeded La Canada.

``I was just coming out, hoping to make a little bit of a difference,'' she said. ``I've worked so hard to (rehabilitate) and come back. I really wanted to make it back for the playoffs, because we've come so close the last couple of years, and I want to go all the way this year.''

With the victory, Alemany advances to the quarterfinals of the Div. III-A playoffs for the third consecutive year.

But with the transfer of highly-regarded forward Joy Sterling to Hart of Newhall during the offseason and the loss of talented freshman guard D'Seanda Trotter (moved out of state), not many expected the Indians (14-14) to make a deep run into the playoffs again.

``We've definitely had our ups and downs,'' Goldoff said. ``But I think all of that, the loss of players, the tough preseason, makes us stronger. We're not going to let any of that bring us down.''

Alemany's victory overshadowed a sparking performance by La Canada sophomore guard Joy Lelo, who led all scorers with 24 points. Lelo, who moved to the area from Colorado last summer, made 19 of 20 free throws and scored seven points in the fourth quarter.

Alemany led 34-30 at the end of the third quarter but seemed to pull away in the first part of the fourth quarter. The Indians led 41-30 with 5 minutes, 3 seconds remaining after Goldoff converted on a 3-point play.

But Lelo and Mary Kate Hurlbutt paced the Spartans on a 10-0 run to cut the lead to 41-40 with 1:15 left. But just when it seemed Alemany had run out of gas, Goldoff grabbed an offensive rebound of a Shawn Berina miss, put back the layup and extended the lead back to three with 17 seconds left.

Hurlbutt tried a last-second 3-pointer that went long and Alemany's Tatianna Thomas grabbed the rebound to preserve the victory.

``We kind of expected that (Goldoff) might come back,'' Lelo said. ``We tried to prepare for it. But she's a good post and she had a good game. ...

``I'm happy with our season though. I didn't know what to expect when I came here, but the whole team was so welcoming, it really helped me.''

- Ramona Shelburne 

DIV. I-AA

--Hart 70, Alhambra 23: UCLA-bound Ashlee Trebilcock scored 19 points and had six rebounds and had six rebounds as Hart of Newhall (22-5) defeated visiting Alhambra (15-13) and advances to visit Milliken of Long Beach in the second round.

Taylor Lilley and Joy Sterling each added 10 points for Hart.

DIV. I-A

--Royal 48, Aliso Niguel 39: Kelly Winther scored a team-high 16 points as Royal Simi Valley (22-5) defeated host Aliso Niguel of Aliso Viejo (15-12).

Jessie Selleh added 13 points and seven rebounds for Royal.

DIV. IV-AA

--Oaks Christian 70, Western Christian 10: Freshman Chelsea Carlisle scored a career-high 32 points to go a along with six 3-pointers as Oaks Christian of Westlake Village stomped visiting Western Chrisitian of Covina (14-14).

Carlisle, who scored 22 points in the first quarter, sat out most of the fourth quarter with teammate Michelle Clark, who added 20 points and four 3-pointers.

As a team Oaks Christian made 11 3-pointers.

Oaks Christian (23-4) led 37-0 at the end of the first quarter, 51-1 at half time and 67-2 at the end of the third quarter before it benched it's starters for the remainder of the game.

--Calvary Chapel 46, Flintridge Prep 42: Jordan Toyama scored 13 points and Courtney Robinson were the only seventh-seeded Flintridge Prep of La Canada (19-6) players in double figures as it was upset by host 10th-seeded Calvary Chapel of Downey.

Joy Butler scored a game-high 18 points for Calvary Chapel (15-13) and Rachel Butler scored 11.

--Valley Christian 51, Flintridge Sacred Heart 40: Flintridge Sacred Heart of La Canada (14-13) took a two-point lead into halftime but it could not hold on as it was defeated by host Valley Christian of Cerritos.

Kristel Eddington had 12 points and eight rebounds for Valley Christian (20-8), which allowed only three points in the third quarter.

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Photo:

Alemany High's Shawn Berina, bottom, tries to steal the ball from La Canada High's Mary Kate Hurlbutt on Saturday.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer