Harris Leads Dos Pueblos Girls Over Simi Valley in 76-75 Upset

Jennifer Moreland used to squirm when her Dos Pueblos High basketball team faced Santa Barbara center Renee Harris.

Moreland, whose team had to face Harris at least twice each Channel League season, probably would have shuttered if made to watch her every game.

Harris still plays in the same league, but Moreland is resting easy this season. That’s because Harris transferred to Dos Pueblos.

Harris scored 17 points Thursday night and made a big steal with two seconds left in the second overtime as Dos Pueblos upset Simi Valley, 76-75, in the San Gabriel High Tournament.

Moreland can sympathize with Simi Valley Coach Dave Murphy.

“I can certainly understand how it feels,” Moreland said. “We had to guard against her last year.”

Harris’ performance in the first half was solid but unspectacular. She caught fire in the second half and controlled the game at both ends of the court. In overtime, she was even more formidable, scoring six of Dos Pueblos’ 11 points.

With Simi Valley trailing, 65-63, with two seconds left in the fourth quarter, Julie Arlotto threw up a Hail-Mary 15-footer from the left side that sent the game into overtime. Arlotto ended with a game-high 29 points.

Teammate Dani Elton then opened the first overtime with a break-away layup to give the Pioneers a temporary lead. Dos Pueblos tied the score at 67 and 69 before Arlotto put the Pioneers ahead with just 32 seconds left.

Harris was fouled and made a layup with 21 seconds left but missed the free throw, and the game went into a second overtime tied at 71.

Harris and Ruth Parsons helped Dos Pueblos take a 75-74 lead. Both teams traded free throws to set up the final play.

Simi Valley inbounded the ball at its end of the court with four seconds remaining. Harris had other ideas--stealing and holding the ball--until time expired and an elated Dos Pueblos bench rushed the court.

Dos Pueblos scored the game’s first 11 points and led, 18-11, after one quarter.

“We were down so far in the first quarter, but we came back and played a good game,” Murphy said.

Simi Valley rallied with a 10-4 run in the first four minutes of the second quarter behind the play of Keira Irwin and Arlotto. Irwin rolled in a layup and hit two free throws, and Arlotto scored twice underneath. Simi Valley dissected the Dos Pueblos defense and took a 30-29 halftime lead.

“We try to get the ball down underneath,” Murphy said. “Julie hit a lot of clutch shots.”

Simi Valley will face Culver City in the consolation semifinal today at 3 p.m.

Lousville defeated Culver City, 55-44, as All-American forward Andrea Knapp scored 23 for Louisville, ranked No. 2 in the Southern Section 3-A preseason poll.

The Royals jumped out to a 15-8 first quarter lead but Culver City tied the game at the half at 21. Louisville’s Lynn Flanagan scored 11 points and Tina Kohler added eight points. Louisville meets Dos Pueblos in a winner’s bracket semifinal game at 6:30 p.m. tonight.

Kennedy, a 51-28 winner over San Gabriel, will play Chino in the a semifinal tonight at 8.