Peninsula’s Late Free Throws Help Beat Brea, 48-42 : High school: Top-ranked team in nation scores four points from line in final 19 seconds to upend county’s No. 1 team.

For a while Saturday night, the Brea-Olinda girls’ basketball team seemed on the verge of spoiling what has been a spotless season by Palos Verdes Peninsula, the nation’s top-ranked team according to USA Today.

But in the waning moments, the Panthers pulled themselves together for a 48-42 nonleague victory in front of a capacity crowd of 2,200 at Brea.

Peninsula guard Kristen Mulligan sank two free throws with 19 seconds left and two more with six seconds remaining for the winning margin after Brea had closed the gap to 44-42 with 23 seconds to play.

“They (Brea) find ways to stay in the game,” Peninsula Coach Wendell Yoshida said. “They got us into their tempo and gave us trouble.”

Brea (12-2), the No. 1 team in Orange County, had plenty of trouble of its own, courtesy of Peninsula’s 6-foot-5 center Jeffra Gausepohl.

The Ladycats couldn’t control Gausepohl inside. She scored a game-high 21 points and led the game with 16 rebounds. Nine of her points came in the first quarter, when Peninsula (15-0) outscored Brea, 12-7.

Peninsula opened an 18-12 lead midway through the second quarter on an offensive rebound by Gausepohl, but Brea tied the score, 22-22, on a 15-foot jumper by forward Jody Anton with 56 seconds to play in the half. A free throw by Brea point guard Nicole Erickson cut the lead to 25-23 at the half.

The third quarter was low-scoring, marked by numerous personal fouls called against Peninsula. The Panthers were called for 18 fouls during the game, a fact that wasn’t lost on Yoshida.

“I thought that everything (whistles) were a little too quick,” Yoshida said. “When you’ve got two great teams, you’ve got to let them play.”

Peninsula led, 30-29, after three quarters but Brea caught the Panthers, 36-36, with 3:35 remaining in the game on two free throws by Anton.

The score was tied, 38-38, a minute later after forward Monique Morehouse scored for the Panthers and Brea center Colleen Hudson sank a layup. Peninsula went ahead, 44-40, with 37 seconds to play but another layup by Hudson cut the margin to 44-42 before Mulligan’s free throws.

Mulligan, whom Yoshida said was playing with a bad lower back, finished with only six points. Raquel Alotis contributed eight points for Peninsula. Anton led Brea with 20 points and 10 rebounds and Erickson had nine points.

“We made it a three-minute game,” Brea Coach Mark Trakh said. “We just couldn’t get it at the end.”