Channel Hasn’t Changed, Buena Remains on Top

VENTURA —  Every year, it seems, some Channel League team figures it’s got a shot at Buena. And, for the last eight seasons, the Bulldogs have proven they are still top dogs.

The latest example came Saturday night in the Bulldogs’ 38-32 victory over league and cross-town rival Ventura in the championship game of the Buena girls’ basketball tournament.

Ventura, ranked fourth in the region by The Times, has its best team in several seasons.

Sophomores Alex Gientke and Kristine Gleisberg are among the area’s best, and Rhiannon Potkey is an All-Ventura County guard.

But the two-time defending Southern Section Division I-A and eight-time defending Channel League champions were unfazed.

“We weren’t worried about all the hype,” said tournament most valuable player Renae Hofmann, who scored a game-high 15 points against a Cougar team that had defeated Buena during summer league play. “We just came to play our game.

Freshman center Kelly Greathouse added 14 points and 16 rebounds and finished the four-game tournament with 49 points.

The Bulldogs (4-0), ranked second in the region, played much of the second half without standout point guard Kelly Murray, who left the game with a two bloodied and loosened teeth.

Gientke scored 12 points for Ventura (3-1). Gleisberg added five points and 14 rebounds and Potkey scored six points.

The victory marked the Bulldogs’ 19th championship in the 21-year history of their tournament. It also was the third n a row.

But they’re anything but overconfident about the league race.

“We still have at least two more with [Ventura] and I’m sure they will both be battles,” Buena Coach Joe Vaughan said.

Hart 64, Alemany 60--Hart’s frontcourt combination of Brianna Kentfield and Melissa Harrison was too much for Alemany in the third-place game.

Kentfield scored 10 points in the fourth quarter and finished with 23 points and nine rebounds. Harrison added 22 points and nine rebounds for Hart (4-2), ranked sixth in the region. Hart’s only losses have been to No. 1 Crescenta Valley and No. 2 Buena. It was Hart’s first victory over Alemany since 1990-91.

Kate Beckler scored 15 points for Alemany (3-2), ranked eighth. Kelli Kobayashi had 12 points and 11 assists and Alma Sandoval scored 13 points and Anna Karas added 10 points.

Camarillo 58, Newbury Park 44--Tanya Wismann scored 13 of her game-high 20 points in the first quarter and the Scorpions opened up a 19-3 lead on their Marmonte League rivals.

Lauren Ferreira added 10 points for Camarillo (3-3), which captured the consolation championship. Caroline Swarts had 13 points for the Panthers (1-3)

Santa Clara 49, Chatsworth 35--Ashley Biggins, Santa Clara’s 6-3 freshman center, and Sosanna Hallahan each scored 12 points for the Saints in the seventh-place game.