Dixon does enough for Poly

Long Beach Poly, in its quest to win a third consecutive girls’ state championship, had to work overtime for the opportunity Saturday at the Sports Arena.

The Jackrabbits got 23 points and 20 rebounds in only 24 minutes from foul-plagued Jasmine Dixon but defeated Harbor City Narbonne, 60-47, in the Southern California Regional Division I final.

For the third year in a row, Poly (30-2) will play Berkeley (29-3) for the state title. Tipoff is 6 p.m. Saturday at Arco Arena in Sacramento.

Dixon also had four steals and two assists. She exited the game with 3:27 left in the second quarter, and Narbonne (31-5) built its slim lead to 25-17 at halftime.

With Dixon, Poly surged in the third quarter with a 14-4 run. She collected her fourth foul at 5:27 but was still there at the end. She scored eight in the fourth quarter and five in overtime, when Poly outscored Narbonne, 16-3.

Junior Monique Oliver had 15 points and 10 rebounds for Poly.

Gabrielle Clark scored 16 and Reiko Thomas 14 for City Section champion Narbonne.

Manhattan Beach Mira Costa 72, Chino Hills Ayala 64 (3 OT) -- Mikah Maly-Karros scored 27 points, Megan Richardson had 25, and the Mustangs outlasted Ayala to win the Division II title at the Sports Arena.

It guaranteed Mira Costa’s first trip to the state title game, where it will play San Jose Mitty (21-11) at 5:30 p.m. Friday at Arco Arena.

The 72 points by Mira Costa (28-6) was a regional final record for Division II, as was the 136 combined points. Ariel Marsh of Ayala, who finished with a team-high 17 points, set a division game record with five three-point baskets.

Maly-Karros had 20 rebounds and Richardson had 10.

Ayala (29-6) was dealt a blow with 2:55 left in the first overtime. Rhema Gardner, who had 15 points and 11 rebounds, suffered a muscle spasm in her calf when she committed a foul against Maly-Karros, who fell on her. The 6-foot-1 sophomore never returned to the game.

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Martin Henderson

Anaheim Magnolia 40, Pasadena Muir 39 -- Thanks to two three-pointers down the stretch and a controversial traveling call, the Sentinels (27-5) earned a trip to the Division III state title game against San Francisco Sacred Heart Cathedral (32-0) at 1 p.m. Saturday at Arco Arena.

Back-to-back three-pointers by Jhakia McDonald and Pernilla Hanson gave Magnolia a 40-36 lead with 3:05 left to play at the Sports Arena.

Top-seeded Muir (28-3), which never led, clawed back via the free-throw line to pull to within one point with 23.4 seconds left.

The Mustangs’ comeback attempt ended when Eliza Pierre was whistled for traveling while driving to the basket with two seconds left.

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Austin Knoblauch

La Jolla Country Day 69, Los Angeles Marlborough 53 -- Marlborough senior Nikki Speed fouled out of the Division IV final with four minutes left to play at Santa Ana Mater Dei.

“I feel bad, I could have done more, done better, for my team,” said Speed, a McDonald’s All-American bound for Rutgers. “I just couldn’t finish tonight.”

Speed finished with six points for the second-seeded Mustangs (23-10).

UC Santa Barbara-bound Dominique Conner had 20 for La Jolla Country Day (26-5).

San Luis Obispo Mission Prep 52, Escondido Calvin Christian 25 -- Maraget Cowitz finished with 10 points and Leigh Yetter had 10 points and 13 rebounds for the Royals (27-4), who will play Ross Branson (28-7) in the state Division V final at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday at Arco Arena.

Nicole Tasooji had 11 points for Calvin Christian (21-9).

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Sean Ceglinsky