GIRLS’ ROUNDUP : Lakewood’s Inside Game Stops Huntington Beach

The Lakewood High School girls’ basketball team deployed its potent inside offense repeatedly to beat Huntington Beach, 67-59, Friday night in the semifinals of the Marina Tournament.

The Lancers (12-1) scored 24 points on layups or short shots, most of them by 6-foot-3 Melissa Gower (27 points) and 6-1 Charon Johnson (21 points). Gower, who had 14 points in the first half, shot 60% from the field (12 of 20).

“They’re tough to handle,” said Huntington Beach Coach Nick Bartlett about the powerful Lakewood tandem.

Huntington Beach (9-4) managed to stay within 34-30 at the half by converting 10 of 14 free throws while commiting only one team foul and limiting Lakewood to a pair of points from the line in the half.

But Lakewood went on a 10-0 run midway through the third quarter and held a 54-40 edge at the end of the period.

The Oilers, the ninth-ranked team in Orange County, pulled to within nine points on a layup by center Jen Johnson with 5 minutes 26 seconds left to play, but couldn’t narrow the margin. Guard Jana Davis led Huntington Beach with 20 points. Johnson scored 15 and sophomore forward Clare Walker had 13. Johnson also grabbed 18 rebounds.

Huntington Beach didn’t help its cause by shooting 32% from the field. The Oilers hit five of 16 shots from the field for their only points of the third quarter, a period during which Lakewood scored 20 points.