Free Throws Lift Hart to 5-A Girls’ Final, 56-51

The names have changed, but the results for Hart High are the same. Despite losing four starters to graduation, Hart, the defending Southern Section 5-A Division girls’ champion, earned a return engagement in the final with a 56-51 victory over Rubidoux on Saturday night at Jurupa Valley High in Mira Loma.

Against Rubidoux, the road to the championship game turned out to be a straight line--the free-throw line. Hart will play top-seeded Buena, winner of the other semifinal, on Friday night at UC Irvine’s Bren Center.

The Indians sank 19 of 22 free throws, including eight in a row in the final 5 1/2 minutes.

Hart needed them too.

Rubidoux closed to within 54-51 on 6-foot-5 forward Darlene Wilson’s rebound and follow shot with 48 seconds to play. The Falcons forced a jump ball with 21 seconds left and regained the ball on the alternating possession arrow.

Rubidoux had a chance to tie the score with five seconds remaining on Tamisha Tolliver’s three-point shot, but the near-airball hit nothing but the outside of the net. Hart’s Heather Medearis made two free throws with two seconds left for the final margin of victory.

Hart center Sara Wilson, a 6-2 senior, scored a game-high 31 points and was 15 of 18 from the free-throw line.

“After we lost all our starters, a lot of people never thought we’d make it back,” Wilson said. “But I always believed in my heart that we could do it.”

Rubidoux (22-4) had a front line that included Wilson (18 points) and 6-7 freshman Aisha Dennis, which gave Wilson trouble scoring inside. Wilson was more than a little successful from the free-throw line, however.

“Sara’s got to be tired after all those free throws,” Munroe said. “She hit some clutch ones down the line.”

Hart (24-4) led at the half, 27-24, after leading by as many as many as nine points.

Wilson hit four free throws and Anjanette Dionne hit a three-point shot as Hart went on a 7-1 run to take a 52-46 lead with two minutes left.