GIRLS’ BASKETBALL / OLYMPIC LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Whittier Christian Upsets Orange Lutheran, 61-55

On senior night at Orange Lutheran, senior after senior was introduced with the public address announcer repeating each girl’s career highlight--beating perennial Olympic League champion Cerritos Valley Christian on Tuesday.

That victory had Lutheran, tied with CVC for first place, poised to win part of a league title for the first time since 1981. All the Lancers needed was a victory in its last legitimate challenge in the league race against Whittier Christian. . . .

So if Tuesday was a highlight, Thursday was a real downer.

Whittier Christian got 21 points from Alana Kempton, but more importantly got 17 from Kim Menke, to upset Lutheran, 61-55.

Lutheran’s downfall came in the fourth quarter, as the host Lancers went 3 minutes 13 seconds of the final 3:40 without scoring; their 52-51 lead dissipated into a 59-52 deficit with 33 seconds to go.

Third-place Whittier Christian (16-6, 5-3 in league) clinched a playoff berth, and Lutheran (15-6, 6-2) probably won’t get that elusive title.

“Valley Christian has owned this league, and it’s been a race to the top of the mountain between us and Lutheran,” Whittier Christian Coach Ken Cronquist said. “They were ahead of us. A loss tonight would have given them a co-championship. It’s totally selfish on our part, but we want to get to the top of the mountain first.”

It looked as if Whittier Christian would run away from Lutheran. Kempton’s three three-point baskets and three-point play staked the Heralds to an 18-12 first-quarter lead, but she then went stone cold, missing her next nine shots. Lutheran flexed its rebounding muscle in the second quarter and led at halftime, 27-26.

While Kempton continued her shooting slump in the third, Menke--averaging 10.1 points--picked up the scoring slack with 10 of the Heralds’ 20 points.

Freshman Leah Borders’ basket underneath gave Whittier Christian the lead for good, 53-52. After making only six of 14 free throws in the first three quarters, the Heralds made six of eight from that point on. Kristi Ralston (11 rebounds) scored all of her three points during that stretch.

In another Olympic League game:

Brethren Christian 39, Calvary Chapel 34--La Coya Cole had 15 points and Rachael MacDonald had 10 points for Brethren Christian (7-11, 2-4).