Narbonne Moves Past Buena, 56-51

Harbor City Narbonne High had to sweat it out, but eventually outlasted Ventura Buena on Thursday night in a Southern Regional Division I semifinal between two of the nation’s best girls’ basketball teams.

A capacity crowd in Narbonne’s sweltering gym watched the defending state-champion Lady Gauchos claim a 56-51 victory to move on to Saturday’s regional final.

Narbonne (26-3) will face Lynwood on Saturday at 6 p.m. at the Forum. Lynwood, which defeated Fullerton Troy in the other semifinal, upset Narbonne, 46-36, in a season opener.

“Our depth played a big key tonight,” said Narbonne Coach James Anderson, whose team lost to Buena, 71-61, in an intersectional game on Feb. 3. “I think the intensity raised the heat up in here.”

Buena (29-2), which spent eight weeks atop USA Today’s national rankings before falling to sixth this week after a loss to Fullerton Troy in the Southern Section Division I-A final, rallied from a 38-23 third-quarter deficit, twice trimming the margin to three points in the fourth.