This Time, Oceanside Is Better in Overtime

RAMONA â€”  When Oceanside met Ramona Friday night in girls’ basketball, there was more on the line than the lead in the Avocado League.

There was the little matter of Oceanside’s triple-overtime loss last year.

This time, Oceanside defeated Ramona, 56-52, in overtime to remain unbeaten in league play. Oceanside is 11-5, 4-0 in league. Ramona is 9-2 and 3-1.

“Our kids did it,� Oceanside Coach Jim Stant said. “We lost last year’s game four times, and we weren’t about to do that this year.�

But the Pirates waited to save themselves until 33 seconds remained in regulation, when Mildred Conston hit a short jumper to send the game into overtime.

Conston scored first in the extra period. Tonya Lee--who led all scorers with 23 points--then made it 53-50 Oceanside on a free throw.

Lanice Karcher’s layup for Ramona made it 53-52, but Conston, who finished with 17 points, made three free throws in the last 28 seconds for the final margin.

Ramona was hurt by the early departure of second-leading scorer and starting center Meleea Van Patten with a knee injury. Gina Tamburrino and Kris Miller led Ramona with 16 points each.

Ramona Coach Joe Bess said: “If you had told me before the game that we’d do this well without Meleea, I wouldn’t have believed it.�

Bess said the injury did not appear to be serious.