Taurasi Controls Playoff Opener

Diana Taurasi of Chino Don Lugo showed Saturday night why she is regarded as one of the top girls’ basketball players in the nation.

Taurasi, a junior, scored 30 points, had eight rebounds, blocked three shots and had four assists for the Conquistadores in 63-54 victory over Villa Park in a Southern Section Division I-A playoff opener at Don Lugo.

Second-seeded Don Lugo advanced to a second-round game against Ventura.

In other games:

Palos Verdes Peninsula 73, Lawndale Leuzinger 31--Center Natalie Kelly scored 22 points as the defending I-AA-champion Panthers won a first round game at Peninsula.

Chino Hills Ayala 71, Fontana 23--Chantea Fleming scored 22 points and Candice Allen had 19 for the third-seeded Bulldogs in the I-AA opener at Ayala.

Riverside J.W. North 75, Cajon 28--Tamara Thomas scored 19 points and Shandrika Lee had 15 to lead the top-seeded Huskies in a I-A opener at North.

Huntington Beach Marina 61, Manhattan Beach Mira Costa 44--Miranda Emde scored 19 points and had five steals and Nikki Lee had 12 points and 14 rebounds for defending I-A-champion Marina, which never trailed after the first quarter.

Brea Olinda 101, Placentia El Dorado 51--Chelsea Trotter scored 17 points and had 11 rebounds to lead the defending II-AA-champion Ladycats in a second-round game at Brea.

Moreno Valley 62, El Monte Arroyo 31--Candace Hunter scored 24 points to lead Moreno Valley to the I-A victory in first-round game at home.

La Puente Bishop Amat 86, Barstow 38--The top-seeded Lancers got 25 points from senior Allison Box en route to the II-A victory at Bishop Amat.

Bellflower 51, La Verne Bonita 30--Bellflower point guard Lisa Whiteside scored 15 points as the second-seeded Buccaneers won their II-A opener at Bellflower.

Pomona Ganesha 80, Torrance Bishop Montgomery 58--Miranda James scored 43 points to lead Ganesha in a III-AA quarterfinal at Ganesha.

Morningside 61, Costa Mesa Estancia 38--Kamesha Bell had 24 points and 14 rebounds and Asheve Barre had 13 points for second-seeded Morningside in a III-A game at Morningside.

Santa Monica Crossroads 85, Sierra Madre Alverno 9--Courtney Young scored 16 of her 24 points for the top-seeded Roadrunners during a 42-0 run that started in the first quarter and ended in the third in a Division IV-A opener at Brentwood.

Pilgrim 54, California Lutheran 28--Wendy Such scored 19 points and Amber Cunningham had 17 points and 11 rebounds for the top-seeded Patriots in a V-A game at Murphy.