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CYPRESS — The sights, sounds and feel of a young basketball season coming to life continued to emerge Thursday night.
So did San Juan Hills’ girls.
The Stallions wasted no time making a statement about the preseason Orange County rankings.
Sophomore point guard Finley Campbell sank a go-ahead 3-pointer from the wing with 2:40 left in the fourth quarter to help San Juan Hills beat West Torrance 49-43 in the semifinals of the Oxford Academy tournament.
Senior captains Adelyn Boberg and Ellasyn Hunter combined their contrasting skills for 36 points as the Stallions (3-0) coolly executed in the fourth quarter against a West Torrance team that opened the tournament by beating Santa Margarita 70-66.
Santa Margarita is No. 8 in the recent Orange County rankings while San Juan Hills is listed as “also considered.”
“This means a lot to us,” Boberg said of the victory, which advanced the Stallions (3-0) to Saturdayt’s 7:30 p.m. final against San Clemente (3-0). “I was a little stressed but it was (a) good (win).”
“We used that as a little motivation today,” San Juan Hills coach Jay Williams said of the rankings. “It’s a good, early win for us. With our team this year, it’s going to be these growth periods.”
Campbell, a first-year starter, snapped a 42-42 tie with a 3-pointer for her only points.
“It was a close game and I just knew we really needed a 3 to keep us confident so I stayed confident and took my shot,” she said.
Hunter made 4 of 4 foul shots in the 15.6 seconds to cap a strong fourth quarter. The forward scored eight of her 15 points in the frame, including two early drives past West 6-foot-3 post Hailey Igbokwe.
Boberg set the stage for Campbell’s shot by sinking her season-high sixth 3-pointer to tie the score 42-42 with 3:59 remaining. The guard finished with a game-high 21 points.
The key to the fourth quarter for the Stallions might have been their ability to take care of the ball. They had no turnovers in outscoring West 16-7 in the period.
San Juan Hills received one 3-pointer apiece from Hunter and Tatum Davis to finish with nine against West Torrance’s man defense.
Davis, a junior, finished with eight points and seven rebounds.
San Juan Hills notched the win despite playing without Olivia Morgan (broken nose).
West Torrance made six 3 pointers against the San Juan Hills zone defense, which included sophomore Katie Schafer.
Christmas music played in the breaks in a nod to the early-season calendar. The adjusted temperature in the gym offered another sign.
But for San Juan Hills, the theme of carrying on the legacy of Anna Shreeve rang true. With their former star now playing at Utah Valley as a freshman, the Stallions are aiming to uphold her standard.
“Worked with Anna, trained with Anna,” Campbell said. “She’s definitely one of my role models. I learned a lot from her last year.”
In the other semifinals, No. 4 San Clemente — the reigning South Coast League champion — defeated Laguna Beach 72-18.