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Girls’ basketball: A storybook finish for Beverly Hills

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That was Jaina Abdul-Mansour, not Kobe Bryant.

Pinch.

The senior guard sank a 60-foot buzzer-beater from beyond half-court to give Beverly Hills a 52-51 victory over host Laguna Hills tonight in a Southern Section Division 2A quarterfinal game.

Beverly Hills Coach Charles Solomon said he is still pinching himself.

‘We don’t believe it happened,’ Solomon said.

The Normans pulled off the win even though they were 0 for 4 from the free throw-line, while Laguna Hills was 14 for 24.

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Pinch.

After trailing, 32-24, at halftime, Beverly Hills outscored Laguna Hills, 15-6, in the third quarter to take a 39-38 lead going into the fourth.

The teams traded baskets in the final quarter, and it looked as though Laguna Hills had sealed the deal after Kaitlyn Shimazaki made one of her free-throw attempts to give the Hawks a 51-49 lead with 3.8 seconds left in the game.

Not so fast.

Jaina Abdul-Mansour gave the Normans a gift from another ZIP Code.

‘It couldn’t have happened to a better group of girls,’ Solomon said.

Miranda Abdul-Mansour led Beverly Hills (20-11) with 23 points and Chelsea Austin added 18. Lauren Engeln had 26 for Laguna Hills (25-4).

Beverly Hills will face top-seeded Mater Dei in a semifinal game on Saturday.

Now, that may be a painful pinch.

-- Melissa Rohlin

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