GIRLS ROUNDUP : Buena Gains I-A Title With Late Free Throws

Ventura Buena High forward Michelle Giordano made two free throws with no time remaining to give the Bulldogs a 44-43 victory over Thousand Oaks in the Southern Section Division I-A championship game Saturday night at Loyola Marymount University.

Giordano’s pressure foul shots avenged Bulldog losses to the top-seeded Lancers (29-1) in the I-A final the past two seasons.

“I was thinking, ‘You better make them or everybody will hate you,’ ” said Giordano, who scored a team-high 19 points.

Marion Jones had 23 points and 15 rebounds for Thousand Oaks, which entered the game as the top-ranked team in the state.

Jones’ layup with 21 seconds remaining gave the Lancers a 43-42 lead, but Giordano was fouled by Samantha Clarke while attempting a short jump shot as time expired.

“You can’t see an athlete react better under pressure,” Buena Coach Joe Vaughan said. “She’s out there in front of God and country. That’s not easy.”