Late heroics by Sarah Aldeguer lift Fairmont Prep girls basketball team to overtime win against Harvard-Westlake in Division 1 state playoffs; Lev Feiman helps Brentwood return to regional semifinals, where Sage Hill awaits

Sarah Aldeguer scored the tying layup as time expired in regulation and top-seeded Fairmont Prep finally took over in overtime to outlast No. 9 Harvard-Westlake with a 63-56 victory in the Southern California Regional quarterfinals of the Division 1 girls basketball state playoffs.

Fairmont Prep (23-10) overcame a 14-point halftime deficit and rallied from 10 points down in the fourth quarter to force the extra period against the visiting Wolverines (24-8), last year’s Division 2 state champion.

Valentina Guerrero made a free throw with 5.2 seconds remaining to give Harvard-Westlake a 50-48 lead.

But Maria Mejia made the inbound pass to Kayla Priest, who found Lesina Afu surging down the left sideline, before she set up Aldeguer for the tying basket on the right block to help the Huskies pull even at 50-50.

Adyra Rajan gave Fairmont Prep a 48-47 lead on a layup with 48 seconds left.

Deana Thompson responded for the Wolverines with a layup to grab a 49-48 advantage with 20 seconds remaining.

The Huskies believed they had regained the lead on a layup by Rajan with 11 seconds left, but Fairmont Prep called a timeout prior to the shot.

Fairmont Prep girls basketball team | Photo courtesy of Fairmont Prep

Guerrero made one of two free throws on the ensuing possession, still giving Fairmont Prep the opportunity to tie the score in the final seconds of regulation.

Aldeguer had 19 points and Mejia added 14 points for the Huskies, who advanced to the regional semifinals for the first time since 2015, when Fairmont Prep competed in Division 4.

Rajan scored 13 points, including one 3-point field goal, giving her 155 for the season, which ranks No. 3 in Southern Section history and No. 7 all-time in the state.

The Huskies will play host Saturday to No. 4 Windward (20-10) in a rematch of a 69-65 victory Feb. 22 by Fairmont Prep in a pool-play contest in the CIF-Southern Section Open Division playoffs.

Brentwood 68, Westview 34: After being held scoreless in the first half, Brentwood all-time leading scorer Lev Feiman responded with 20 points after the break, including 16 in the third quarter, to lead the sixth-seeded Eagles (27-8) in the Southern California Regional quarterfinals of the Division 1 state playoffs.

Brentwood School girls basketball team | Photo courtesy of Brentwood School

Feiman, a UC San Diego signee who has 1,835 points during her career, outscored the entire Wolverines’ lineup in the second half.

Brentwood, which held a 27-20 advantage at halftime, produced 25 points in the third quarter, then held No. 14 Westview (21-10) to three points in the fourth to return to the regional semifinals for the second year in a row.

Reena White, a sophomore, added 16 points and senior Payton Sugar contributed 15 points, all in the first half, for the Eagles, who hit 12 3-point field goals – including two from Lei Tomatsu and another by Jessica Liu – to increase their Southern Section record to 406 this season.

Brentwood became only the third girls basketball program in state history, according to Cal-Hi Sports, to surpass 400 3-pointers in a season.

The Bishop’s School of La Jolla and Mission Hills, both representing the San Diego Section, are the others.

Sugar made three 3-pointers in the opening quarter, giving her 132 this season – top 25 in state history – and 352 for her career, the latter total placing her No. 6 in the Southern Section and 19th in the state among all-time California prep competitors.

Sarah Heyn had 10 points and Maren Zimmer added nine points for Westview, which secured its first state playoff victory since 2011 with a 45-42 opening-round win Tuesday at L.A. City Section Open Division champion Hamilton (26-3), snapping the Yankees’ 19-game winning streak.

Makena McLaughlin contributed eight points for Westview, which managed only three second-half field goals.

Brentwood plays Saturday at second-seeded Sage Hill (21-11) – a 58-34 winner Thursday against No. 7 Moreno Valley (26-8) – in the regional semifinals.

The Lightning produced a 60-42 victory Jan. 18 against Brentwood.

Sage Hill 58, Moreno Valley 34: The second-seeded Lightning (21-11) built an 18-7 lead following the first quarter, with Amalia Holguin scoring the first eight points of the contest, to secure victory against No. 7 Moreno Valley (26-8) in the Southern California Regional quarterfinals of the Division 1 state playoffs.

Kamdyn Klamberg had 17 points and six rebounds, with Holguin adding 16 points, seven rebounds and four steals for Sage Hill.

Eve Fowler contributed 10 points and nine rebounds for the Lightning, who play host Saturday to No. 6 Brentwood (27-8) in the regional semifinals.

Sage Hill reached the regional semifinals for the first time since 2022, when the Lightning captured the Division 2 state title.