Playing its highest division yet in NorCals, the Menlo girls’ basketball team proved it was in the right place, holding off host Oak Ridge 50-47 Tuesday to advance to the CIF-NorCals Div. I quarterfinals.

The No. 10 Knights (21-5) will play at No. 2 Bishop O’Dowd in Oakland on Thursday if all goes as planned.The game came down to the final seconds.

Menlo held a 44-35 lead then Oak Ridge sank three three-pointers to tie at 44. Junior Danielle McNair sank a three of her own, and the Knights never trailed. Senior Maeia Makoni added a free throw to put the Knights ahead 48-44. The Trojans answered with a three before sophomore Sharon Nejad sank two free throws to ice the victory.Junior Avery Lee poured in 17 points for the Knights while Makoni added 10, including three three-pointers. 

CIF-NorCals Div. I girls’ basketball
First round

Menlo School    14   8   19    9  - 50
Oak Ridge          12  15   8   12  - 47
M: Lee 8 1-6 17,Stuart 0 0-1 0, Paye 1 0-0 3, Layton 3 1- 2 8, McNair 1 0-0 3, Makoni 3 1-3 10, Nejad 3 3-6 9. Three-point goals: Paye, Layton, McNair, Makoni 3. Total: 19 6-18 50. OR: Brown 5 5-7 17, McConnel 2 0-0 5, Helwig 4 0-2 9, Maigols 3 0-0 8, Ingram 1 0-0 3,  Olson 2 0-0 5. Three-point goals: Olson, Ingram, McConnel, Brown 2, Helwig, Maigols 2. Total: 17 5-9 47