Suspension Lifted for South Torrance Basketball Coach

South Torrance High girls basketball Coach Gil Ramirez was allowed to coach his team’s final game Friday after the Southern Section recommended lifting his suspension, South Torrance Athletic Director Roger Bryant said.

Ramirez had been suspended by the school for violating the Southern Section sportsmanship rule after he pulled his team at halftime Wednesday with South Torrance trailing Inglewood Morningside, 102-24.

Upon review, the Southern Section ruled there was just cause for forfeiting at halftime, Bryant said. South Torrance was down to four players because two of the team’s seven players had fouled out in the first half and another could not play because of an injury.

Ramirez’s action prevented Morningside center Lisa Leslie, who scored 101 points in the first half, from breaking the national record of 105 points set by Cheryl Miller of Riverside Poly in 1982.

South Torrance lost Friday’s game to North Torrance, 60-50, to finish the season with a 3-18 record.