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  • Mater Dei's Nicole Freeman, left, fights Kayla Merrill-Gillett of Palisades...

    Mater Dei's Nicole Freeman, left, fights Kayla Merrill-Gillett of Palisades as she drives to the basket in game 4 of the Matt Denning Hoops Classic in Santa Ana on Saturday.

  • Allyson Rosenblum, left, gets around Elizabeth Newman of Palisades to...

    Allyson Rosenblum, left, gets around Elizabeth Newman of Palisades to put up a shot in game 4 of the Matt Denning Hoops Classic in Santa Ana on Saturday.

  • Mater Dei's Madison Johnson, center, moves between Kayla Williams, left,...

    Mater Dei's Madison Johnson, center, moves between Kayla Williams, left, and Caytlnn Gordon of Palisades as she tries to get close to the basket in game 4 of the Matt Denning Hoops Classic in Santa Ana on Saturday.

  • Mater Dei players cheer on their team late in game...

    Mater Dei players cheer on their team late in game 4 of the Matt Denning Hoops Classic in Santa Ana on Saturday against Palisades.

  • Mater Dei's Nicole Freeman, left, pulls the ball away from...

    Mater Dei's Nicole Freeman, left, pulls the ball away from Sammy Spanier of Palisades during game 4 of the Matt Denning Hoops Classic in Santa Ana on Saturday.

  • Mater Dei's Kendyll Toomey, right, collides with Kayla Merrill-Gillett of...

    Mater Dei's Kendyll Toomey, right, collides with Kayla Merrill-Gillett of Palisades as she controls a rebound in game 4 of the Matt Denning Hoops Classic in Santa Ana on Saturday.

  • Mater Dei's Jayda Adams stands up to cheer her team...

    Mater Dei's Jayda Adams stands up to cheer her team late in the fourth period of game 4 of the Matt Denning Hoops Classic in Santa Ana on Saturday.

  • Mater Dei's Jayda Adams drives around Palisades defenders near the...

    Mater Dei's Jayda Adams drives around Palisades defenders near the baseline as she tries to put up a shot in game 4 of the Matt Denning Hoops Classic in Santa Ana on Saturday.

  • Mater Dei's Kendyll Toomey drives to the basket through two...

    Mater Dei's Kendyll Toomey drives to the basket through two Palisades defenders in game 4 of the Matt Denning Hoops Classic in Santa Ana on Saturday.

  • Mater Dei's Allyson Rosenblum puts up a shot against Palisades...

    Mater Dei's Allyson Rosenblum puts up a shot against Palisades in game 4 of the Matt Denning Hoops Classic in Santa Ana on Saturday.

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Associate mug of Kenny Connolly, Anaheim reporter.

Date shot: 12/31/2012 . Photo by KATE LUCAS /  ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

From 15 feet in, Ally Rosenblum was automatic on Saturday night.

Playing against an undersized Palisades High squad, Mater Dei’s 6-foot-4 senior center owned the paint, scoring a career-high 38 points to lead the top-ranked Monarchs to a 90-55 victory in the Matt Denning Hoops Classic at Mater Dei High.

With the Dolphins having one player on their roster listed at 6 feet, Rosenblum feasted on Palisades’ man-to-man defense, converting 16 of her 20 shot attempts, while going 6 for 6 from the free throw line.

“We had a really big advantage (down low), and we have that advantage most of the time,” Monarchs coach Kevin Kiernan said. “We’re a big team. We’ve got to learn how to go to that advantage as long as they’re giving it to us.

“Sometimes we get away from it because of our youth. But tonight, just an incredible performance by Ally. Big thing today was she was finishing around the basket.”

Rosenblum scored Mater Dei’s first 10 points of the game, and led all scorers with 21 points at the break.

Despite trailing for several minutes in the first quarter, the Monarchs (14-1) reclaimed a 16-13 lead by the end of one, and stretched that out to a 39-25 lead at the break.

Twelve of Mater Dei’s 14 first-half buckets came from inside the paint.

“My teammates did a great job of getting me the ball,” Rosenblum said. “I’m not a point guard so I can’t create my own shots.

“They went man tonight, so it opened things up for us. We just came back from Arizona and most of the teams there played zone on us because we’re a big team. So it was a little surprising to see zone.”

Nine Monarchs scored in the second half as Mater Dei led by 30-plus points for much of the fourth quarter.

Jayda Adams notched 17 points for the Monarchs.

Also at the Matt Denning Classic:

La Jolla Country Day 53, Fairmont Prep 46: The Torreys opened the fourth quarter with a 12-0 run, turning a three-point deficit into a nine-point lead the Huskies were unable to overcome down the stretch. Cierra Hall finished with 17 points and Tristen Rollon added 14 for Fairmont.

Huntington Beach 48, Santa Margarita 43: Kaylyn Nakaji and Frankie Wade-Sanchez combined to score 29 points as the Oilers knocked off the Eagles for the second time this season. Eagles junior point guard Tori Anderson led all scorers with 16 points.

Contact the writer: kconnolly@ocregister.com