SOUTHERN SECTION BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : 3-A : Corona del Mar Handily Defeats Sonora, 65-47

Although Sonora High School sneaked into the Southern Section 3-A basketball playoffs after finishing third in the Freeway League Tournament last week, Corona del Mar Coach Paul Orris felt that his team was at a slight disadvantage facing the Raiders.

Judging by the Sea Kings’ performance Friday night, a 65-47 rout of Sonora at Corona del Mar, it was difficult to tell what problem Corona del Mar may have had.

“We were at a little disadvantage coming into this game,” Orris said. “We couldn’t expect to walk all over them (Sonora) despite their record and we can’t just show up next week expecting the same type of game.”

Orris was referring to the relative ease with which the No. 4-seeded Sea Kings handled Sonora (11-15), a team that made the playoffs courtesy of the county’s only league tournament after finishing second to last in league.

The results weren’t that surprising, however, considering that the Sea Kings were bigger, quicker and stronger.

Corona del Mar (22-6) started to pull away just two minutes into the game, scoring seven straight points to take an 11-4 lead. The Sea Kings led, 17-8, after the first quarter and Sonora was unable to get any closer. The Sea Kings scored many of their baskets on layups off of offensive rebounds, of which they had 19 in the game.

An indication of Sonora’s problem was evident at halftime as the Raiders trailed by 15 points (34-19), even though Corona del Mar’s leading scorer, Markus Muller-Stach, had scored only six points.

Muller-Stach bruised his knee in the first half but appeared recovered in the second, scoring Corona del Mar’s first eight points on long-range jump shots.

David Morris, Sonora’s long-range shooter, had scored only four points by halftime on 2 of 6 shots.

“They’re used to playing one-on-one and I don’t think they’ve played against our type of pressure defense in their league,” Orris said.

Muller-Stach led Corona del Mar with 18 points. Chris Burns had 15 points and Chris Hook added 13. Burns and Darren Morris each had nine rebounds.

Sonora was led by Morris’ 15 points and Grayle Humphrey’s 11.