TRABUCO HILLS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT : Los Alamitos Stops Mission Viejo

MISSION VIEJO —  Los Alamitos High School scored 13 consecutive points in the fourth quarter in a 62-61 victory over Mission Viejo in a Trabuco Hills tournament semifinal game Friday.

El Dorado, like Los Alamitos from the Empire League, advanced to the championship game by beating Trabuco Hills, 82-78. The championship game is at 8:15 tonight at Trabuco Hills High School.

Mission Viejo (2-1) led Los Alamitos (3-0), 49-43, when Robert Conlisk scored. He was fouled on the play and his free throw narrowed the Diablos’ lead to 49-47.

“That play was the game,” Mission Viejo Coach Bob Minier said. He also cited Los Alamitos’ fourth-quarter steals and his team’s late-game fatigue as factors.

Mission Viejo’s first basket of the fourth quarter, a Tom Merk field goal followed by a free throw, moved the Diablos to within five. Mark Wright’s field goal in the final six seconds cut the Los Alamitos lead to three points. Then, Eric Cramer fouled Los Alamitos’ Bryan Hakala on the inbound pass with five seconds to play. Hakala made the first, 62-58, but missed the second. Mission Viejo’s Greg Amaya made a three-pointer before time ran out.

Los Alamitos Coach Steve Brooks said the keys to victory were “sealing off their rebounds and limiting them to one shot.”

In other Trabuco Hills tournament games:

El Dorado 82, Trabuco Hills 78--Jerome Facione made a pair of free throws with 10 seconds left to give El Dorado (4-0) a four-point lead. Facione scored 15 points. El Dorado was led in scoring by guard Mike Bradach who scored 33 points. Trabuco Hills led, 46-42, at the half but El Dorado outscored the Mustangs, 21-15, in the third quarter to take a 63-61 lead. Trabuco Hills plays Mission Viejo for third place today at 6:30.

Foothill 91, University 69--Mark Wilkinson scored 24 of his 32 points in the third quarter to lead Foothill over University.

University (1-3) trailing Foothill (1-3) by 10, penetrated the Knights’ zone defense and got the ball to Klaus Perwas to pull to within two, 35-33, at halftime. Perwas scored 14 of his 23 points in the second quarter.

Foothill switched to a man-to-man defense in the third quarter and held Perwas to nine points in the second half. University plays Fullerton today at 3 p.m. for seventh place. Foothill plays Rancho Buena Vista at 4:45 p.m. today for fifth place.

Rancho Buena Vista 85, Fullerton 82--Daryl Parker scored two free throws in the final 27 seconds to lead Rancho Buena Vista over Fullerton. Following Parker’s free throws, Fullerton’s Rene Arias was fouled before a three-point attempt in the final 18 seconds. He made the first but missed the second. Chris Rubal scored with five seconds remaining, but it was too little too late. Chris Hartshorn scored five of his 21 points for Fullerton on three-point plays.