Thousand Oaks Advances With a Dominating Performance

Take it easy?

A week off, followed by a second-round playoff game at home that was supposed to be played on the road.

How much easier can things get for the Thousand Oaks High basketball team?

The Lancers (25-1) on Friday night breezed to a 64-47 victory over visiting Ayala, a team that finally found its place in the Southern Section Division I-A playoffs only to discover it didn’t like the surroundings.

“They didn’t express a lot of confidence to me,” Thousand Oaks Coach Ed Chevalier said. “(Their coach’s) comment to me--and I didn’t like the comment--was, ‘Take it easy on us.’ ”

Because of a scheduling error, Ayala began the playoffs in the Division II-A bracket, then defeated Hueneme in a I-A first-round makeup game to earn a matchup with Thousand Oaks.

But one look at the Lancers’ sizable--and rested--front line of seniors Paul and Nick Foster, and junior Jason Hartman had Ayala Coach Tom Gregory and his charges ready to retreat.

“Pretty awesome, pretty solid,” Gregory said of Thousand Oaks. “We could play that team 20 times and they’re going to beat us 20 times.”

The Bulldogs (20-7) were visibly lethargic in the first half as Thousand Oaks opened a 34-15 lead. At one point, Nick Foster, a 6-foot-8 center, made consecutive steals and dribbled the length of the court, culminating one drive with a two-handed dunk.

When it was over, four starters--Hartman (16 points), junior guard Peter Lauer (14 points), Paul Foster (13) and Nick Foster (12)--had scored in double figures, and Thousand Oaks outrebounded the Bulldogs, 41-31.

But the last thing this team wanted was a holiday.

Said Paul Foster: “We take what we get and do the best with it.”

Thousand Oaks showed its own signs of sluggishness. Paul Foster collected three fouls early in the first quarter and spent the rest of the half on the bench.

Hartman made only three of his first nine shots from the field and twice was whistled for traveling. And Lauer after making his first three three-point attempts, missed on his next four.

And the going will get tougher. Thousand Oaks plays Irvine in a quarterfinal game Monday at Christ College. If the Lancers are to advance to the I-A final, it will mean playing Monday, Wednesday and Saturday in the week to come.

“Three games in one week is going to be rough,” Hartman said. “We’re going to have to play better.”

The only hint of a rally by Ayala came early in the second half. Guard Johnny Holmes made consecutive baskets and forward Melvin Boothe made another in a 6-0 run that cut the gap to 38-23.

To say that it was ever close, however, would be stretching it. Lauer made a three-point shot to open the game and the Lancers soon were ahead, 7-0.

From there, it was a futile game of catch-up for the Bulldogs. “There were a couple of times I thought we could have made a run at them but we didn’t,” Gregory said.