Boys basketball: Eagles let one slip away

Barry Faulkner

COSTA MESA - The Estancia High boys basketball team has at least

eight games left to ensure its season didn’t blow up in the heat of the

moment Wednesday night against Pacific Coast League visitor Laguna Beach.

Leading, 51-46, with 1:20 left, an Estancia player was called for a foul,

then said something he shouldn’t have, provoking a technical.

The temporary loss of composure allowed Laguna Beach’s ultra-talented

Travis Hanour to make four straight free throws, then a slam dunk on the

ensuing possession, to help the Artists erase imminent defeat with one

broad stroke of opportunism.

“We did just about everything but win this game,” said dejected Estancia

Coach Rich Boyce, who had nothing but praise for his players.

“I have a lot of pride in our kids for the way they played their butts

off tonight. We’ll bounce back from this.”

Laguna Beach Coach Bret Fleming was equally impressed with the hosts

(11-7, 0-2 in league and ranked No. 10 in CIF Southern Section Division

III-AA).

“I tried to warn my kids that they needed to understand what kind of

intensity Estancia plays with,” Fleming said. “But, in the first quarter,

we had no clue.”

The Eagles seized a 16-9 lead, before Hanour, who netted 20 of his

game-high 31 before intermission, triggered an 11-0 Artist run, which led

to a 27-25 halftime edge.

Estancia exploded in the third quarter to earn a 40-37 lead, then

expanded it to 51-44 with 3:56 left.

But the Eagles didn’t score again as Hanour, scoreless in the second half

until the final 80 seconds, netted the final 11 points for the Artists

(11-6, 2-0), hitting 9 of his final 9 foul shots.

Jason Simco led the Eagles with 22 points, while Darshaun Garner added

six points, eight rebounds and seven steals.

Chris Manker, a 6-foot-10 center, had 16 points and nine boards for

Laguna Beach.

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS

Pacific Coast League

Laguna Beach 57, Estancia 51

Score by Quarters

Laguna Beach 12 17 8 20 - 57

Estancia 16 9 15 11 - 51

Laguna Beach - Hanour 31, Manker 16, Boyd 4, Blodgett 3, Butters 3.

3-pt. goals - Hanour 4, Manker 1.

Fouled out - Blodgett.

Technicals - None.

Estancia - Simco 22, Cantrell 12, Rodriguez 7, Garner 6, Chandler 4,

Aguilar 0, Jiminez 0, Maldonado 0.

3-pt. goals - Simco 4, Cantrell 2, Rodriguez 1.

Fouled out - Simco.

Technicals - Simco 1.