Eagles ‘tune up’

Roger Carlson

COSTA MESA - Runaway champions often “tune up” for the CIF Playoffs

on the filnal night of league play, and Estancia High’s Eagles performed

their own version Thursay night with their Pacific Coast League boys

basketball duel with visiting University.

There’s just a couple of twists to the scenario.

Estancia wasn’t even in the running for the title, and Thursday night,

they were still learning a few lessons at the hands of the Trojans, who

ran away and hid, 79-59, after bursting to a 41-19 halftime lead.

“It was just an uphill battle in the second half,” said Estancia Coach

Rich Boyce, who watched his team fall behind by 22 points in the first

half as University nailed five of 9 from three-point territory.

The Eagles tried to match the numbers, but were just 3 of 13 from long

range en route to the decisive loss.

Estancia, however, with a 14-12 record overall, could afford the

lesson, since the Eagles, as well as everyone else in the PCL, are on

their way to the playoffs, thanks to this year’s unique situation which

allows all teams with 10 victories over the course of the season to enter

the eliminations, which begin next Friday.

“We’ve been real competitive,” Boyce said before Thursday’s spanking.

“We’ve beat some big time schols and our kids have played hard. I’m proud

of them.”

Giving the Eagles an even better outlook as the playoffs loom, Boyce

added: “Everyone’s out of the dog house.”

Estancia Boys Athletic Director Tim Parsel may have said it best in

terms of the Eagles’ situation. “I feel sorry for the team that gets us

in the first round.”