Captan’s shot rescues South Huntington Beach

South Huntington Beach trailed Anaheim Hills nearly the entire way

during Sunday’s National Junior Basketball boys’ Division II conference

championship series opener, but they got the shot that counted most in

the waning moments as Sammy Captan hit a 17-foot jump shot with four

seconds left to give visiting South Huntington Beach a dramatic 38-36

victory.

South Huntington Beach trailed by 11 points with five minutes

remaining but mounted its comeback by installing a full court press. The

defensive pressure applied by Captan, Kevin Stickler and Austin Prather

forced several turnovers and the clutch outside shooting by Prather and

Captan tied the game.

Two free throws by Scott Marcin gave South Huntington Beach its first

lead, 36-34, but Anaheim Hills tied the score with 20 seconds left.

Prather missed from close range in the final seconds but Marcin

grabbed a huge offensive rebound and dished the ball out to Captan to set

up the game-winning shot.

The victory puts South Huntington Beach at 11-0 on the season.

In other NJB play:

South HB 54, Long Beach 42

The Chargers ran their record to 8-0 with the win. T.J. Lipold led the

way with 15 points, Taylor King had 14 and Thomas Marcin finished with

10.

South Huntington Beach returns to the court Sunday at 9:45 a.m. to

host Bakersfield at Edison High.

GIRLS’ DIVISION I

South HB 50, Long Beach 29

The Chargers jumped out to a 15-3 lead and never looked back as two

10-0 teams battled in the opening round of the NJB championship series.

The Chargers’ scoring consisted of a game-high 12 points by Wahine

Kepilino, eight points by Wendy Blyth, which included two three-point

baskets, Karly Damico with eight points and Danielle Grant with five

points. Seda Bolulu, Anne Stapleton and Krystle Hosokawa each scored four

points, Lauren Kaprielian scored three and Simone Ibbotson added two

points.

Elyse Van Leer turned in a strong defensive effort for South

Huntington Beach, which will put its 11-0 record on the line Sunday in a

second round meeting with the 11-0 Laguna Beach Lakers.