Clippers, Blue Devils share Junior title

Mike Sciacca

The final week of the regular season in Laguna Beach Junior Basketball

League play brought about a few surprises as the Clippers and Blue Devils

ended up tying for the regular season championship.

The Clippers dropped two games in a row, and the Blue Devils split

their last two regular season games.

While those two may play the role of favorites in the upcoming

postseason tournament, the one team to keep an eye on is the Bruins.

It was the Bruins who handed the Blue Devils their lone loss of the

past week and, in doing so, posted their fourth straight victory by

holding on for a thrilling, 59-58 win.

Garrett Preston poured in 29 points and Christopher Hyden added 13 as

the Bruins came back from a 34-32 halftime deficit to take a 53-48 lead

heading into the final quarter.

Three Blue Devils scored in double figures as Bobby Monroe had 19

points, Spencer Harrell scored 17 and Brendan Finnerty posted 13.

Another Bruin victim during their four-game streak was the Clippers,

who also dropped a 56-51 decision to the Lakers.

In that game, the Clippers’ Jonathan Begay nailed three, three-point

shots and tied the Lakers’ Matthew Renault for game-high scoring honors

at 22 points.

The Lakers’ Travis Grogan was right behind with 21 points.

Nathan Pickett’s 19 points topped all Clipper scorers.

In other games:

Rainbows 62, Trailblazers 51

Jeff Clark burned the nets for 32 points, which included a nine of 12

performance from the free throw line, to lead the Rainbows.

Ian Butters was next in line for the Rainbows with 13 points.

Brian Delino’s 26 points paced the Trailblazers and Brandon Reed

contributed 11.

With the regular season complete, championship play will be held this

weekend at Laguna Beach High. It continues Monday evening and concludes

with championship round play Tuesday.

The division title game is scheduled for Tuesday at 7:15 p.m.

Here is the final regular season standings, with each team’s league

record preceding its overall record: 1T. Clippers (7-3, 8-3) and Blue

Devils (7-3, 8-3); 3. Bruins (6-4, 6-5); 4. Lakers (5-5, 5-6); 5.

Rainbows (4-6, 4-7); 6. Trailblazers (1-9, 2-9).

Regular season scoring leaders, with average per game: 1. Cheyne

Martin, Clippers (34.3); 2. Brian Delino, Trailblazers (26.6); 3. Matthew

Renault, Lakers (26.09); 4. Jeff Clark, Rainbows (26.00); 5. Spencer

Harrell, Blue Devils (22.2); 6. Travis Grogan, Lakers (21.7); 7. Bobby

Monroe, Blue Devils (20.6); 8. Garrett Preston, Bruins (19.8); 9. Ian

Butters, Rainbows (18.1); 10. Brendan Finnerty, Blue Devils (16.8).

Others: Nathan Pickett, Clippers (15.3); Christopher Hyden, Bruins

(13.7); Jonathan Begay, Clippers (13.4); Sam Palfreyman, Bruins (13.0);

Tyler Naylor, Lakers (12.6); Kevin Buck, Clippers (11.0).