Laguna downs San Clemente, 44-34

The Laguna Beach boys’ seventh-grade All-Net National Junior

Basketball team capped its first full month of Winter League play

with a 4-0 record after Sundays’ 44-34 victory over San Clemente.

Marcus Hairston and Clay Knapp each scored 11 points, Dalton Sype

had 10, and Kevin Buck finished with 9 points to pace Laguna.

Hairston scored eight of his points in the first quarter to lead

Laguna to a 17-7 lead. The second-half scoring of Knapp, Buck and

Sype, along with the defensive play of Warren Murrel, kept Laguna in

command.

That fivesome, along with teammates Nick Witte, Dylan Doumeng,

Alex Vasquez and Matt Innins, guided Laguna to league wins over

Huntington Beach North (46-30), Huntington Beach South (52-27) and

Cypress (41-24).

In winning on the road at Huntington Beach North, Hairston scored

13 of his game-high 15 point in the first half, Knapp canned 12 of

his 14-point effort in the second half, and Witte finished with seven

points and six rebounds.

Sype, Buck and Hairston came up with stellar defensive efforts in

the 52-27 win over Huntington Beach South. Hairston netted 20 points,

Sype scored 14 -- including hitting 6 of 6 from the foul line, Buck

had eight points, and Witte contributed six points, six rebounds and

five assists.

In downing Cypress, 41-24, Laguna rolled to a 28-8 halftime lead.

Hairston again had a big first half where he scored 15 of his 17

points -- nine coming on three, three-point shots. Vasquez hit two

key second-quarter baskets to cement Laguna’s lead.

Laguna won its first four winter games despite not having the

services of one player in each of those games.

In eighth-grade All-Net boys’ basketball:

Laguna Beach notched its fourth win and remained undefeated on the

season by routing the Westminster Wildcats, 46-25, at Laguna Beach

High.

Bobby Monroe scored 13 points for Laguna, which opens play tonight

at the St. Anne’s Christmas Tournament in Laguna Niguel.

Laguna will take on Niguel Aliso in a 5 p.m. tipoff.