Cypress gets by Laguna
Just one week after scoring a league-high 63 points, Laguna
Beach’s seventh-grade boys’ All-Net National Junior Basketball team
came out flat against Cypress and was held 30 points below that mark
in a 36-33 upset loss.
Laguna fell to the same Cypress team it had defeated by 17 points
earlier in the season.
The loss dropped Laguna to 6-2 overall.
The seesaw battle included several first half lead changes. Laguna
led late in the third quarter and was up by two points in the fourth
quarter.
That’s when Nick Witte, Laguna’s leading scorer, fouled out of the
contest with 6:45 left to play.
Laguna’s coaching staff had Witte with just four fouls, but an
error in the official scorer’s book listed him with five.
Cypress rallied to tie the score at 33-33, then hit three, late
free throws to secure the win.
Foul trouble plagued Laguna throughout the contest.
In addition to losing Witte, Marcus Hairston sat out a majority of
the first half in foul trouble and went on to be held scoreless for
the first time in his playing career.
While Cypress converted on its free throws, Laguna missed all four
shots from the charity stripe.
One bright spot for Laguna was the play of Warren Murrel. The big
man came off the bench to provide a defensive spark and finished with
five blocked shots and seven rebounds to go along with a season-high
six points.
Witte was Laguna’s high scorer with 10 points.
Kevin Buck hit for eight points, including a pair of three-point
baskets, Dalton Sype scored seven points, and Clay Knapp finished
with two points.
Laguna has the weekend off and will resume NJB action on Feb. 2
against Huntington Beach South.
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