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.