Estancia pulls an inside job in CIF opener

Barry Faulkner

Estancia High senior Joey Lindquist helped Estancia go a step beyond

high-percentage shots in Wednesday’s 61-36 CIF Southern Section

Division III-A first-round boys basketball playoff victory at

Gabrielino High.

The 6-foot-8 Lindquist, who towered over a Gabrielino front line

that went 6-3, 6-2, 6-2, made all nine of his field-goal attempts,

eight of which were virtual layups, to help the Eagles finish 23 of

35 from the field (65.7%). Lindquist, taking precision feeds from the

point, the wing and the corner, powered over smaller defenders to

amass 24 points, one shy of his career high. He also hit his first

six free throws, before missing his final two to sabotage his pursuit

of perfection. He added seven rebounds, one blocked shot and one

steal, before fouling out with 1:56 left.

The win, Estancia’s first playoff triumph since 1998, puts the

Eagles (17-11) into Friday’s second round. Estancia will visit

top-seeded Bishop Montgomery (25-1), which had a first-round bye. The

Knights, who eliminated the Eagles in overtime in the Division III-A

semifinals in 1998, have won section championships each of the last

three seasons.

But the Eagles were content to savor Wednesday’s triumph, before

looking ahead to Friday’s challenge.

“It’s good to play against guys your own size, because it’s good

competition,” Lindquist said. “But it’s also nice to play against a

team that is much shorter, especially in a playoff game.”

Estancia Coach Chris Sorce said the plan, much as it has been all

year, was to pound the ball inside, offensively.

“Joey Lindquist and Carlos Pinto (15 points on 6-of-10 shooting

from the field) did a nice job, offensively, and I thought we showed

good patience, executed really well, and took advantage of our

height,” Sorce said.

The Eagle starters made an astounding 22 of 28 field-goal attempts

(78.6%), as Gabrielino (14-12), which tied for the Mission Valley

League title, its third league crown in four seasons, had no

defensive answers.

“We didn’t execute our game plan,” Gabrielino Coach Scott Brummett

said. “We wanted to double them inside and try to make them beat us

from the perimeter. But they were tough and their size hurt us.

(Lindquist) is a tough kid, a very big boy, and he finishes.”

Meanwhile, Gabrielino, also nicknamed the Eagles, had a horrid

shooting night. The hosts made just 13 of 55 field-goal attempts

(23.6%), including just 4 of 35 three-point tries (11.4%).

“We started out in a man, but went quickly to a (one-two-two)

zone,” Sorce said. “We wanted to make them try to beat us from the

outside.”

Brummett said the shooters who had helped his team win a league

title, could not find the range Wednesday.

“Danny Carrasco (who came in averaging 11 points) had been

shooting very well for us lately, but he came out very cold tonight

(finishing 3 of 16 from the field, including just 1 of 13 from beyond

the arc),” Brummett said. “We were getting open jumpers, but just

didn’t convert.”

Estancia senior guards Matt Cachola and Zack Novak were additional

shining examples of the Eagles’ offensive efficiency. Novak made 4 of

5 field-goal attempts, while also administering eight assists and

collecting seven rebounds and two steals. Cachola netted 3 of 4 from

the field, including a three-pointer, and chipped in eight assists,

two rebounds and two steals.

Estancia got only four points from the nine players who came off

the bench, with Scott Sankey and freshman Michael McDaniels, one of

four additions from the lower levels, each contributing two points.

Junior Jordan Stroman, who missed Friday’s regular-season finale

with a concussion, was one who came off the bench Wednesday.

After Gabrielino took a 5-4 lead in the opening moments, Estancia

reeled off 13 straight points to assume command. Novak’s

three-pointer sparked the visitors’ 14-0 run in the third quarte to

create a 48-22 cushion and, after a Gabrielino basket, Estancia

scored the next five points to effectively bury all comeback hopes.

Jeff Lim, a 5-10 senior three-year starter, led Gabrielino with 11

points. It was the sixth time this season that Gabrielino has been

held in the 30s and the eighth time this season Estancia has held a

team to fewer than 40.