Clock runs out on CdM

LAGUNA BEACH -- Corona del Mar High boys basketball coach Ryan Curry

told his team its Pacific Coast League opener against Laguna Beach

would be the most difficult game it had faced in his three-year

tenure.

“I told our kids, we were in the playoffs last year, first in a

third-place playoff with Calvary Chapel, then in the first round of

CIF, and I told them this would be the hardest game we’ve had since

I’ve been here,” Curry said. “I knew it was going to be the most

intense, most competitive game.”

Curry’s inkling was correct. With Laguna Beach playing its first

game in its newly refurbished gymnasium, fans of both teams came out

in bunches and witnessed a back-and-forth, physical affair in which

the Breakers emerged victorious, 50-49.

The margin of victory was cut to one point when CdM senior Pancho

Seaborn hit a three-pointer from the corner with seven seconds

remaining. The Sea Kings (9-8) were out of timeouts and never got a

chance to complete their fourth-quarter comeback as Laguna Beach

(9-8) never had to inbound the ball.

That fact was contested by Curry after the game, but the referees

said that the Breakers did not pick up the ball after Seaborn’s shot

went through the net in time to necessitate a five-second count.

“[The referees] said they didn’t pick up the ball until there were

five seconds left,” Curry said. “I thought [Laguna Beach] did pick

the ball up [with seven seconds left].”

It was a frustrating ending after the Sea Kings rallied from a

seven-point deficit with under four minutes remaining. The comeback

was sustained by seven Breakers turnovers in the final quarter, many

of them forced by CdM junior Tyler Lance, who also contributed seven

points.

But CdM’s Achilles’ heel was rebounding. Laguna Beach broke open a

21-21 halftime tie by grabbing the first nine rebounds of the third

quarter, six of them offensive. After matching the Breakers’ 18

rebounds in the first half, CdM was outrebounded over the final two

quarters, 22-8.

“The most disappointing of those was the free throw miss,” Curry

said.

Laguna Beach 6-foot-5 senior Taylor Willhoit scored a putback

bucket with 30 seconds remaining after Jeff Clark missed the front

end of a one-and-one situation, giving Laguna a 50-44 lead.

Willhoit caused trouble throughout the second half, particularly

on the offensive glass. He scored all 14 of his points over the final

two quarters and pulled down 10 of his 12 rebounds.

Combined, Willhoit and 6-4 junior Ivan Kovacevic (12 points, 12

rebounds) had just two fewer rebounds than the entire CdM team, which

starts no one over 6-3.

The Sea Kings made up for that disadvantage in turnovers, forcing

20 and committing just 14.

Seaborn led the Sea kings with 17 points, hitting on 5 of 9

three-pointers, and seven rebounds. But CdM’s leading scorer was

forced to sit out more than half of the first two quarters because of

foul trouble.

Tyler Lance and Ryan Lance were also in first-half foul trouble,

leaving much of the scoring duties to senior guard Adam Freede, who

obliged with nine points in the first half and 16 in the game.

*--*

Pacific Coast League

Laguna Beach 50, Corona del Mar 49

Score by Quarters

CdM 12 9 15 13 -- 49

Laguna 9 12 20 9 -- 50

CdM -- Northridge 1, Freede 16, Seaborn 17,

MacDonald 2, T. Lance 7, Watanabe 0, R. Lance

6, Mohler 0, Kabaklian 0. 3-pt. goals --

Seaborn 5. Fouled out -- None.

Technicals -- None. Laguna Beach -- Kote 2,

Martin 13, Kovacevic 12, Clark 3, T. Willhoit

14, Sands 4, Marquette 0. 3-pt. goals --

Martin 3, Clark 1. Fouled out -- None.

Technicals -- None.

*--*