Estancia’s season ceases in playoffs

Steve Virgen

There were several statistics that could have easily told the story

of the Estancia High boys basketball team’s demise in its first-round

game of the CIF Southern Section Division III-A playoffs Wednesday.

But one intriguing figure spoke volumes in the Eagles’ 81-49 loss

to host Orange Lutheran.

The Lancers (22-5) scored 52 points in the paint and also

collected 15 points from free throws that had come from their players

being fouled at least five feet from the basket. Orange Lutheran

obviously used its height advantage, as its shortest starter was

5-foot-11. The Lancers also pushed the ball in transition, while

Estancia could not regroup.

“They just do a good job of pounding [the ball] inside to their

big guys,” Eagles Coach Russell King said. “They were able to convert

easy baskets. We knew they would pound it, but we didn’t do a good

job of helping down low.”

Statistics aside, the Eagles (13-14) were also at a disadvantage

in terms of experience. Estancia displayed its youth in the first

quarter, when the Lancers jumped out to a 16-0 lead. The Eagles did

not score their first points until five minutes, 21 seconds had gone

off the clock, when sophomore Mike McDaniels put in a layup.

“We are a young team,” King said. “We have most guys returning so

they’ll remember this experience and know they need to work hard. We

were a little awestruck at the beginning. At this time in the CIF

playoffs, you have to step it up.”

Senior Scott Sankey played well, King added. Sankey led the Eagles

with 15 points, six rebounds and three blocked shots. The Lancers

were ready for junior Carlos Pinto, as they double teamed the

6-foot-3 guard and held him to eight points on 3-of-12 shooting.

King moved Pinto to point guard with the intent of creating

isolation plays for Pinto, but the Lancers continued to send an extra

defender at him. He missed his first five shots before connecting on

a three-pointer in the second quarter.

The Eagles missed their first six shots. Estancia junior Ray

Verette came off the bench to score seven of the Eagles’ 14 points in

the second quarter. He hit three of his four shots, but did not score

the rest of the way. Meanwhile, Orange Lutheran, led by 6-5 reserve

freshman forward Michael Reardon’s 14 points, scored 25 points in the

second quarter and took a 47-19 lead at the break.

Estancia matched the Lancers in the third quarter, 19-19, but

Orange Lutheran had already done enough damage. The Lancers had five

players in double figures, including four starters. The five players

ranged from 6-2 to 6-6.

Estancia’s tallest player was Sankey at 6-5.

*--*

CIF Division III-A First round

Orange Lutheran 81, Estancia 49

Score by Quarters

Estancia 5 14 19 11 -- 49

Orange 22 25 19 15 -- 81

Estancia -- Pinto 8, McDaniels 2, Escobedo 4,

Kopp 6, Sankey 15, Verette 7, Salas 3,

Fryslie 2, Viramontes 2, Markley 0, Meissner

0, Young 0, Argumedo 0, Molina 0. 3-pt. goals

-- Pinto 2, Salas 1, Verette 1. Orange --

Tanner 10, Courvoisier 5, Wilson 12, Rohr 10,

Luecke 10, Reardon 14, Gulsvig 7, Pinick 5,

K. Craik 4, Romberg 2, Ledbetter 2. 3-pt.

goals -- Tanner 1, Gulsvig 1.

*--*