Uni runs past CdM

Rick Devereux

“We’re not into moral victories,” Corona del Mar High boys basketball

coach Ryan Curry said Wednesday night after the Sea Kings lost,

67-52, to host University in a Pacific Coast League contest.

Unfortunately, that is the only type of victory CdM has gotten

over the Trojans recently.

Uni (9-8, 2-0 in league) has won three of the last four meetings,

dating back to last year. The Trojans dismantled Corona del Mar,

80-42, in a consolation round of the La Quinta tournament.

Like the La Quinta tournament matchup, in which CdM was only down

by three points at the half only to watch University go on a 28-5 run

in the third to put the game away, the game Wednesday night was a lot

closer than the score indicated.

The game was tied at 14 after the first quarter and was tied at 24

with one minute left in the half after CdM’s Ryan Lance hit a

three-pointer. Lance finished with a team-high 18 points. But the

Trojans went on an 8-0 run to close out the half and decidedly shift

the momentum into the host’s favor. Uni went on a 10-3 run to start

the third quarter for a 42-27 advantage.

“That run at the end of the second quarter was huge,” University

Coach Mike Dinneen said. “When we went up by 15 points in the third,

we were on the verge of putting it away, but I give CdM credit for

getting back into it.”

Corona del Mar (6-11, 1-1) used an 11-4 run of its own to close

out the third and bring the visitors within striking distance at

46-39.

Ted Slaughter hit two free throws to start the fourth to close the

deficit to five points, but University’s Jonas Lalehzadeh hit a

three-pointer on the next possession.

“They shoot a ton of threes,” Curry said. “And I thought they hit

their shots when they needed them. And they hit their free throws

down the stretch, too.”

The Trojans connected on 7 of 9 from the charity stripe in the

fourth quarter, all coming with less than three minutes remaining,

and 12 of 16 (75%) overall. CdM was 18 of 31 for 58%.

The Sea Kings got to within five points once more in the fourth

when Slaughter hit the first of his two free throws to make it a

51-46 contest with 4:29 left, but that was as close as the visitors

would get.

Lalehzadeh made a jumper and, following a steal on the inbounds,

Danny Wen hit a three-pointer to give University an insurmountable

56-46 lead.

Wen finished with a game-high 24 points and four three-pointers.

Still, Curry was pleased with how his team responded after the

Trojans’ runs.

“Earlier in the season we would have fallen apart,” he said.

“Today, we weathered their runs and fought back.”

Still, Curry said he wasn’t looking for a moral victory.

CdM travels to Calvary Chapel Friday at 7 p.m.

Pacific Coast League

University 67, Corona del Mar 52

Score by Quarters

*--*

Corona del Mar 14 10 15 13 -- 52

University 14 18 14 21 -- 67

*--*

CdM -- R. Lance 18, Smith 8, Hirata 5, T. Lance 2, Kaluz 0, S.

Slaughter 13, T. Slaughter 6, Doran 0, Quon 0, Loyd 0, Hinto 0,

Miller 0, Jacobs 0.

3-pt. goals -- R. Lance 2, S. Slaughter 2, Hirata 1, Smith 1.

Fouled out -- T. Lance.

Technicals -- None.

University -- Nobe 10, Shin 8, Lalehzadeh 14, Crooks 5, Wen 24,

Bisbee 2, Bryant 2, Heffernan 2, Behzadnia 0, Ghaffarzaeh 0,

Kazempour 0, Haghighi 0.

3-pt. goals -- Wen 4, Lalehzadeh 3, Nobe 2.

Fouled out -- None.

Technicals -- None.