Eagles seize share of league crown

Rick Devereux

Despite securing at least a share of the Golden West League title

with Monday’s 52-39 win over Saddleback High, the Estancia boys

basketball team walked out of the locker room after the game with

grim and serious looks on their faces.

“If we play like this in CIF [Southern Section Division III-A

playoffs] we will lose,” junior guard Mike McDaniels said.

The Eagles, ranked No. 5 in the division, are guaranteed at least

a partial claim to the league title with a 10-0 league record with

two games remaining. Costa Mesa, who did not play Monday, is second

in the league at 8-2. Estancia plays the Mustangs Friday at 7 p.m. at

Costa Mesa High in the regular-season finale. The Eagles, who

improved to 20-4, travel to Santa Ana Wednesday at 7 p.m.

Looking ahead to the battle with Mesa might have played a part in

Estancia’s slow start against the Roadrunners (10-15, 3-8 in league).

“We might be looking forward,” Coach Jason Simco said. “We have 10

seniors on this team but no senior who will step up. I don’t care if

they’re the last guy on the bench, we need someone to step up and be

a vocal leader.”

While Simco was unimpressed with the seniors, the juniors carried

the team early.

McDaniels, Dallas Kopp and Shaun Markley scored Estancia’s first

13 points as the Eagles took a 13-6 lead early in the second quarter.

Estancia grabbed an 18-8 lead, but the Roadrunners went on a 12-2

run in the final 2:50 to send the teams in tied at the half.

“It was disappointing,” senior co-captain Carlos Pinto said. “This

is a team we should beat by 30 and have our second string come in for

fun. We need to get a knockout punch.”

The Eagles came out with renewed intensity on defense holding

Saddleback to seven points in the third quarter. Estancia created

offense with pressure defense, turning steals into layups.

“We try to pressure teams and get turnovers,” Simco said. “We

looked lazy, but we played well in the third quarter.”

The Eagles went on a 9-2 run to start the second half and finished

with a 12-2 run in the final 3:27 of the third to take a 41-27 lead

heading into the fourth quarter.

McDaniels, who finished with a team-high 14 points, scored eight

points in the decisive third quarter. Pinto, who had 12 points,

produced 10 in the third.

McDaniels accounted for four points in a matter of nine seconds

when he made two free throws and then made a layup when Pinto stole

the ensuing inbound pass.

The Eagles converted 13 of 20 free throws (65%) and Saddleback

made 11 of 14 for 79%.

“McDaniels really stepped up for us,” Simco said. “And Dallas

[Kopp, who finished with eight points] was a major presence for us

under the boards and on defense.”

The defense shut down Saddleback’s Edgar Sanchez in the second

half. Sanchez had a game-high 17 points, but only made one basket

after intermission.

“We focused on stopping him,” Simco said. “I give [the

Roadrunners] all the credit in the world. They should have won.”

Simco said that height played a factor in the win. The Eagles

boast eight players 6-foot or taller while Saddleback has three.

“I’m convinced they would have won if we weren’t 6-4, 6-5, 6-5,”

Simco said, referring to Pinto, Kopp and Bryce McKendry.

Pinto said the Eagles lack the bravado championship teams need.

“We’ve got to get a cocky attitude and blow out a team on their

home court and embarrass them,” he said.

The current squad became the first Estancia boys basketball team

since 1997 to win the league title. Simco said before the game the

team set a goal to be 12-0 in league. The last Estancia team to do

that was during the 1994-95 season.

“We don’t want to be co-champs,” McDaniels said. “We want to be

greedy and have it all to ourselves. We’ve worked too hard to share

it.”

Starting center Danny Argumedo injured his left knee during

warm-ups and did not play. He iced his knee during the game and had

to be helped to the team bus afterward. It is unknown how serious the

injury is or how long Argumedo will be out of the lineup, if at all.

“That’s a big disappointment,” Pinto said. “He’s our big post

player and he is very good at locking shots.”

McKendry, in Argumedo’s absence, finished with six points, three

rebounds one block and a steal.

Golden West League

Estancia 52, Saddleback 39

Score by Quarters

*--*

Estancia 10 10 21 11 -- 52

Saddleback 6 14 7 12 -- 39

*--*

Estancia -- C. Pinto 12, McDaniels 14, Sh. Markley 8, Montillo 0,

Kopp 8, Verrette 2, Sc. Markley 0, Molina 0, Escobedo 0, Hart 1, B.

Pinto 0, Fryslie 1, McKendry 6.

3-pt. goals -- C. Pinto 1, Kopp 1, Sh. Markley 1.

Saddleback -- Gutierrez 2, Lamb 2, Sanchez 17, Cantoran 2,

Caballero 1, Navarro 0, Vasquez 2, Alejandro 2, Lara 5, Mendoza 6.

3-pt. goals -- Sanchez 2.