Pinto secures win for Eagles

The junior has a game-high 16 points and a key steal in the closing seconds of Estancia’s win over Trabuco Hills.COSTA MESA -- It wasn’t pretty and it wasn’t easy. But the Estancia High boys’ basketball team clamped down on defense and junior point guard Blake Pinto made the big plays in the Eagles’ 47-44 victory over Trabuco Hills in the quarterfinals of the Coast Classic at Estancia High on Wednesday night.

Estancia (6-6) moves to the semifinals against Edison -- 68-50 winners over Corona del Mar -- today at 7:45 p.m. San Clemente and JSerra meet in the other semifinal game.

Estancia held Trabuco Hills star Laith Al-Jamie to 13 points and two rebounds. Pinto covered him for most of the game.

“We took their best player out of the game,” Estancia Coach Jason Simco said. “That was our focus. He’s their go-to guy. Pinto did a good job shadowing him.”

Pinto came through down the stretch for the Eagles, scoring all eight of the team’s fourth-quarter points. Pinto accumulated most of his game-high 16 points by driving to the basket. But he pulled up and knocked down a three-pointer with 2:20 left in the game to give the Eagles a 45-37 lead.

Matt Ballard, Trabuco Hills’ 6-foot-7 post player, brought his team back by battling for tough rebounds inside and scoring two layups to bring the Mustangs to within 45-43 with just under a minute left in the fourth quarter.

After a steal by Trabuco Hills’ Max Whieldon, the Mustangs went back underneath to Ballard (nine points, eight rebounds), and Taylor McLanahan fouled him with 8 seconds left. Whieldon made one of two free throws to pull the Mustangs to within 45-44.

Pinto put the victory in Estancia’s pocket when he stole a Trabuco Hills inbound pass with 3.4 seconds left, was fouled, and then knocked down the ensuing free throws.

“Last week, I told him (Pinto) he has to be the guy,” Simco said. “He just stepped up.”

Shaun Markley got the Eagles going early, scoring all of his eight points in the first half, including two three-pointers.

Dallas Kopp -- Estancia’s tallest player at 6-foot-6 -- was held to two points, but he assisted Michael McDaniels and Taylor McLanahan on easy layups in the second quarter and finished the game with five blocks.

After Al-Jamie hit two consecutive three-pointers to give the Mustangs a 19-18 lead, Pinto drove hard to the basket and dished the ball off to McLanahan (nine points) for an uncontested layup. After Kopp blocked a shot, Shaun Markley flew through the lane and hit a left-handed layup to give the Eagles a 22-19 lead at halftime.

Trabuco Hills (7-6) took its last lead midway through the third quarter on a steal and a layup by Andrew Smith, but Taylor McLanahan responded with a three-pointer to give the Eagles a 29-27 lead. Estancia never trailed from that point on.

When Estancia takes on Orange County powerhouse Edison tonight in a semifinal game, it will give Simco a chance to go against his high school coach, Rich Boyce.

“I’m very excited about it. It will be the first time I’ve coached against him,” Simco said. “I probably won’t sleep too much tonight. His team will be well-prepared and physical.”

Coast Classic

Quarterfinals

Estancia 47,

Trabuco Hills 44

Score by Quarters