Time to get even

Stung by comeback on Jan. 6, Edison scores easy victory over Esperanza.On opening night of the Sunset League boys’ basketball race on Jan. 6, Esperanza staged a big second half rally to hand Edison a 49-44 defeat.

When the teams met for a rematch Friday, Esperanza couldn’t match its earlier effort: The game belonged to Edison.

The Chargers opened up a five-point lead after one quarter, was in control throughout the game and went on to record an important 63-45 victory.

Esperanza had come into the game tied for first place with Edison and Los Alamitos; all three teams are 4-1 in league play.

Entering this week’s action, Edison and Los Alamitos still shared first place.

Edison had a 15-10 lead after one quarter and a 27-18 advantage at halftime.

In the early stages of the fourth quarter, Edison put the game away. First, senior guard Mike Darin rebounded his own missed shot and scored on the put-back to make it 48-34. On Esperanza’s next two trips down court, the Aztecs turned the ball over. The Chargers converted both miscues into baskets, each coming off short jumpers by junior forward Phillip Darin to go on top, 52-34.

The lead reached as many as 20 points on two occasions, the first with 3:38 left to play.

T.J. Lipold scored 15 points, Thomas Marcin 14 and Darin 12 to pace Edison.

In other boys’ action:

Los Alamitos kept pace with Edison in the chase for first place by disposing of host Huntington Beach, 79-54. The Griffins won the game over the second and third quarters, in which they outscored the Oilers, 48-23.

Sophomore guards Nick Becker and Trevor Carroll scored 14 and 13 points, respectively, for Huntington.

Marina fell for the second time this season to Fountain Valley, this time by a 58-38 score. Mike Kinoshita scored 11 points and Sean Starkey 10 for the visiting Vikings.

Ocean View steadily pulled away and scored a 59-41 Golden West League victory over visiting Santa Ana. Diego Delgado scored 16 points and Brandon Ishimoto 12 for the Seahawks.

In girls’ basketball:

Marina opened up the second-half of Sunset League play with a 50-38 victory over visiting Fountain Valley, to improve to 6-0.

Huntington stayed a game back of Marina in the league standings by downing host Los Alamitos, 43-36. The Oilers, who led 22-11 at the half, got 18 points from Noe Viloria and 10 more from Jasmine Erving.

Edison fell to host Esperanza, 63-50. Simone Ibbotson had a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds and also had four blocked shots. Sarah Schmidt hit three three-point baskets en route to 11 points and had five rebounds, and Kelly Peterson hit all eight of her free throws to finish with eight points; she also had nine assists.

CIF Rankings:

Girls’ basketball

Division I-A: 1. Ventura; 2. Buena; 3. Marina; 4. Cajon; 5. Hart; 6. Perris; 7. J.W. North; 8. Riverside Poly; 9. Canyon Springs; 10. Oxnard; 11. Sultana; 12. Pasadena; 13. Hesperia; 14. West Covina; 15. Canyon/Canyon Country; 16. Righetti.

Division II-AA: 1. Troy; 2. Villa Park; 3. Redondo; 4. El Dorado; 5. Fullerton; 6. Arroyo; 7. Huntington Beach; 8. Mira Costa; 9. Mark Keppel; 10. Ayala; 11. Moorpark; 12. Westlake; 13. Dos Pueblos; 14. Indio; 15. Cerritos; 16. Mayfair.

Division III-AA: 1. Santa Margarita; 2. Artesia; 3. Diamond Ranch; 4. Palos Verdes; 5. Magnolia; 6. Covina; 7. Ocean View; 8. Gahr; 9. La Canada; 10. Monrovia; 11. Wilson/Hacienda Heights; 12. Barstow; 13. Bonita; 14. Yucca Valley; 15. Laguna Hills; 16. South Pasadena.

Boys’ basketball

Division II-AA: 1. Mater Dei; 2. Dominguez; 3. Ayala; 4. Villa Park; 5. Edison; 6. Mayfair; 7. Loyola; 8. Santa Barbara; 9. Serrano; 10. Burroughs/Burbank.

Division III-AA: 1. Artesia; 2. Santa Margarita; 3. La Canada; 4. Servite; 5. Diamond Ranch; 6. Gahr; 7. Bonita; 8. Ocean View; 9. Corona del Mar; 10. Lompoc; 11. Rancho Alamitos; 12. Burroughs/Ridgecrest; 13. Gabrielino; 14. Palos Verdes; 15. Pioneer; 16. Covina.20060202itz66nncPHOTOS BY MARK DUSTIN / INDEPENDENT(LA)Above, Edison’s Thomas Marcin puts up a jump shot over the defense of Esperanza’s Kyle Pascual in the third quarter of Friday night’s game at Edison. Below, Edison’s Tim Golden drives to the basket along the baseline as Esperanza’s Carson Chapman defends. Edison scored a 63-45 victory, avenging a heartbreaking Jan. 6 defeat by Esperanza. 20060202itz66ancPHOTOS BY MARK DUSTIN / INDEPENDENT(LA)Above, Edison’s Thomas Marcin puts up a jump shot over the defense of Esperanza’s Kyle Pascual in the third quarter of Friday night’s game at Edison. Below, Edison’s Tim Golden drives to the basket along the baseline as Esperanza’s Carson Chapman defends. Edison scored a 63-45 victory, avenging a heartbreaking Jan. 6 defeat by Esperanza.